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Comparison of Relief Teacher Pay Rates in Australia

This table is current as at January 2012 and shows the daily rates for casual and relief teachers across Australia.

Hot Tips for Relief Teaching

Teaching is tough

Lets face it! 

Whether you are teaching in the classroom full time or you are relief teaching now and then, teaching is tough.

But there are a couple of teaching tips to help make your role as a teacher just a little bit easier. If you are relief teaching, these teaching tips will put you in the "I am value adding to your day" league.

Teaching - Chunking

Teaching Strategies for Mathematics.

Chunking

Depending on your age the teaching strategies used in math when you went to school would have varied from learning the written algorithm or doing mental math calculations.

Place Value - A Perfect Math Lesson

Place value is one of those important concepts in mathematics. Teachers (and when you are relief teaching) simply can't afford to get this math skill wrong.

Place value is essential to success in mathematics. 

Relief Teaching - My Bag of Tricks

My Relief Teaching Bag of Tricks

I arrive at a school fully prepared for anything and everything with my  Relief Teaching Bag of Tricks is essential.

Quotation Marks

Punctuation Marks - Quotation Marks

When I was a kid (oh good grief - did I just say that?), punctuation was a regular feature of my day.

Teaching Strategies using Cool Math Games

3 Key Relief Teaching Strategies

Teaching Strategies that Keep Kids Focused

When relief teaching it is very important, even essential to use teaching strategies that focus on

• Setting the Learning Agenda 

• Focus Kids on Outcomes 

• Promote Success

Are we failing to teach kids science?

I doubt that the results would be any different in Australia, but in a US study released yesterday, elementary, middle, and high school students failed to demonstrate a deep understanding of science concepts when they performed activity-based science tasks and investigations.

Relief Teaching and Word Games

Relief Teaching pay is good. But you can't go and purchase hundreds of resources for your job.

I am very selective about where I spend my money. Some would call my a tight-wad (or worse).

Fishing gear - YES.
Relief teaching resources - NO.

Relief Teaching & the Curriculum

Relief Teaching and the Curriculum

Honestly, how on earth can relief teachers know the curriculum for every year level?

Simple answer is you can't.

However it is vitally important that relief teachers have an GENERAL understanding of what each year should know. 

This way they can cover activities relevant to the skill level of each year level.

Relief Teaching and QCT Requirements

All fully registered teachers who have recency of practice, regardless of their employment situation, will need to meet continuing professional development (CPD) and ‘suitability to teach’ requirements in order to renew their registration.

Relief Teaching and QCT Registration

The Qld College of Teachers (QCT) has an expectation that relief teachers will participate in Continued Professional Development (CPD) to maintain their teacher registration.

Your can find the full details in the Article Bank (No 33) but essentially Queensland relief teachers are required to participate in CPD at the minimum following rate.

Under 40 days relief teaching per year - NIL
40 - 79 days relief teaching per year - 10 hours of CPD
80 - 119 days relief teaching per year - 15 hours of CPD
120 - 159 days relief teaching  per year - 20 hours of CPD
160 - 199 days relief teaching per year - 25 hours of CPD
200 days or more - 30 hours of CPD

You can include time spent on reliefteaching.com reading and researching in your CPD portfolio.

See Article 33 in the Article Bank for full details.

Relief Teaching in 3 Easy Steps

Could Relief Teaching get any easier?

This is a model I have used over and over to keep kids of all ages totally engaged during my relief teaching gigs in various schools.

Check it out.

Students Evaluating the Relief Teacher.

I'm not sure about this one.

I NEVER HAVE, and I probably NEVER WILL, have students evaluate relief teachers (include me as a relief teacher) but this is a thought provoking concept.

Relief Teaching and 10 Key Professional Behaviours

New to the Article Bank. Every teacher and relief teacher should read (and practice) these 10 Key Behaviours.

No: 32 Relief Teaching and 10 Key Professional Behaviours

Relief Teaching and Professional Development

I have a confession.

As a principal, a good relief teacher was someone who turned up on time, turned up on playground duty without being chased and did not send kids to the office and hence me.

Relief Teaching on You Tube

Check out reliefteaching.com YouTube videos. I would love to know what you think so I can improve these productions.

