A reflection on my first year supply teaching!

2017 was my first year as a supply teacher. I unfortunately was not hired by my local board, but was lucky enough to be hired by a neighbouring board! This means, unfortunately, that I am not working as much as I would like- I only get calls about one day a week but I am taking full advantage of this! I am taking lots of AQ/ABQ courses and am staying positive for the future! Even though I have not worked a TON, I have still learned a lot about myself and a lot about teaching in my days spent supply teaching!

I will begin my reflection with a summary of my very first day as a supply teacher.

It was only a half day and it was for Grade 11/12 Workplace Math and Grade 9 Academic/Applied Science. I got the call about a week before the day so I had lots of time to get nervous and hype myself up for it. Firstly, I am glad that it was only a half day- I think this was a great first day as I was bound to feel nervous and overwhelmed, and knowing I was only there from lunch on made me much less nervous than I would have been otherwise. The secretaries were so welcoming and friendly and were so excited for me that it was my first day as a real teacher- this gave me a boost of confidence for sure! I was introduced to the principal, who upon learning what I was teaching that day told me of the Math class, "You have about 5 seconds to win them over". I wasn't really quite sure what to make of this, but never the less went to that class hoping for the best. Well, let's just say that I don't think I was quite prepared for that Math class. I will not go in to details but highlights from that very first class included several students going MIA during "bathroom breaks"; a students counting his cigarettes, insisting that this was relevant as it was Math (he did confess it was probably Kindergarten level Math though); a student hiding under desks, behind the door, and in the closet (which at first I was terrified to have lost a student seemingly in to thin air, but by the end of the period was rather thankful for this Houdini as at least he was being quiet); a student insisting I click his pen (I was adamant about this as I knew it was one of those prank pens that shock you, but to my glee and the student's dismay it stopped working by the time I gave in); and a total of one whole student doing the work they were supposed to be doing. I remember thinking that I was not cut out for this job, but was reassured by the regular teacher that in that particular class, the fact that I did not lose any students or that there were no major behavioural disasters meant it was a success. The Science class went much more smoothly- the only thing that stands out in my memory is that I was scared to look incompetent because I had to use an overhead projector for the first time in my life (but the watcher of supply teachers looked out for me that period and I looked like a pro). I left feeling exhilarated after my first day being on my own in charge of a class and feeling like I had done a good job without the help of an associate teacher to swoop in if I needed help.

Since that first day I have been lucky enough to have done almost all of my supply jobs at that same school- it is nice being familiar with the school and being able to recall students' names! Students have been pleased to see me again when I return to the same classes and I hope they are being genuine! Not only have I been back to teach Science and Math, but I have also taught in a Boys Gym class (on multiple occasions), an English class, a Civics/Careers class, and also an Auto Shop class (if I survived that Math class from my first day, I could do anything, see photo at right).

These are the things I have learned as a supply teacher: 1. Even though I am "just" a supply teacher, I am still a real teacher! While I don't have to plan lessons, supply teaching, even more than during my practicums, has given me practice in being flexible and adaptable. Usually I am just practicing my classroom management skills trying to get students to remain on the task the teacher has left for the day, but when I get to teach actual lessons (that weren't created by me), it is a wonderful challenge to teach students that I have only just met, adjusting the delivery and trying things on the fly to meet the needs of students I know nothing about. I get so excited when I see a teacher has left a lesson that I need to deliver and not just an independent task that students need to work on.

2. I can teach anything! After teaching workplace level Math, Boys Gym, and Auto Shop, even if they were just for a day, I am much more confident in my ability to teach students of all kinds and abilities. I will be more likely to take on classes in the future that are seen as "challenging" because of my experiences with some of these students. 3. Young adults, especially the "trouble makers" just want someone to care about them. Even though I may only see these students for a day, it is still important to make a connection with as many as I can. Having interacted with several challenging students periodically throughout the semester, I have noticed a definite change in their behaviour as I have come to know them more. The students that were rude and resistant the first time I met them have become much less so as I see them each subsequent time- getting to know students personally is so so so so important. The easiest way I have found to make a personal connection with every student in the room is by going around the room and individually asking each student their name as I make a seating chart instead of just calling out their names alphabetically as I take attendance. This lets me interact with them in a much more authentic way throughout the class (how much respect will students give you if you don't even take the time to learn their name?), helps me keep track of who is in/out of the class, and also helps me to remember any students that I want to tell their regular teacher about.

4. My classroom management stinks. I know that part of classroom management is having a relationship with your students and so I try not to bring myself down too much about this. I will never be the teacher who "scares" students into behaving well (considering I'm shorter than most of the students I teach this would be quite difficult), and instead believe that the creation of engaging and authentic learning experiences leads to a well managed classroom. I also believe that if you give your students respect, they will give you respect back, and this will lead to a well behaved class (see #3). During my practicum experiences I really started to believe this. However, when a regular teacher leaves students with "busy work" or if the lesson I'm asked to teach isn't in the format I personally would have delivered it, I can only do so much as a supply teacher. I try to modify lessons where I can, but ultimately as a supply teacher, there isn't enough time for me to do so and/or I don't have the resources to be able to do so on the fly. So, while I am learning more about how to manage behaviour, I am also learning what works well and what doesn't work well in engaging students in their learning.

5. I know that I am meant to be a teacher. This first year as a newly released teacher (I am envisioning a baby bird jumping out of the nest for the first time) has challenged me but above all else has given me the affirmation that I love teaching. It is a wonderful thing to have found the career you feel you were meant to do.

While I hope to get more calls in the upcoming semester, I hope even more that I can get my own classroom soon!