4/29/2008 8:34:00 AM
The Guardian 29 April
At £5 per 50-minute lesson, employing sixth-formers as supply cover is one answer to teacher shortages. Jessica Shepherd reports A-level student Matt Round, 18, takes a year-10 biology lesson at Chalfonts Community College. Photograph: David Mansell. "Put your hand up if you can name every chamber of the heart, the main vein and artery? Come on now, I should be seeing every hand up. And I am. Well done. "The aorta is at the top of the heart; the ventricles are at the ...? Bottom. Good." It's the period before lunch on a Tuesday at the Chalfonts Community College in Buckinghamshire. This is year 10 biology. This particular supply teacher has commanded perfectly the attention of a class that can, at times, be boisterous. Thirty pairs of eyes are locked into his. Then again, this class know the teacher already: as a student in their sixth form. Chalfonts has started to employ 24 of its sixth-formers to take supply lessons, paying them £5 for a 50-minute lesson. The school has struggled - like many - to find good supply teachers, and these sixth-formers master valuable skills and score points on their university application forms with the extra responsibility. "Right, now I'm going to split you into groups of four. You, you and you ... Take one of the photocopies on my desk." Matthew Round, 18, studying for A-levels in biology, PE and geography, has been trained to take today's supply lesson. He's been interviewed for the job, has stated which subjects he wants to cover, and has had to observe six hours of teaching. Chalfonts teachers have explained the basics of behaviour management, shown him how he can use classroom terminology and technology, and made sure he knows the disciplinary rules and the importance of confidentiality.Guardian
Secondary
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