Relief Teaching and Managing Behaviour

Ten of the top articles dealing with Relief Teaching and Managing Behaviour.

Free to all Members. Check the Member's Only Resource Page link sent to all Members.

$0.99 for all visitors.

Why Construction suits Relief Teaching.

This is a great lesson to help kids master the intricacies of construction. It is manual rather than an academic activity so it caters for all learners.

This is great for relief teachers as quite often a relief teacher may not know kid’s abilities when they arrive.

Addition Left to Right

When I am relief teaching, I love mental math activities as an activity that engages the whole class.

I am amazed at how kids, even the turkeys, respond to mental math challenges and this one is up there with the best.

It is the skill of adding numbers from left to right and kids love to take on this challenge as the problems becoming more and more complex.

There is an excellent opportunity to scaffold the less capable learners. They can do a written form of the mental activity until they develop the mental skills themselves.

Check out Article No: 30 - Addition from Left to Right

Reading Comprehension.

There is nothing like a well designed reading comprehension passage to create active engagement. When I am relief teaching active engagement is my single most important goal.

PLUS putting together a good exercise take heaps of YOUR time - you want kids to spend 10x the effort you put into the activity.

Attention Disorders - A Case Study

This is a true story of success. In this six-week project middle school children diagnosed with ADD and ADHD and receiving special education services enjoyed the same success, if not more than, the other students.

Even the most absorbing tool, the TV, was not high on these students’ list of significant work. As a teacher, I felt I had been given a great gift of learning about how to support these special students. I encourage you to try it!

Check out Article 29.

Relief Teaching Resources

The Relief Teachers' Survival Handbook is a series of three titles.


The series is written for the teacher who needs an emergency lesson and for the relief teacher who has been asked to cover for an absent regular teacher. 


As a relief teacher, there may be occasions where work is not set for the entire day, and teachers may be expected to fill these times with their own lessons. 


This titles in this series cover every learning area, and though the lessons require minimal preparation, they are educationally meaningful, and can be adapted to suit particular lesson goals and abilities. 


See a sample page HERE


At ONLY $14.95 as an eBook instant download ($34.95 as a hard copy) it represents great value


Check Ready-Ed Publications for all your Relief Teaching resources. 

Managing Attention Disorders

New to reliefteaching.com RESOURCE PLACE Attention and self-regulation are the key to a student’s success at learning, but the lack of these skills are an increasing problem in our multitasking society.

Win a DVD...

A DVD - Walking with Dinosaurs will be given to the person who

• Downloads the free eBook 50 Ways and becomes an eNews Subscriber and
• Who makes the MOST comments on this website.

Prize will be awarded June 30, 11:59pm

Go For It.

Want More?

If you want more - Subscribe to get special deals and discounts on a range of teaching resources

What dinosaurs?

Walking with Dinosaurs

I have to say I LOVE the teaching opportunities that this series offers.

Kids LOVE it and it makes for a productive relief teaching activity where effective learning occurs AND the kids are totally engaged.

Did you read the last section? KIDS ARE TOTALLY ENGAGED - even the turkeys! Hoo-rah!

Motivating Students who Don't Care?

It is crying shame that this is such a common problem, especially for relief teachers?

K - 3 website

I'm not good with little kids. They scare me!

Don't get me wrong, I taught all grades in my one teacher school for 6 years. I taught my own kids too. I just prefer older kids.

Can you do Relief Teaching if you are OLD?

If you are just preparing to enter the ranks of professional teaching and you are not a recent college graduate, its easy to feel a bit insecure and ask that question, "Can you teach if you are old?"

Its a fair question even if you are not so far along in life that you consider yourself to be "old".  But it is easy to feel old if you are a middle aged or senior adult among 20 year old students in teachers' college and if the competition for the teaching jobs are with kids who could be your own son or daughter.


CLICK HERE to Read More >>

This is about YOU!

This has nothing to do with teaching. This is about YOU!

I am a READER. I love reading - and I think all teachers should. It's a bit of ME time. I came across this book which I couldn't put down.

And you know how much? Under $3.

A comment received and appreciated.

