What's in my bag: supply teaching edition

Hello!

I read/watch a lot of 'What's in my bag' posts or videos and so I've decided to do my own - with a twist! 

I am just about to begin my fifth year of teaching (wow, scary!) and due to reasons that I don't really want to go into detail about, for the foreseeable future I am going to be a supply teacher! I will say that this is my choice by the way. I want to be a full time teacher again but with the way that applying for teaching jobs works, you don't really get to know what a school is like until you work there. So I made the decision to do supply for a while to get to know some of the schools in my local area a bit better. I'm hoping that in a few months time I will have something set up and be happy at that school.

So, in preparation for my new venture, I have my supply bag filled and ready to go! I have done a bit of research on what I might need, and these are the things that I will be taking with me when I go into each school. 

 

First of all - the bag itself! I ordered this online from the ASDA website and am really pleased with it. It's big enough to fit everything in with room to spare! I decided to get a picture from my recent holiday to Mexico printed on it, along with my name. Quite simply, I love it!

 

The first thing in my bag is a matching folder and pencil case, both from WHSmith. I love the quirky design! In my pencil case I have the standard - pens, whiteboard pens, a rubber/pencil and highlighters (although I'm not hoping to be highlighting any APP grids any time soon!)

In the folder I have 10 different sections, including feedback sheets, my DBS check, ideas for teaching in each year group and information from my agency. I haven't printed out any worksheets yet as I'm hoping I won't need any, but that is one thing that worries me about the job - going into a school and not being left any work! Eek.

Next up are my trainers, for if I have to teach PE. These are my old gym trainers so are a little worn out!

I'll be taking a whistle, again for PE or duty, along with this stamper that I bought. It looks great! Obviously I'll only be able to use it while i'm on supply, but I already have at least 10 stampers from when I was teaching my own class. I put a lot of time into marking and so in order to make a good impression in schools, I will use this too so that staff remember who I am! I was inspired by a teacher who covered my class last term, who was probably the best supply cover I have ever had. 

I have so many sheets of stickers I could give one out to 1000 pupils and still have some left over. Yes, I may have gone a little over board on ordering stickers back in my NQT days. And I may have just ordered some more! I can't resist the smelly stickers from PTS (http://www.primaryteaching.co.uk) and may have bought a few more sheets. My last class (year 5) absolutely loved them and I'm hoping they will help with behaviour management while on supply. 

So at the minute these are the items that I plan on taking with me on supply. Once I start, it may become obvious that there are things that I'm missing, but at the moment I feel prepared enough taking these things with me. The kids went back to school last week and it felt very strange for me not being there with my own class. But I am ready for this next challenge in my career and who knows where it will lead me?!

What do you think of my supply bag?

Which of my items will be the most useful?

Is there anything I am missing from my supply bag?

What do you carry in your bag?

Greta xx