IT’S YOUR FIRST TEACHING JOB !
Congratulations on passing your teacher training and getting your first teaching job – we’re all very proud of you!
Now when the dust settles, the handshakes are finished and the drinks put away you can contemplate exactly what lies ahead….now that’s a sobering thought if ever there was one!
No matter where you have come from or how you got here – whether it may be student, career change, post grad or access course you all have an AMAZING new world ahead of you with hopefully fun laughter and a brilliant career spreading out into the future.
It’s natural to be both excited and nervous at the same time but you will be fine …don’t worry! No longer will you be on teaching practice with the support and advice of the tutor…no longer will there be a comforting shoulder to cry on back at the halls of residence – but you don’t need it…be confident in your own abilities be positive in your outlook and above all – BE PREPARED.
If you’re not too sure what I mean by this then there are lots of articles written on Primary Practice covering all aspects of your teaching…take a look through them and select the sorts of advice that applies to your situation and put it into practice in your classroom.
Of course, there are expectations of you from the 1st minute you step into the School….don’t panic! The schools expectations will be realistic and understanding and they will be supportive of you as you progress. But they will have baseline expectations of classroom control and teaching standards. The Head and management will understand that your type of approach and layout will change as you settle into the role of teacher but never be afraid to ask for help or advice along the way…you won’t get shouted down or judged by asking for advice….similarly the other teachers will be just as supportive.
But it’s a different view for Parents and children – Parents will know you are a newly qualified teacher and understand that you have to settle in….however the “honeymoon period” is far shorter and they expect you to be up and running pretty smoothly soon after the first term starts. The main concern for parents early on is class control so you will be in the spotlight from day 1 even in the playground before school starts. So it’s imperative that you have worked out your organisation plans for the class BEFORE you start. (I have written an article about this so check it out and use it as a checklist if necessary)
Don’t forget that children will be excited on the first day back – very excited. Many will have not seen some friends over the holidays and there’s “a lot of catching up to do”…plus they are excited about their new classroom and also their new teacher – that’s YOU !
As a new teacher you are an unknown quantity….the children do not know what sort of teacher you are and you do not have any “reputation” in the school.
You have a brief period of about 2 to 3 days before the children will have decided they have weighed you up…what sort of person you are and what sort of teacher you are. In this time you have to have established some classroom organisation and structure because if it’s not there then you will start having problems in the class. (see associated articles on this area)
So here we are….the term has just started, you are a Newly qualified teacher in your new school and new Classroom. Your teaching practice seems a million years ago and a million miles away. You will be regarded as the trusted professional who is responsible for the education of all the children in your care. – so take a deep breath….smile and lets get started.
Primary Practice will be with you every step of the way
Primary Practice would like to invite you to join our NQT and trainee teachers Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1347401775298840/?ref=bookmarks