Hi Bob - Small world story - I was chatting with a relief teacher in my staff room the other day. We made comment on how tough relief work can be. She agreed but then quickly stated that things had changed for her since she found reliefteaching.com, she then proceeded to fill me in on this terrific one stop shop! I waited for her to finish then let her know that I knew the 'founder' of the site - well my credibility grew right there! You have become a relief legend. I have placed your site address up on our notice board. Well done!

What to do when it goes PEAR SHAPED.

Relief Teaching isn't easy. In fact teaching isn't easy. I've been a teacher since 1972 and I've laughed off the jokes from my mates about holidays, pay, kids, working 9-3. I'm sure you have heard it all before.

But a teacher's day or a relief teacher's day is CONSTANT. You have no let up the minute you drive in the gate until the time you drive out - and not always THEN.

I get it. All teachers get it. That's probably why teachers are one of the few professions that talk work out side of work, because you never have the chance AT work.

And then you have THOSE days where it all goes pear shaped. So what do you do?

READ MORE

How many ways can you teach number facts?

Anyone who teaches will know how important number facts are to success in mathematics. Gosh, all I can remember about my own primary school years is reciting my "tables" - and you know what? I think I am a pretty good mathematician as a result.

12 Killer Activities

12 Killer Learning Activities for Kids of all Ages.
Activities and Teaching Hints all for $1.99
CLICK HERE to check out a sample page.

Teaching Tips to Motivate Students

Motivating Students Who Don't Care is a comprehensive and practical guide for reconnecting with discouraged students and reawakening their excitement and enthusiasm for learning.

Don't Relief Teacher's know this problem? Solving it is a lot harder but this resource will help.

Teaching Simply is a thought provoking game plan to ensure successful teaching in the classroom. The delivery of the message is put forth in ten easy steps, which are woven through a tapestry of humor and poignant accounts of effective classroom implementation.

Review: I have been teaching for years, but this book has reminded me of why I began. It is written in a funny yet heart warming tone. Highly recommend it. (Sarah Stevens)

Download it to your kindle, iphone, or ipad today for less than $1.

It's not really a game.

A thousand years ago (well it feels like that)  learning centres were all the rage in schools and then like all things education, the pendulum swung away from this classroom approach. We used various activities and kids rotated through them. They WEREN'T GAMES.

So I revisited this teaching approach the other day while relief teaching in a senior primary class and used just ONE activity to see how it would pan out.

WOW!

It was brilliant. Kids were focussed, engaged with each other AND the strategy of the activity. (I avoided calling it a game - because we don't play games in school) It actually blew me away how successful this activity was.

Worth Reading.

I have to share this comment I received from Alan Boddy. Thanks Alan for your kind comments.

At the end of his message, he also shares a tip about a UK website. I did check this website out and they produce great PowerPoints just for Maths. They would be an asset for any relief teacher and they are suitable for all ages.

Relief Teaching eBooks

I am scouring the eBook market for material suitable for relief teaching. I know ReadyEd publications have heaps, and they are well worth checking out.

I have added a few to my marketplace which are very reasonably priced and ready for immediate download.

Like all things relief teaching - if you love it - they will

I was doing a relief teaching stint working with a year 7 class yesterday and my timing must have been a bit out because I had about 15 minutes left before the morning tea break.

DRATS!

Relief Teaching Jobs

I am receiving lots of emails from people asking advice about getting their foot into the door of schools for relief teaching positions - early childhood, primary and secondary. There is general advice throughout this site but people want specific strategies.

Has anyone tried anything that works?

Qld College of Teachers workshops for Relief Teachers

Registration is open for QCT workshops and information sessions which will take place in Term 2, 2012.


Workshops for provisionally registered teachers will focus on the process of moving from provisional to full registration.

Why shouldn't they know?

I was relief teaching at a school today. Well it wasn't so much relief teaching, I was asked to help prepare a group of year students for their upcoming NAPLAN tests. It was like the old fashioned cramming that got me through university.

Relief Teaching and Popularity

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Don't you hate it when you get the feeling that your pupils hate you? Here are some tips to get on their good side.

