For two terms Ron Best largely forsook the attractions of higher education in order to gain further experience in schools. This consisted of work as a support teacher, or ‘floater’, in a Havering comprehensive school. During this time he kept a diary and extensive notes which provide the basis of the impressions and arguments contained in this article. He comes to some conclusions about the effectiveness of this strategy which neatly complement the experiences of others that have found their way onto the pages of this journal. Sufficient models now abound for a comprehensive manual on support teaching to be produced. Perhaps some reader will take n