From Educator to Entrepreneur… to Supply Teacher: The Journey No One Warned Me About

There was once a time when I truly believed that I was destined for greatness.

I spent a few years working full-time as a teacher, immersed in a world of marking, staff meetings, cold coffee, and behaviour policies that students seemed to think were mere suggestions rather than rules meant to help them become the spectacular young people we knew they could be. Until one day, I decided to take the leap.

I left my full-time teaching job to pursue a dream, creating educational resources for teachers around the world. I believed in sharing best practices, making learning engaging through activities, and, let's be honest, I loved the idea of being my own boss.

No more waking up at 6 AM.

No more meetings about meetings.

No more reminding students that the floor is not, in fact, lava.

I was ready to take control of my destiny. So, I threw myself into creating resources. I designed worksheets, crafted engaging activities, and made PowerPoints so polished that even the most cynical Ofsted inspector would be impressed. Then, I uploaded them onto teacher marketplaces like Tpt and Tes and waited for the money to roll in…

And waited…

And waited…

Two years into my journey as an entrepreneur and countless hours spent creating resources and social media posts, my grand monthly income averaged £3.39, which, as it turns out, isn’t even enough to buy a Tesco meal deal. So, like any responsible adult with bills to pay, I did the logical thing. I applied for a part-time job with a teaching agency.

Now, if you have never been a supply teacher (also known as a substitute teacher), let me explain how it works. You arrive at an unfamiliar school, armed only with a timetable, a register that’s probably outdated, and a slightly forced sense of optimism. You are given a pile of worksheets, and a brief warning about the student(s) that are likely to push their luck. You enter a classroom full of students who take one look at you and instantly think:

Brilliant. Free period.

Chaos likely begins before you even get a chance to put your bag down. You check the seating plan to find that no one is sitting in their assigned seats. In fact, half of the students claim to have legally changed their names overnight.

Your mission? Make it to the end of the day.

One particular day, I found myself covering a Year 7 class. I walked in, took a deep breath, and surveyed the situation. Within seconds of walking in, students were on tables, chatting like it was a family reunion, and one had already started crafting an origami masterpiece out of the worksheet I had just handed out. I sighed, clapped my hands together, and tried to restore order.

Okay, guys, let’s get down.

Come on, let’s be sensible.

Just as I was about to question every life decision that had led me to this moment, a student stood up and said:

Come on guys, she seems alright for a supply teacher.

And that was it. I had made it. This was the highest level of respect a supply teacher could hope for. I adjusted my posture and stood a little taller. I wasn’t just a random adult filling in for the day, I was an alright supply teacher.

Look, supply teaching is tough; you walk in as a stranger, demanding mutual respect that is usually earned over time. It’s unpredictable, sometimes chaotic, and more often than not, students see you as a free pass to do absolutely nothing. But in between the chaos, the name changes, and the kids who think you were born yesterday, you also get little moments that remind you why you got into teaching in the first place. You get to engage and inspire young minds while also being able to afford to pay your bills (earning slightly more than £3.39 a month). They will still tell you random facts about their weekend, and if you’re very lucky, they’ll respect you just enough to call you 'alright'.

And as for my dream of making educational resources? It’s still there. I’m still creating, still sharing, still believing that education is about more than just one person in one classroom.

So, to anyone who has taken a leap, faced setbacks, or had to pivot - keep going, because whether you're in the front of the classroom, behind a laptop, or standing in a room full of students testing your patience to the absolute limit, you're still an educator. And that matters.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go update my online store and mentally prepare for tomorrow’s cover lesson. And if I’m lucky, this might just be the week I get upgraded to

pretty decent for a supply teacher.

Chapter Three: coming soon.

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