5 Killer Tips for Peer Tutoring

I was relief teaching with a group of year 6 & 7 students and I had 2 hours to teach them how to find the discount price of an item on sale. Too easy I thought - but after 30 minutes I found my very straight forward lesson wasn't so straight forward. Some kids were struggling and some kids were flying through it.

As a relief teacher - Don't you HATE that!

How to Improve Student Behavior in the Classroom

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This is an article that depicts several strategies to help improve the behavior of students. Having strategies to help regulate student behavior is extremely important in the classroom. These strategies can help to keep the class focused and to accomplish what needs to be done.

5 Ways to Fast Track to Relief Teaching

 In every university in the country, there are ambitious and starry eyed graduates who are preparing for a career in teaching. A lot will be looking for relief teaching positions as this becomes the more accepted way to start your teaching career.

If you want to fast track your teaching career as a relief teacher,  you need an advantage so you stand out.

 You are more than welcome to visit the eStoreAust.com Amazon in Australia FREE store.

You can download FREE eBooks, FREE software downloads, FREE music - you don't pay ANYTHING.

Visit eStoreAustralia - Amazon in Australia online store

Computer Graphics

Learn how to create a 3D Computer Master piece. You are not going to believe how cheap it is to learn from this comprehensive program. Illusion Magic. No Relief Teacher should be without these skills.

Have a Fabulous Easter.

 I would like to wish you all a Happy Easter.

I certainly hope you get a chance to recharge those batteries and remember that you should never define yourself by your work.

Take the opportunity to reconnect with your family and friends.

Have an iPad?

Do you know how to use it properly? If not CLICK HERE to check this out this learning opportunity.

3 Steps to EASY Relief Teaching.

Honsestly, this is ridiculously easy and I am sure you have used this strategy but its simplicity and effectiveness for relief teaching still amazes me. I was relief teacher for today (Thurs 29) and working with a group of 20 or so year 6 & 7 students using the Walking with Dinosaur activity sheet.

I must have used this lesson 20 times last year. I love it. This is the third time I have used it this year.

Relief Teaching Podcasts

Check out the new reliefteaching.com PODCAST Site

reliefteaching.com upgrade

I am upgrading reliefteaching.com to a new site to allow increased options. I am hoping this won't have any impact on the site links at all. However, if you find things don't work and haven't been fixed properly please let me know. reliefteaching.com will soon move from a blogger to a wordpress thesis site. I am hoping you will appreciate the new interface but please forgive me if it takes a little while to get this right. I am sure the change will be worth it.

New to the Article Bank

Check the links --->

Podcasts for Relief Teachers

The first podcast for Relief Teachers is in the can, or tin or whatever they say in the media industry.

Relief Teaching Forums

I understand that relief teachers often feel a bit isolated and Education Departments don't support relief teachers much. They pretty much play the political game for all their employees but relief teachers don't seem to figure heavily in their support structure.

Relief Teachers & Reading

I LOVE reading and now I have enough time to read. However, after a long, LONG career I find it hard to sit still for any length of time -unless I am taking a Poppy nap.

Power Writing for Relief Teachers

Heads Down and Power Writing

Power Writing is a comprehensive teaching opportunity and a great strategy to keep in your relief teaching arsenal.

I like it because it takes the pressure off you and places it onto the kids. You are just the flag waver. I start my relief teaching day like a bull at a gate so I keep this for after lunch time when my energies are lower. (Hey, I miss my Poppy nap when I work!)

Relief Teachers & Computer Resources

If, like me, you are sick and tired of paying too much for your computer gear, there is a solution.

Relief teaching is good, but it doesn't pay that much - and I never rely on other people for my technology. I purchase a lot of gear from Amazon.com and have just started my own store.

It is initially stocked with computer equipment because we pay FAR TOO much in Australia while the rest of the world gets bargains.

Check out my Amazon estore - 100% backing from Amazon.com

Bloom's for Relief Teachers (Part One)

There is nothing new about Bloom's Taxonomy. In fact, it is almost as old as me.

I'm sure you have seen this before but it is always worth revisiting - especially if you are relief teaching.

I like the simpler 3 level version - Factual - Inferential - Critical but Bloom's 6 levels is much more comprehensive.

