Supply teaching is vital to the smooth running of a school. Right now, schools are relying on supply teachers more than ever – meaning that there is huge demand for teachers who can cover staff shortages.
Supply teaching has many advantages. Recruitment specialists, ITN Mark Education, give us ten benefits that might help you make up your mind about whether supply teaching is the right choice for you.
- Flexibility
For anyone looking to break out of a full time role or enjoy a better work/life balance, supply teaching allows you to work hours that that suit. This is perfect for those teachers with young children or other dependants and responsibilities.
- Freedom
Supply teaching allows you a great deal of freedom. You are in charge of where you work and what type of work you want. Whether you are looking for a long contract at a local school, or to teach nearer to home, supply teaching is a really great way of gaining some autonomy in a career that is sadly becoming more restrictive on staff members.
- Greater focus on teaching
No doubt you became a teacher to teach – not to deal with the huge amount of paperwork and administration. Supply teachers avoid a lot of the bureaucracy suffered by full-time workers. This allows you to get the space and time needed to plan lessons effectively.
- Avoiding burn out
Sadly, stress and burn out is all too common in teaching. According to a recent poll carried out by the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), 83% of teachers report that they have experience workplace stress in the last twelve months. Three quarters of women teachers questioned had said that their job had affected their mental health and well-being. Supply teaching allows you to take a step back, a breather and concentrate on the actual teaching of children and young adults.
- Variety
Fulltime teachers may be able to experience only a handful of schools in their career. With supply teaching, you can visit a large number of schools, in only a matter of months. Some people may not like the constant changes. However, meeting other teachers, new pupils and experiencing different school practices, it gives you a much more enriched understanding of what is happening in the education system and the choices available to you.
- Choices
One of the great benefits of supply teaching is that you choose how much or how little you want to do. This gives you so many choices that a fulltime role is unable to give. While a fulltime job has benefits, it does not give you the same scope as supply teaching does.
- Retirement
Retirement can be difficult for many teachers who miss their old career. For those who want to keep their hand in the teaching game, supply teaching is a good option. It allows you to carry out small amounts of teaching at a pace that suits – without being bogged down by all the other duties of a full-time role.
- Relocation
If you’re planning on moving away, supply teaching is a great way of experiencing a few schools around your new area. The ‘try before you buy’ approach allows you make an informed choice before committing to a school.
- Educating while being educated
If you’re embarking on an education programme like an MA, supply teaching allows you to earn money while you fulfil the course. If your studies are education-related, teaching in a school is an ideal environment, as there will be plenty of people in this field of learning who can help, advise and provide support.
- Reduced “politics”
In any staffroom, there is a certain degree of politics. Teachers are sadly experiencing a lot of discontent at the moment – particularly in the way the government is controlling education policies. This stress has a negative impact on the day-to-day job, and inter-personnel upsets can easily happen. Supply teaching is a way of escaping these problems. You carry out your teaching but can avoid any of the burdens of school politics.
