The job of a supply teacher can be very fulfilling and rewarding but it can also be extremely challenging at times. One of the biggest challenges a supply teacher is likely to face is classroom control. It may be that they have never met the children before and have no idea what they are like. Some pupils can take advantage of the fact that they have a supply teacher and will use this to their advantage to play up and try and get away with it.
It can be very daunting as supply teacher having to go into a classroom you have never been in before but you need to have an air of authority about you to ensure that you gain respect of the pupils from the offset.
If you have previously worked in a permanent position in a school, you will have had the opportunity to bond with the class and work out what works best in terms of keeping them interested and keeping a correct level of control. You need to establish ground rules from the first moment the children enter the classroom. It is easier to lighten up as you go along rather than try and get stricter.