“Lunchtime supervisor? I highly recommend it to everyone!”

Rachel is celebrating this week that she has been a lunchtime supervisor at the branch of the Rijk Kramer School for 10 years. During the midday break, the children have half an hour to eat and half an hour to play outside. As a lunchtime supervisor, you can read a story during lunchtime, and sometimes the children can draw or do crafts once they have finished their lunchbox. Outside, you are an important point of contact for the children to ensure that everything runs smoothly.Ten years ago, Rachel left the hospitality industry and because she was bored, she looked around to see what she would like to do. In a local newspaper, she read that the school in her area was looking for lunchtime supervisors. “I thought, ‘That’s really something for me, because I love children.’ I now also have quite a few grandchildren myself.” She applied and was immediately hired.

It yields a lot

The first few weeks she found it quite challenging: “The children in group 5 were busy and didn’t always listen. But after a short time, I got completely into it. It brings me a lot because you get a nice break, also in the fresh air, and you have nice contacts with your lunchtime colleagues, the teacher of your class, and of course with the children. I especially find the preschoolers really fun.”

A nice extra

“You will receive a good volunteer allowance of 10 euros per day, including for travel time and preparation. This is allowed by the tax authorities and the benefits agency, so it’s a nice extra. Besides, you are doing something meaningful and socializing. I have been doing it for ten years now, and I am quite proud of it. I am a loyal volunteer. I am now moving on to a different school building. For me, this means a fresh, new challenge: new children, new colleagues, and new teachers.”

“Working at the midday supervision during lunch break is truly meaningful. Parents don’t have to pick up their child during lunch, allowing them to have an uninterrupted workday. Teachers have a moment of rest to have lunch with colleagues, and the children get to see different people during the break. For the lunchtime supervisors themselves, it is also a meaningful activity and a nice way to socialize.”

Finding balance

“You need to be a good listener. You shouldn’t just go your own way but find a balance between what the children like and how you want things to go. What characterizes me? Well, I have a sense of humor and I am straightforward. I am really a people person. But you shouldn’t take me for granted.”

“The most special thing about the job for me is the personal stories of the children. Sometimes the children come running excitedly towards me in the hallway. ‘Teacher, teacher, will you come to us?’. That is of course very flattering. And you go from one atmosphere to another at school. The decorations from the Sinterklaas celebration have just been removed or you are already preparing for the Christmas season, and so on. That is really very funny.”

Want to become a substitute?

Do you also think it would be fun to become a lunchtime supervisor at a school near you? There is often a demand for new volunteers. Inquire at a school near you orCheck out our volunteer job board.Thank you for your request.Interview: Thecla Groot Koerkamp
Photo: Huub Zeeman