r/IrishTeachers • u/False_Ad5702 • 2d ago
Question Does every teacher dread S and S?
I’m new in a school and my classes are great for the most part. However I absolutely dread my on call periods. I think it is because most of the time there is no work left, so it is usually a babysitting class. As I am new and my own classes are small, I don’t know a lot of the kids, so I feel they see me just as the sub and try to test me. That said, I have had only one class that wasn’t great.
Is it just me? Any advice for this?
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u/Proud-Skirt5133 2d ago
Had something like this when I taught in a rough school in Australia. It was a nightmare covering teachers who were out. UNO cards helped a lot. Also played a game called silent ball. Have a soft ball in your bag, kids stand up, they must remain silent or they are out. Throw the ball to each other, you drop it you are out. Can bring in rules like standing on one leg, catch with left hand only etc. I found it worked well and got me over the line for 10 or 15 mins. The classes were 70 mins long. In a 40 minute lesson you’d have plenty to fill the time. Wordle can be a good one also
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u/Foreign-Entrance-255 2d ago
We have had a crackdown on work not being left for years now so 95% of the time there is work. Just mention it to the principal and TBH I would mention it at staff meetings too as it affects everyone.
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u/burfriedos 2d ago
There can’t really be work left if a teacher is out sick though
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u/Foreign-Entrance-255 2d ago
We don't insist on that, more people away on trips or planned absences. I've put work on classroom when I knew I would be off for a few days with covid. Just didn't want to leave anyone in the lurch.
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u/Stunning_Stretch33 2d ago
Microsoft teams, school app etc. Very easy to say please do page 17, 18 Q 1-8.
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u/nose_glasses 2d ago
Shouldn’t be an expectation if a teacher is on sick leave
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u/Stunning_Stretch33 2d ago
It only takes 2 minutes and is common curtsey.
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u/nose_glasses 2d ago
It’s common courtesy to allow sick colleagues time to rest
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u/Stunning_Stretch33 2d ago
I understand your point but you should consider the sub (not qualified in that subject) having never met the class and under pressure to try to pull things out of their bag. Our school is Deis and it's expected of the absent staff just to leave a very quick note.
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u/zeldazigzag Post Primary 2d ago
Teachers who are sick should not be expected to set cover work. The last thing any sick teacher needs is to have to find pages or questions in a book for a class.
If you're sick, you're sick.
At the same time, a supervising teacher shouldn't need to "pull things out of the bag". Pupils should be expected to read, study for a subject, continue working on something recent, or complete homework in class. Management should be ready to support this.
(Teachers away for reasons other than sickness and bereavement should of course leave work)
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u/burfriedos 2d ago
I’m in a DEIS plus school in one of the most deprived areas of Dublin and never in a million years would I expect a sick colleague to leave work.
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u/Sudden-Candy4633 2d ago
A sick teacher should never be expected to leave work. Doesn't matter how little experience the person covering the class has. It's not a lot for the covering teacher to say take out your books and answer q.1-10 or whatever....
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u/Cultural_Grocery_347 2d ago
Not so "easy" if you're out with an unexpected migraine that brings on blindness. Or any other kind of illness, frankly. If a teacher is sick, they're sick and should get to rest.
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u/sahaharaa 2d ago
A school I did my PME placement in had a teams page for classes with no work left in case there was an unexpected absence. So there were always resources there to print of for every year group on every topic. The subject departments decided on it at the beginning of the year once and they just updated/added things as they found them. Thought it was amazing as a PME because I subbed a lot!
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u/Foreign-Entrance-255 2d ago
The tough one is for TY cover. I have emergency adult colouring-in sheets photocopied (they're free online) for that dire need.
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u/sahaharaa 2d ago
Even teaching TY classes can be a nightmare tbh I find it such a tricky year. So much I'd love to do because the curriculum is so open but it would require a lot of buy in that TYs don't seem to want to give whenever I've had them!
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u/Extension-Tune-8779 2d ago
Linguistic puzzles are a great one as they develop problem solving skills- you can get them online
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u/CallMeDavid_ 2d ago
You're 100% right that it is difficult to get them on side sometimes. You can get creative with it though, keep a deck or Uno cards in your bag to hand out, play games on the board like hangman with keywords from their subject, or even let them just draw on the board. You'll be able to suss out who is the messers and who actively wants something to do fairly easily. I usually find having a folder in my bag with crosswords, word searches etc in my bag ro be very handy for stuff like this.
There are also some resource packs called "No such thing as a free class" in several subjects you could get. English would be the easiest ones to get, I know Rescue Resource on TES has them.
Barring all of that, just sit amongst them and have a chat. It goes a long long way to getting to know them and makes the next time you cover them easier.