Relief Teaching Resources - Lower School

I prefer upper school when relief teaching but some times (and it only happens if its absolute emergency) I have to cover a younger class. So I was looking for a resource site and I came across this one.

It has a few upper school resources but it really is targeted towards younger kids. It is called Have Fun Teaching and they heaps and heaps of free resources for lower school. These include worksheets, posters, classroom templates, songs, maths and language sheets. Far too much to mention here but CLICK HERE if you want to check it out.

Visitor Flags

reliefteaching.com is still a relatively new relief teaching site but we are gradually reaching a wider international audience.

Since starting in December 2011, hundreds of international visitors have joined this site.

You will see a new counter in the top right hand corner, which will identify all the countries visiting our site.

It's just a shame it won't show previous visitors.

Relief Teaching and Reading

As a student, I loved reading. Nerdy for a boy, I know. But it didn't feel nerdy at the time.

Dick and Dora were the coolest guys in town and those Happy Venture Readers were just fabulous.

That was then...

Relief Teaching Advice (circa 2005)

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

Inhale. Exhale.

Relax..................Whoever said being a relief teacher was an easy job with easy pay? Smack them in the face right now... it's NOT that easy...

How Relief Teachers get access to Learning Place

The Learning Place is available to employees of the Department of Education and Training (DET) but is not meant to provide services to the teaching profession in general.

Survey Results

What is the biggest issue for Relief Teachers?

58% - Student Behaviour
15% - Knowing the Curriculum
11% - Support from Admin
 9% - Pay and Conditions
 7% - Knowing what to Teach

Please check the new survey. What is your current role?

Reading - Depth and Breadth

There are two important aspects to reading.

BREADTH - Reading lots, often and a wide variety of texts.

DEPTH - Fully understanding what is read at the literal level, inferential level and critical level.

I revisited my lesson on inferential lesson with a group of year 6 and 7 students. I was astounded how much fun the kids had working through the text one sentence at a time and discussing what that sentence plays in developing the meaning of the book.

The lesson is a PowerPoint lesson which runs through the text slowly. The goal is to explore and interpret what is read in DEPTH.

It is worth checking out if you haven't already done so. CLICK HERE.

Teachers are Readers

Teachers are Readers - they have to be. And I love reading. I read anything and everything - and most of the time it is on my iPhone or my iPad. I haven't picked up a book for years. They are far too expensive and when I read in bed, being hit on the forehead by a falling book isn't fun.

I think I told you I am a tight-wad. So I usually download eBooks from eBook stores. But this Free-eBooks.net is up there with the best of them. You can get heaps of free stuff from them, but the best part is, if you want to buy something, you get a good preview first. It is well worth a look.

Peer Tutoring - A powerful teaching tool

It never fails to amaze me how powerful peer tutoring can be in a classroom.

I was working in a classroom today, teaching a percentage concept to a group of year 6 & 7 students. Two kids were having trouble and try as I might I couldn't get the concept through. I had exhausted my repertoire.

We really have to improve English

Are you the worst behaved in the room?

9 TEACHER behaviours that contribute to discipline problems.

If all you have is a hammer ...

... everything looks like a nail.


Huh?

Let me put this in the perspective of the managing classroom behaviour.

How to Teach - Split Quotation Marks

This is a short punctuation exercise on the teaching of split quotation mark. This is a skill that needs to be taught directly so this little PowerPoint might give you  a start. CLICK HERE to download the file.

The Lost Generation

What great teachers do differently.

Teaching is just like Golf...

Ahh! Golf. Just when you think you have it mastered, you slice one into the rough. Teaching can be JUST like that.

Using Positive Self-Talk to Conquer Any Goal

Do you feel like you are always talking yourself out of success?  I know some relief teachers who often fail before they start because they talk themselves down.

I know it's corny, but I think kids do smell fear!

We protect your privacy at all costs.

How to teach an investigation - Step One

Measuring the drop height

I  am lucky enough to be working with a group of 11 and 12 year old students for a couple of hours per day over a couple of weeks. I have been tasked with extending their learning. The ultimate goal is to improving their performance on NAPLAN tests later in the year.

How to manage behaviour - Anticipate Compliance

Generally most students want to behave and very few really want the tension of getting into trouble. So if you give instructions, anticipate that the student will comply and act as if this is the case.

