Returning from Thailand amidst Covid-19
Wow! So much has happened since a week ago when I was getting ready to set off on my glorious girls trip to Thailand. There was a bit of buzz about "Coronavirus" when we left, but at that stage we thought it was no worse than the "flu". Still, we made sure we wiped...
Goal setting for 2020!
Welcome back and welcome to a whole new decade! I've been a bit slow off the mark, enjoying school holidays far too much but I am slowing getting back into the swing of it ready for an epic year! The start of a new year always seems to bring new hope and dreams to be...
What Admin REALLY Want from a Casual Supply Teacher
It can be tough getting noticed by an executive of a school. Everyone tells you; you need to speak to the Principal, Deputy or the person in charge of HR. This can be tough when often they are so busy and especially when the admin staff can be staunch gatekeepers....
What teachers REALLY want from supply teachers
I recently interviewed over 100 teachers and some administrative staff to find out what they love and loathe about replacement teachers and boy were the results interesting! Being a substitute, relief, supply or casual teacher can be a tough and competitive gig. Many...
What to do when the teacher leaves you a crappy lesson to teach?
So, the teacher has left you a snooze-worthy lesson to teach that you know is going to bomb. What’s a supply teacher to do? This is an all too familiar issue for casual teachers and it can be a tricky one to navigate. As the fill-in, you want to do what is asked of...
Engaging activities the students love
Sometimes when teaching, especially as a supply, substitute or relief teacher, you will get moments when lessons don't go to plan or finish sooner than anticipated, technology fails you, photocopies and resources go missing and you are needing to fill in some time on...
Returning to Supply Teaching after kids
So, you’ve had a kid or two or three (or more if you are crazy! ?) and you are now ready to do some supply or substitute teaching on the side? Supply teaching can be the perfect gig whilst raising children. You get all the joy of teaching without any of the...
The email that floored me
I received this email last week and it completely floored me. I have become used to people sending quick lines of thanks but am still always so surprised and humbled that people would take the time to let me know that they appreciate what I do. But when I got this...
Behaviour Management Strategies for the Challenging Students
90%+ of your class will be your usual, well-behaved children that will respond well to normal behaviour management strategies. It is that other 10 % that might challenge you a little more. Here are some tips to help deescalate and survive the day with a tough class or...
“Teacher” by Gabbie Stroud- The traumatic truth
I think there are a lot of teachers out there that would like to shake the hand of Gabbie Stroud. She is the author of the new book “Teacher- One woman’s struggle to keep the heart in teaching” that has quickly shot to become one of the Top 10 books in Australia. I...
I have a big announcement…
So, at the beginning of the year, I found out something that rocked my 2018. A few days into the new year, when you are supposed to be making resolutions to get fit, cut down on booze and make plans to change the world, I was trying to get my head around the...
And that’s a wrap! Reflections and resolutions.
As 2017 draws to a close I am reflecting on the year that was. This year has been MASSIVE for me. In 2016, when I had a nearly 2 ½ year old and 4 month old, I got this grand idea to create a resource to ease the stress of relief teachers and give them more confidence...