Great Finance Stories

Working as a supply teacher in schools across the North West I found all different ways to teach my classes depending on the area. I travelled around on a scooter as it was cheaper than having a car for the amount of travelling I did. I never knew where I would be from one day to the next which made planning for classes quite difficult and I learnt to think on my feet as soon as I arrived at the schools.

I travelled 62 miles one day only to arrive and be told I wasn't needed to teach but they had a couple of little jobs that I could do as I was already there. I was asked to find out skip hire costs within the region for a course that the children were studying. They were learning about the differences that businesses can charge and then they were visiting them to find out about overheads. In all of the schools I have been to I have never been asked to do something like this, I felt quite insulted.

Surely, as part of the business classes the children should find out these costs themselves. Some of them now have a scooter as they have reached the legal driving age, they could actually travel round and speak to people, also giving them business meeting skills. The schools just don't seem to understand the importance of independence, they want it done quickly instead of showing these teenagers how to do it themselves.

The reason I went into teaching, was to give the children independence and set them up with life skills for everything that life trows at them. This school just doesn't seem to have the same opinion as me and it is the first time I have been to this school so I was unaware of what I was letting myself into. The school is only bothered about getting good results and they seem to do this by getting the work done by teachers then submitting it as a child's work.

This is not my idea of teaching and I couldn't wait to get on my scooter and get out of there. I complained to the education authority and they looked into it. Guess what, I am now the head teacher of that school implementing my teaching strategies and the children seem very happy.