A Resource worth Checking.

I generally only do relief in the older classes but I am doing two x 3-day gigs in a small multi-age country school in a few weeks time. So I was looking for reading resource to use while there.

That's when I found this series called Tim the Tree Limb.

Have a vote in the Poll

What is the major concern for Relief Teachers in our schools? Take a vote in our poll. Click one or many of the options. Check under the Signature Stickers logo.

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eNews Issue #5

Would you like to check out our regular eNews. CLICK HERE. Join up to receive the free 50 page eBook 50 Ways and receive the Tips eNews free each week.

Reading Comprehension

Developing Reading comprehension skills is about depth. Little is achieved if the kids are just reading or saying words. You need them to think. This is a little reading comprehension activity which is quite an easy read - but quite complex when it comes to inferential thinking. It is suited to middle to upper primary. CLICK HERE

Have you visited the Teaching Tips - Article Bank?

Click here to visit the Teaching Tips Article Bank. All downloads are 100% FREE.

Relief Teaching Work Conditions Across Australia

1. Queensland
2. New South Wales
3. Victoria
4. Tasmania
5. South Australia
6. Western Australia
7. Northern Territory
8. ACT

One Complete Day of Relief.

This is one complete day of relief teaching including lesson plans, notes, access to files, Powerpoints and tips for the day. CLICK HERE

NAPLAN for Relief Teachers

There are few teachers who would hold NAPLAN in high regard - but it is a necessary systemic imperative. This is a small one-page pretest that could be used as a teaching tool.

How to Teach - Number Facts

This is a speed template for number facts. Students complete self timed number facts progressing from an easy 5 seconds per sum to a blistering 1 seconds per sum.

Qld College of Teachers - Workshops Term 2, 2012

During Term 2, 2012 the QCT will visit major centres in Queensland conducting workshops and information sessions about teacher registration requirements. 

Free Lesson - Punctuation

This is a simple PowerPoint punctuation lesson. The class is presented with a punctuation passage. When students have finished, the correction is presented.

Product REVIEW - Signature Stickers

I came upon a new product I had not seen before by a new Australian company called Signature Stickers. I actually came upon this by accident because my wife, who is currently a principal, wanted something quick and easy to put on kid's work but also sent them a message. So she founded Signature Stickers to hit the spot.

Teaching Tips - 10 Ways to use a Newspaper in the Classroom

Can you get any cheaper teaching resources than newspapers? OK - shopping catalogues might be cheaper.

Most schools have newspapers piled up somewhere, and they are great classroom resources.

Try these free teaching activities but remember that most of these activities will be extremely messy and generate a lot of waste.

Review - Making Math Fun Series

I have made my thoughts on worksheets pretty clear. Worksheets are your tools. I was a bit sceptical when I looked at the Making Math Fun series. The last thing I need as a relief teacher is a time-waster.


But I was pleasantly surprised. They are great! So much so that I bought the series for myself.

Top Math/Language worksheet

This is a great worksheet (even if I do say so myself). It is based on a word search grid. The only difference is, to find which words are in the grid, students must do a math operation.

The Complete Guide on How to Teach Abroad

A Learning Investigation into Probability

An introduction to probability. A multi-media PowerPoint. Click the image for the file. (NB It is quite a large file so make a cup of coffee while it downloads)

How to Develop Cooperative Learning Skills

There are some strategies that support cooperative learning. If you are new to this game, take baby steps first.

How to make learning more rewarding.

Check this out

I know the old argument about intrinsic worth of education, and kids should not work just for rewards – Blah! Blah! Blah!

But honestly, would you work if you didn’t get paid?

How do I stop a fight in the playground?

The truth of the matter is that sometimes you can't. A fight can still happen within metres of a teacher.

6 Top Teacher Sites

I have been looking around for sites that I can use for inspiration. I reckon these are pretty useful. Thanks to sitesforteachers.com

Another 10 Ways to Use a Shopping Catalogue

Following on from this site's MOST POPULAR POST.

Shopping catalogues are fabulous resources for relief teachers because they are free, easily available and provide inspiration for a range of lessons.

NEW to MARKETPLACE