I can’t believe I’ve actually got to write this. I never thought I would ever be well enough to teach. The past month has been a huge journey, I honestly don’t even recognize myself anymore.

Things I never could have done before, I can now do (if not perfectly). Teaching a class on my own, speaking to teachers, parents and pupils, without anxiety, it’s amazing.

Even eating lunch on my own at a table surrounded by pupils (we eat together) would have terrified me, but now I do it and I actually eat.

In high school, a boy told me I “eat disgusting” which led to me not eating in school for the next 6 years. That and being told I’d put on “puppy fat” led to anorexia, which I have struggled with ever since; although since my last 2 months of pregnancy I have managed to eat really well without any relapse, so let’s hope it carries on.

I had an incredibly tough day today and I’m really wondering if I am cut out for this so I thought I would write a pro and con list.

Pros:

• Good money
• Flexibility
• Don’t have to take work home
• Get to teach all subjects
• When a lesson goes well it’s so rewarding
• Make friends with other substitutes
• It’s helping me to learn Swedish

Cons:

• Sometimes shifts are few and far between
• No contract or security
• Both pupils and some teachers show less respect to substitutes
• Lesson plans you are given can be terrible which gives you no hope with getting the class to do work
• Have to teach things I have no clue about – especially lessons in Swedish
• It’s hard to develop a good working relationship with the pupils as you aren’t often teaching them
• Some of the behavior is incredibly hard to deal with

If you have any experience teaching pleaaaase tell me your magical tips and advice.

Louise x