How to get subbing work

DeeDee1979

Hello Teachers
I'm looking for advice as a newly graduate teacher. I qualified this year as a mature student and I need to get subbing work as soon as possible as I have all those grown up things to consider such as mortgage and children. However I seem to be hitting a brick wall as far as subbing is concerned.

I have sent out my cvs to 26 schools. I only managed to get past the "gate keeper" secretary in 4 of the schools to meet the principals.

A number of the schools are using text a sub. I can never get through as the number is always engaged and they don't teach you how to dial at super speed in college.

These are local schools that I have dropped my cv into that are obviously throwing my cv into the shredder.

Local jobs gong to people the other side of the city does not make sense.

All advice would be appreciated.

Crazyteacher

It's tough at primary as well as post primary. Keep plugging away with the cv's. Can you go a bit further? Keep your heart up is all I can say. You never know when that 8.30am call will happen.

strawberrie

Our local INTO chairperson texts numbers of available qualified subs to principals from time to time. No harm asking them if they pass on details to schools in any way

teacherhead

I find it almost impossible to get subs for my school.

The attitude of some people really shocked me when I spoke to them. Is it only one day? I'm not sure if it's worth my while.... Really amazing stuff.

This is second level mind but it really surprised me. I easily rang ten people last week for two days subbing. Finally got one who cancelled the night before by text and left me standing in myself for a full day.

I have no problem covering classes but we could have paid an NQT to do it

We are a rural school nearest big town is maybe 20 miles away but it's not completely out of the way.

I have had three people subbing this year and they have been very good and very helpful even on short notice so to be fair to them I am looking after them whenever I can with subbing as it comes up.

The people who ooh and aah have been shredded. If you can get a start you will get work I would say. Dont be afraid to send cvs to schools a bit further afield or even make a phone call to say what subjects you have and that youre available from whatever date.

This week I had three teachers out for maths inservice and I could not get a qualified maths sub.
have two teachers on about 14 hours so I try to fill them up as much as I can but theyre wiped out after one absence in the week each.

I wonder where other people Get subs - looking at it from the other side

Crazyteacher

Some subs have very unrealistic expectations, I would love if the colleges did some lectures on job hunting and subbing skills. And give them a percentage on the probabilty of getting subbing. It would be an eye opener for some.

donegal11

Crazyteacher wrote: »

Some subs have very unrealistic expectations, I would love if the colleges did some lectures on job hunting and subbing skills. And give them a percentage on the probabilty of getting subbing. It would be an eye opener for some.

What unrealistic expectations?

drvantramp

teacherhead wrote: »

I find it almost impossible to get subs for my school.

The attitude of some people really shocked me when I spoke to them. Is it only one day? I'm not sure if it's worth my while.... Really amazing stuff.

This is second level mind but it really surprised me. I easily rang ten people last week for two days subbing. Finally got one who cancelled the night before by text and left me standing in myself for a full day.

I have no problem covering classes but we could have paid an NQT to do it

We are a rural school nearest big town is maybe 20 miles away but it's not completely out of the way.

I have had three people subbing this year and they have been very good and very helpful even on short notice so to be fair to them I am looking after them whenever I can with subbing as it comes up.

The people who ooh and aah have been shredded. If you can get a start you will get work I would say. Dont be afraid to send cvs to schools a bit further afield or even make a phone call to say what subjects you have and that youre available from whatever date.

This week I had three teachers out for maths inservice and I could not get a qualified maths sub.
have two teachers on about 14 hours so I try to fill them up as much as I can but theyre wiped out after one absence in the week each.

I wonder where other people Get subs - looking at it from the other side

Look at it from other side - cost of travel to do a days work, etc etc it may in fact not be worthwhile!! Would you work for that payslip?

I accept the point about attitude, that never does anyone any favours. Diplomacy rules.

ytareh

Times are REALLY hard .If a sub comes off the dole for a day's work it will take possibly MONTHS before they get cent again .People have to eat .Disgraceful situation .

teacherhead

drvantramp wrote: »

Look at it from other side - cost of travel to do a days work, etc etc it may in fact not be worthwhile!! Would you work for that payslip?

I accept the point about attitude, that never does anyone any favours. Diplomacy rules.

I understand all that. I wouldn't ring someone for two or three classes. I'm talking a full 9 class day and no interest.

If they were to get a fulltime job the travel costs would still exist.

I accept the point about the dole and difficulties coming on and off.

monaghanmissus

There might be a list in your nearest education centre that you could add your details to?

donegal11

teacherhead wrote: »

I understand all that. I wouldn't ring someone for two or three classes. I'm talking a full 9 class day and no interest.

If they were to get a fulltime job the travel costs would still exist.

I accept the point about the dole and difficulties coming on and off.

Some might only have been called in as a sub for a few hours in the past (you can't say this never happens). The experience of going into work for a few hours with full time colleagues knowing that you'll be out your ear the next day is hardly the greatest psychological experience.

