Supply Teaching

At 6.45 this morning I was lying in bed preparing my kids about getting up and getting ready for school, when my mobile rang, with a local, but unrecognised number... I answered somewhat suspiciously after all who would call me at that time?  Oh - welcome to the life of a supply teacher!  It was the Headteacher at my kids school, wanting me to teach a Reception class for the day.  After confirming it was not my daughter's class I didn't hesitate, and accepted straight away - I didn't ask any questions - what time? what responsibilities? etc.  Just immediately sprang into action, showered, dressed, made lunches, packed bags, collected stuff that I might need, downloaded age appropriate music to my iPod (OK - my husband did that!), breakfasted, dressed the kids, loaded the buggy and set off, by 7.45am.  On the way, I texted a collection of people to rearrange plans for the day.

Got to school, and dropped off my son's stuff in his classroom, but kept him with me, then my daughter's stuff in her classroom and dropped her off in the playground.  Then five minutes before the bell rang, dropped my son off in his classroom and went to collect Reception Barn Owls.

'Who are you?', 'Where's Miss A?', 'Why?' and took them inside and asked them to sit in a circle on the floor.  I introduced myself and then played a circle game to learn all the kids names.  Four had been in my daughter's class last year, and one is the son of a friend of mine, so there were only ten to learn. One had lost a tooth, so he was easy to remember.

The teacher had left a great plan, which was really easy to follow.  Started off with some sounds for the letters, S, M, A and T.  The kids, who are 4-5 years old, came up with some great words. In small groups we went on a Sound Walk, listening carefully to the sounds we could hear around the school - the bubbles gurgling in the fish tank, the bell like sound when you stamped on the drain, the hum of the air conditioner, a car driving by going 'vrooom', children talking and walking and crickets screeching.  The children drew some pictures to describe what they heard, but it was a bit tricky as they were using clipboards and sometimes standing up.

I had to teach PE, and in my emergency teaching kit, I had my iPod and some speakers... we played musical statues and Simon Says, and then played with a parachute and some balls.  The kids shrieked with delight when they could run under the parachute and hold each handle.

At break and lunch, each time my daughter saw me, she sneaked up and gave me a cuddle, or took my hand.  I think it was quite novel for her to have me around all day!

At the end of the day, they had a fruit snack and then after packing their bags ready to go home. I read them 'The Gruffalo'.  I love this story, and can think of so many learning activities to build on from this book.  Today it was just the end of the day story though.

After all the kids had gone, my daughter was delivered to my classroom by her Mandarin teacher.  And we went home together, after our day in Reception.

I came home, exhausted.  Had dinner home delivered...