Advice For Leave Replacement Teachers

Working in a new school is both exciting and nerve-wracking.  It can also be challenging, especially when you are in a temporary position as a leave replacement teacher whose first day could be on any given date.

 

In my time as a leave replacement teacher, in several different districts, I have had my first day in September, December, and even April.   

 

Here are helpful tips and advice to make the most of your time as a leave replacement. 

 

Learn The Building And Meet Your Colleagues

Regardless of the month in which your employment begins, it is vital to familiarize yourself with the layout of the school so that you know your way around the building.  Also, it is to your benefit to introduce yourself to staff members of all ranks in all departments as a means of both being friendly and helping you learn names, faces, and job titles.  Please see my post called "How To Feel Comfortable In A New School" for additional tips about adjusting to a new school.   

 

When your employment begins at the start of the school term, other teachers and staff members are very likely to help you.  Even veteran teachers often get a slight case of “first day jitters” having to adjust to a new routine, so they can relate to the position you’re in on that initial day.  Also, the faculty is in the mode of welcoming new faces to the building; so, as human nature dictates, you are another face they will greet and embrace. 

 

Just because your first day is not at the start of the academic year does not mean less success for you.  It will, quite frankly though, take more effort and self-advocacy to get the answers and the guidance you need.

 

When you begin work in the middle of the school year, staff members might not be overly accommodating towards you for two reasons:

• Their routine is already underway, so that empathy about sorting though the beginning of the term is no longer top of mind
• Since they know that you will be at the school temporarily, your colleagues will not care to invest time and effort into helping you

 

The seemingly harsh reality of those reasons is not meant to scare you but rather prepare you to advocate for what you need to succeed.  This is not to say that all of your colleagues will leave you to sink or swim on your own; some teachers will absolutely help you.  I just want you to be well-informed to prepare for the worst but be hopeful for the best. 😊

Building Relationships With Your Students

Having your first day on the actual first day of school puts you in a good position with your students since it is the start of the year for them as well.  When you introduce yourself to your students on day one of the school year, you can easily establish yourself as their new teacher, regardless of your duration at the school.  Most students will respect and trust your role as the adult in the room and will care about earning exceptional grades in your class.

 

When your first day is beyond the start of the school year, that’s when you may face some challenges.  Let’s say your first day is in December.  This means that your students spent three months establishing routine, building trust, and forming relationships with the person they often refer to as their “real teacher.”  Now, you come into their lives, with good intentions, eager to start a unit on short stories, but the students want nothing more than for you to leave and their “real teacher” to return.      

 

Take a deep breathe.  Maintain a friendly but stern demeanor.  Inform your students of your expectations for the class.  Explain that while it will take time for them to adjust to you, and vice versa, a smooth transition can only be accomplished if everyone puts effort into it.

 

There is a real possibility that your students will “fight you” on the most trivial matters.  This is simply because they believe that you (the person who is not their “real teacher) do not have any authority over them (when in reality, you are obviously there to help them learn).  You may have moments where you need to push aside your pride and come to terms with the fact that some battles cannot be won.  Despite this, be sure to internally celebrate small victories.  For example, if half of the class typically complains about vocabulary review but today only one student does, you should recognize that as a small yet meaningful win.  With each day, routine will be established, trust will be built, and relationships will be formed. 

 

Creating Lesson Plans And Activities

When it comes to creating lesson plans and activities, find a balance between accepting the figurative cards you’ve been dealt and making choices that are best for you.

 

The teacher you are temporarily replacing will have done one of two things: he/she has either provided you with a plethora of lesson plans and activities to be adapted as you see fit, or he/she has left you on your own with no guidance about the content to cover or the resources to use. 

 

I have experienced both scenarios.  In the situations where I was provided with materials, I was so grateful.  I was able to pick and choose what materials to use and how I would like to incorporate them with my lessons.  These same teachers also encouraged me to reach out to them via email with questions.  They had my best interest and that of the students, setting everyone up for success. 

 

On the other hand, I have also been in positions where I was given zero direction about what to do in those teachers’ absences.  To top it off, I was told not to contact them.  At that point, survival instinct kicked in, as dramatic as that sounds.  I meticulously read the curriculum and strategically searched the Internet for anything I could piece together for that standard, that objective, that lesson, that unit.  If there were teachers in my discipline who appeared friendly, I asked them for suggestions to at least give me a direction for how to shape my course content.       

 

Regardless of the situation you are in – the date you start, the state of your relationship with your students, and the level of support from the teacher on leave – embrace it, even if it means putting your blood, sweat, and tears into your work every day.

 

Your school’s principal and assistant principal will surely appreciate your effort, and you will be top of mind when a permanent position becomes available.  At the very least, your supervisors will provide you with a glowing reference when you apply for tenure-track positions elsewhere.

 

Conquering leave replacement positions will make you strong and well-equipped to take on classes and students that you will one day call your own.  Stay strong, keep persevering, and remember why you entered this noble profession.        

 

Leave a question, comment, or suggestion below, in the Comments Section!   

 

Please visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store to purchase a variety of resources for all grades and subjects!

 

Peace.  Love.  Reading & Writing.

 

💗 Miss M