Do you have the patience to be a teacher?

Being a teacher can be a very rewarding job and many teachers enjoy being able to help students through what can be a tough time in their lives but not anyone can be a teacher. Besides from having a degree you also need to ensure that you have patience. You will often have to deal with a range of children in terms of their age, ability and behaviour. This can be very challenging at times but you need to be able to remain calm and speak to them in a professional manner. You may also have times when having to deal with parents about their child and you may find that they often become very defensive. This can be frustrating but again you need to be able to remain professional at all times.

One mistake as a teacher could mean you end up losing your job and even your career as if you overstep certain boundaries you may not be able to teach at any school.

It is always a good idea of teachers have other teachers they can vent to as they will help them be able to discuss their concerns with like-minded people and not have to bottle it all up.

What are the key skills required by a supply teacher?

The role of a supply teacher can differ considerably depending on whether the teacher is working in a primary school or a secondary school. Many agencies provide supply teachers across the education sector, but it is important to choose the right person for the right role.

A supply teacher working in a primary school, especially if it is in key stage one will need to have a good understanding of early child development and be able to adapt their teaching practice accordingly. For example, young children will need lots of practical experiences, whatever the curriculum subject to enable them to fully grasp the concepts they are being taught.

Older primary school pupils can be difficult to manage for a supply teacher as the pupils know that the teacher may not be aware of the school and classroom rules, so it is important for the supply teacher to be firm but fair. Making sure that the school rules are followed will help the children to feel confident that the supply teacher is in control and may result in positive behaviour.

In secondary school the role of the supply teacher is usually to deliver the lesson that the teacher has planned which can be problematic if the supply teacher is not a specialist in that curriculum area. There is therefore a need to be able to quickly assimilate the teacher’s planning and be able to deliver it confidently, even if the subject is not familiar.

Perfecting your management skills

If you are an employer or are in charge of a group of people that you need to manage then it is important to try and make sure that you do the job correctly. Often problems start to arise when people who are in this type of role do not have the correct skills to carry it out and therefore end up causing issues with staff.

You need to have certain skills to be a manager or employer and you may find it hard to get the balance between being a boss and being friendly especially if you have been promoted into the role having previously worked on par with the people that you now need to manage. An employer does not need to be micromanaging their staff all the time in order to gain respect and to get the job done. Instead they need to maintain a level of professionalism and ensure that employees are happy and confident in the jobs they are doing.  

There are some great courses for employers and management that can often be completed over a day or two. These courses are designed to help show you how to manage your staff correctly, improve morale and deal with disputes within the workplace.

Missing information on your CV

Your CV is one of the most important things you can have to aid yo in finding a job. Often no one will give you the time of day unless they can look at your CV and read about what skills, qualifications and experience you have.

A good CV can be the difference between progressing to the next stage and invited for an interview and being rejected. It is important to put aside a good amount of time to put your CV together and once complete, check it and check again.  You may need to update your CV if you are still working and gaining different experiences that you may want to add on.

When writing a CV there may be times when you have to put down something or miss something out – which may not look great such as a gap in employment or short employment periods at a number of different companies. Although there may be a genuine reason for this, it may stand out as a warning sign to an employer and if you do get asked to an interview you may well be asked about it. Always be honest but try and think in advance about what you are going to say so it diesnt throw you.

Are you having trouble getting paid?

Many of us have to work to support ourselves and possibly to support other people – maybe a partner or children. If you are employed you don’t expect to have to fight to get paid and start chasing for your wage package but unfortunately some people even in employed roles have to face this month on month. This is more common in smaller businesses where funds may be stretched and employees often get left till last when it comes to paying bills. If the company is being threatened to be put on stop with one of their suppliers, then they are more likely to pay that supplier than the employees wages.

If you are experience issues with getting paid on time or paid the right amount then you need to seek advice. If you are part of a union then this will be the first people to contact. Be sure to keep records of what money you are still owed and when and how you have chased payment along with any responses you have received.

You may want to have a chat with your employer and explain to them the effect late or missing payments may be having on you. Sometimes a simple conversation is all it takes for them to understand how serious the situation is.