Summer off? Are you joking?

'What's it like having nothing to do for four months?'

To be honest, I would have hated it. I spent too much time in my first three years at uni doing zilch. Standard. Final year was a massive turnaround. I feel like I didn't stop, that was without a part time job too! People must have seen how much time I was given to my work, plus everything else, because everyone keeps on asking me how my 'stress-free' summer is going.

Well, I wouldn't exactly call it stress-free for a start.

Welcome to the wonderful world of supply!

Now, let's be honest. I absolutely love it! Well, on the whole. As you would guess I have had some absolute stinkers. One of which was so off-putting it seriously made me think 'am I cut out to do this come September?'. But I can honestly say I have had some of the most wonderful days (including my stand out best! Geography lesson in a Jamacian accent...don't ask!) days of teaching.

After one of my less successful days of supply (not saying that I can't teach, but you know PPA cover is another way of saying 'all hell will break loose' the majority of the time), it seriously made me think. There are tons and tons of handbooks for teachers. But what is there for supply? I know is a short term fix for some, but it is throwing yourself in at the deep end if you are new to it, especially as a NQT (well, technically I am...ish!).

Think the major issue I've come across is behaviour management. The amount of courses, placement and lectures where people have said 'wait for the kids, they'll get the message'. When you've got an afternoon to finish off basically a day's work, that basically isn't going to happen with someone new.

When you implement something new for the day, some kids might listen. KS1 don't tend to, obviously. You get loads of 'Miss does this' and 'Miss does that'. When you're hand goes up (I have a 'give me 5' rule) you are bound to get half the class looking whilst the others carry on gabbing for the next 2 minutes. This may be different for everyone, but when I stand up there, it is sometimes like you're talking to air. It's something I'm not used to as a teacher when I have taught 'my own classes' and it will definitely not be the case next year. It's weird how different classes are, even school comparisons are interesting.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated, but now, I'm sticking it out for the next six weeks, with Sue Cowley getting a serious read again.Serious holidays will be happening in the six weeks off, hello Rio and Italy! Then back to the panic of 'what the hell am I mean to do in two weeks...'

I think it's starting to kick in now.

@MissLeeSays