If they were in a full time job they would be in a position to arrange transport and accommodation nearer to work.Not everyone has a car or public transport to drop them at your door.

Subs mightn't be on the dole and might have other non teaching jobs that they wouldn't jeopardize for the sake of a few hours/days work.

The dole scenario is over emphasised, SW are all to aware of sub teachers, they can claim part time dole and just not claim for subbing days. I'd say a better reason would be that subs would be reluctant to act as doormats for principals who seem to get insulted when they don't come running to them at a drop of a hat.

teacherhead

donegal11 wrote: »

Some might only have been called in as a sub for a few hours in the past (you can't say this never happens). The experience of going into work for a few hours with full time colleagues knowing that you'll be out your ear the next day is hardly the greatest psychological experience.

If they were in a full time job they would be in a position to arrange transport and accommodation nearer to work.Not everyone has a car or public transport to drop them at your door.

Subs mightn't be on the dole and might have other non teaching jobs that they wouldn't jeopardize for the sake of a few hours/days work.

The dole scenario is over emphasised, SW are all to aware of sub teachers, they can claim part time dole and just not claim for subbing days. I'd say a better reason would be that subs would be reluctant to act as doormats for principals who seem to get insulted when they don't come running to them at a drop of a hat.

I accept all that you say.

In my case transport or other jobs didn't seem to be the problem. I clearly got the message that they weren't bothered with the work if it was only one day. Just my experience, I'm not saying it's the case with everyone but it was a surprise to me.

As for doormats - If I ring somebody and they say no i'm not bothered i'm not inclined to ring a second time it's clear they're interested. In other cases people have had subbing already for that day or have other things on which is perfectly understandable and I would give them another try.

I'm giving a view from my perspective - take it or leave it. Please don't accuse me of treating teachers as doormats. I work alongside these subs and I want them to be happy and effective in their work. I am not responsible for casualistion of teaching. Subs are necessary in almost all schools to deal with absence of contracted teachers

seavill

Subs have been around forever. Nothing is new in what is posted above. People seem to think that being stuck looking for hours is a new thing. I am teaching 7 years and it was like that back then too in the "good times".

The psychological experience of knowing you are not back the next day as you put it is a silly argument.

Either you want a days work or you don't. If you don't want it don't expect any sympathy. Most teachers our there went through it at some stage. A lot more have gone through it over last 20 years put together than are experiencing it at this very moment.

You don't get handed a job on a plate just cause you are now qualified. Some people need to get over themselves and realise they are not the first person in that position and wont be the last. If you only qualified in the last year or 2 you knew exactly what you were getting yourself into and if you didn't you have no one else to blame.

People need to realise that now and has always happened that one day may lead to 3,4,5 days in a few weeks which may lead to few months or few hours for full year. My second proper school happened cause I had done a few days here and there in the past when suddenly a person in my subjects retired suddenly and they had to find someone fast. Who better than someone that knows the place.

You need to see the bigger picture and do what the rest of us did and accept everything going where at all possible and it will pay off at some stage.

ian87

I graduated in 2009 and was subbing for sept and oct every year. The best advice I can is getting out and going in with your cv. By the sounds of it, that's what you are doing. Keep on plugging, keep calling in, attend into meetings and hand out cvs/mingle. Often times the principals are the ones who go to the meetings.

Lord TSC

I'd always take the 1 day if I could, even if it was only a few hours. As said above, it's a foot in the door and could lead to more.

That said, I get why some people choose not to, even if I don't agree. When I started subbing, it worked out that I walked out with about €20 extra than if I had chosen not to work thanks to how the dole gets deducted. After taking transport, lunch and other things into account, some people might not think that extra 20 quid is worth the often uninviting scenario that sub work entails. (Though as I said, for me, it's about the experience rather than the money).

I don't know if there needs to be a look at how the dole works then for sub teachers or what, but the financial side of things have to be considered, I guess, when you're looking at why some subs might turn down such work...

teacherhead

seavill wrote: »

Subs have been around forever. Nothing is new in what is posted above. People seem to think that being stuck looking for hours is a new thing. I am teaching 7 years and it was like that back then too in the "good times".

The psychological experience of knowing you are not back the next day as you put it a silly argument.

Either you want a days work or you don't. If you don't want it don't expect any sympathy. Most teachers our there went through it at some stage. A lot more have gone through it over last 20 years put together than are experiencing it at this very moment.

You don't get handed a job on a plate just cause you are now qualified. Some people need to get over themselves and realise they are not the first person in that position and wont be the last. If you only qualified in the last year or 2 you knew exactly what you were getting yourself into and if you didn't you have no one else to blame.

People need to realise that now and has always happened that one day may lead to 3,4,5 days in a few weeks which may lead to few months or few hours for full year. My second proper school happened cause I had done a few days here and there in the past when suddenly a person in my subjects retired suddenly and they had to find someone fast. Who better than someone that knows the place.

You need to see the bigger picture and do what the rest of us did and accept everything going where at all possible and it will pay off at some stage.

Harsh man, but hit the nail on the head.