What to do when a supply teaching assignment doesn’t go to plan

Supply teaching is incredibly rewarding and professionals can gain a wealth of experience, working in this way, but it’s worth acknowledging that not every opportunity will be wholly successful, and occasionally, things won’t turn out as planned. It’s not always possible to prevent or control this, but it’s how professionals respond that’s important. Here’s how specialists should respond if their teaching assignment doesn’t go as planned.

Stay professional and composed

Teachers are arguably more adept than many other professionals at staying composed in a difficult situation in the classroom, but it’s always important to remain professional at all points of an assignment, even if something has gone awry with a pupil or peer. It can be all too easy to let off steam to other staff in the school, but this should be avoided at all costs.

Remember that the individuals you may want to vent to are in the environment every day, and may not take kindly to a negative viewpoint on their school and the people in it. If you are asked to provide feedback on the assignment at the end of the day, carefully consider how you approach any constructive criticism and remember you can always speak to your recruitment representative afterwards should there be an issue that you believe will impact future assignments with the school or Trust.

Give the information needed in a handover

The supply teacher standard handover for the returning staff member is always crucial, but it’s far more important if there has been a problem in the classroom or with a pupil. Again, it’s essential to maintain a diplomatic approach and refrain from letting emotions influence the information provided. However, make sure that the details a returning teacher needs are in the handover. There may be dynamics between students that you are unaware of, which will have led to an outburst from an individual or arguments between pupils. While you will have dealt with the immediate challenge, the longer-term impact will be felt by the day-to-day staff, and they need to be equipped with every detail they can get hold of in order to handle this accordingly.

Take time to reflect

It can also be valuable to take time for personal reflection following a tough assignment and make notes on what worked and what didn’t. If, for example, there were behavioural problems, consider how the situation could have been approached differently. Or, if there was a sense of under-preparation, what additional resources would have been useful? More than anything else, this is a learning opportunity and will present a chance for teachers to prepare more thoroughly for other roles in the future.

Dealing with a particularly challenging supply teaching assignment

If the day was particularly challenging, or if there were any more serious incidents, it is often worth debriefing with a colleague, friend or someone you trust outside of the assignment who will likely have faced a similar experience in the past. Recognising that these issues do happen is part of the process; however, if it is a more serious event, then it should be documented and reported accordingly. In addition, teachers should also report to their agency if they were not provided with adequate support and can request not to return to specific institutions if they have been impacted in a particularly significant way.

Learn and move forward

Most importantly, don’t take it personally. Difficult assignments are part of the supply journey, and something faced by all professionals across the education sector. What sets the best teachers apart is not that they avoid bad days, but how they respond, adapt and grow after them.

In a profession built on adaptability, it is not the perfect roles that leave the biggest mark; it is the challenging ones that reveal the strength and resilience that truly great supply teachers bring to the classroom.

If you’re seeking your next assignment at an institution matched to your skills and background, get in touch with our expert team.

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