Although I have no permanent job I think I have been relatively lucky with supply work.
Since the start of term, after a VERY slow start, I have had 4 single days work and a 2 month contract which ended at Christmas. During my 2 month stint I was turning down loads of other work - I work for Falkirk council.
No two single days of Supply work are the same but they are fascinating for a variety of reasons:
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I have had head teachers welcome me personally with kind words, a map of the school and a brochure of the main things a Supply teacher needs to know.
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I have been to schools where staff could not have been more helpful
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I have been to schools where I have been completely ignored in staff rooms
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I have been to schools where I have had detailed plans left for me
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I have been to schools where my 14 year old daughter could have left a more helpful plan
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I have been to schools where I have had to deliver my own pre-prepared plans
As a Supply teacher you only get paid for 5 hours (not even 9 till 3), so.....
As it is impossible to prepare, teach and mark in 5 hours, my advice is get in early (if you have enough notice), stay on a bit after the bell, in order to do your own marking, and always leave a note for the absent teacher.
Others will tell you to turn up at 8:59 and leave when the children leave, after all that's what you get paid for. Well it's up to you, but doing it my way is more likely to get you repeat business - it certainly did for me.
Obviously not everyone can afford to live on scraps of supply work like this and it is accepted, even by Mike Russell, that some people just have to chuck it, because the COSLA deal he supported was so weak, nearly as weak as his proposal to train more teachers - not to fill full time posts you understand, just to fill the supply posts.
(It's a bit like Manchester United training more youngsters, not so that they can actually play for Manchester United, but so that they can sit on the substitutes' bench in case anyone gets injured.)
Anyway, tomorrow is a new term. I shall be dressed and ready to go from 7:30, waiting for that text or phonecall to arrive, and if it doesn't? Well, my garage needs cleared out.