Tips for a new trainee teacher (from parents or current teachers)

Re voice- I use a jingle bell to mean stop, look and listen.

Re coat - I originally had a short waterproof, warm coat but soon changed it to a much longer one. Needs to be warm and waterproof, and full length ideally with a hood - children go outside in all weathers these days and 15 minutes feels a long time when your stood outside in the cold and wet. The children don't seem to feel it but the adults do!

I recommend the Chillys mugs. The drinks stay hot for ages in the travel cups. I've tried several brands over the years and these are the best I've found so far.

Speak to the TAs/LSAs - they often know a lot about what's happening, and any HLTA/cover supervisor type roles as they often work right across school in various classes. In my school TAs are classed as full teaching staff, there is no them and us going on - which means they really do have a good grasp on the classroom and the class.

The voice thing is really important. I always lose mine in the second week just through overuse. I highly recommend vocalzone pastels which taste awful but help a lot.

After seeing an awful lot of videos about American teachers setting up their rooms I am trying a wireless doorbell this year. We are going to practice responding to it and aiming for silence. I hope it works because it will help my voice so much.

Definitely don’t undervalue your voice. Stop every time a child talks when you do. It will pay off to start the good habits in the beginning and save your voice.
After giving instructions to chn ask them to repeat it back or give you each step in sequence. Also write it down on the board. Even though they are looking and appear to be listening …….it’s often to the voice in their own head unfortunately.

@Helpwhatwouldyoudonext I do the pen thing. No idea why more teachers don't
Other tips.....

• make sure you always have tissues with you
• be firm but fair, hold your boundaries eg. No talking whilst you are
• watch, listen, learn from your mentor (but never judge)
• always do what you say you're going to eg. "I'm going to have to phone your adult at home" make sure you do, kids remember stuff like this
• a good phone call home can work wonders
• don't feel you have to reinvent the wheel, there are thousands of free resources on TES/Twinkl that you can adapt to suit you

Really do enjoy it. I have been a tutor through a university and now through SCITT for around 15 years and have had many students through my rooms. One is now a SATs moderator for our Borough although I would never have expected that when he was doing his PGCE final practice with me!

It's a tough job but a wonderful one. Oh and definitely yes on mug and even your own cutlery set. Waitrose have reduced pocket cutlery sets at the moment and Sho does good mugs at a decent price and offers 20% off for mums and education workers at the moment.

Enjoy it!

Good luck! I loved doing teacher training although it was a really steep learning curve. My old HT told me that in your student year it’s easiest to just copy a good teacher - use their words and routines etc - and then develop your own style once you’re qualified. I found that particularly useful when it came to behaviour management.
Be aware of unconscious bias. Never assume girls will be quieter or boys will be stronger etc! This is something I need to reflect on even now as an experienced teacher. And challenge bias from children (such as boys saying they can’t use pink or girls saying they can’t play football).
Enjoy it and be kind to yourself. It is exhausting being around children all day so allow yourself time to relax in the evenings and weekends. Don’t plan too much outside of school to begin with!

I agree with small groups for everything, I'd say especially art/DT- don't try to have 30 kids using saws and glue guns (or even paint sometimes!) at the same time.

Agree also that being friendly to all staff especially cleaners and caretakers gets you a long way.

Clothes- a pair of black trousers is normally smart enough for most environments and you can wear thin knit jumpers or plain t shirts for an easy uniform.

As you are doing a more on the job style of training, I would ask to observe as many people teach as possible. Try to find some who are similar to you in age or personality too. Behaviour management is quite nuanced and it's good to watch others for tips and tricks.

Flat, lace up shoes that are wide around your toes. Think about putting arch supports in them. If you're wearing a dress, buy support tights rather than standard ones - your 40 year old legs and feet will thank you for it.

You will need:

Short nails - there's always one kid who will run straight into your hand if you have coffin/ballerina shape.

A sealable, insulated mug.

Tissues.

A warm coat for playground duty.

And 'would you be able to show me how to...?' always goes down better with the office than 'I need 34 copies, double-sided by 12.30pm'.

Reflect on your practice. Be open to advice . As you start you might emulate a more experienced member of staff, like your mentor. In time, you will be more able to form your own ideas and ways of doing things. The more you can reflect, the better you will be.

Enjoy it !

Be prepared to go ‘off timetable’ fairly regularly. There are always different things to attend to like the class needing to practice for their turn at hosting assembly, or there’s a trip or workshop happening. Harvest festival is coming up and there will be all the Christmas events to fit in soon.

I always wear dresses, and sometimes skirts, and teach infant school level. Never have any issues. I don't wear tight or fitted ones, or particularly short ones either.
Dd mainly wore skirts/dresses during her teaching practises in primary too.

Infact at my school I'd see most of the women wear skirts/dresses at least some of the time.

No one wears heels really though - mainly pumps or trainers, or flat boots/shoes in the winter.

If I have a student I always try my best to make sure they have a seat etc but it can be near impossible at times when you’re spinning so many other plates that they do end up a bit forgotten about. It’s really good when a student or new CA just does stuff without being asked. Even just going and getting a child something, helping clear up etc, just generally trying to make the teacher’s life easier. It is really appreciated. There are times when I’ve had a college student in an infant class and it’s been the same as having an extra child to look after. I so remember that feeling as a student too where it’s not your own space and you don’t feel comfortable but just try your best to find little jobs you can do without asking

Don't make a clique with the "cool" kids. Seriously. This is their childhoods, not yours.

In younger years you will find out everything that is going on at home. Be discreet.

Behaviour is communication. What message are they trying to get across through unhelpful strategies?

It's not just the children who do well who are giving 100%.

Be kind. People are trying their best.

Or meals that smell particularly strongly when there's a meeting directly afterwards in the staffroom - you won't be thanked!
Bring lunch you can eat cold and a bite at time - often you won't make it to the staffroom.
Remember to pee! (Same advice about one toilet and eleven staff, two mins to end of break).
If you break/ jam the photocopier DO NOT WALK AWAY WHISTLING. This causes other staff to hunt you down with weapons! Ditto, don't leave it without any paper in (esp if paper is kept 5 mins away and guarded by office staff).
Wear a whistle / Bic X4 colour pen attached to your lanyard, literally around your neck. Pens walk.

Another vote for bring in your own mug. Wear comfy shoes. Don't bring in microwave meals that take 10 minutes to heat when 10 staff are waiting and there's 9 minutes until period 5.
All the best.

I agree - the people who are the most important to get on with (and will make your life easier!) are the 4 Cs: cleaners / computer guy / caretakers / canteen staff

Be very nice to all admin staff and whoever is in charge of loo rolls. The caretaker is VERY important.
Be friendly but not let children be over familiar.
Be on time for things
Take layers to wear and be practical in clothing. Schools ruin clothes.

Take your own mug and pay into the tea/coffee fund.

Send them in small groups to do ANYTHING, esp. FS and KS1 - no actually, all of them.
Eg. When it's time to wash hands / line up - "Line up at the door if you are wearing something red! / have laces /plaits / a J in your first name/ two vowels in your surname.
This way they're listening and you avoid the scrum.
Never say, 'Everyone put coats on, it's playtime!'

Great advice about not being 'fun aunt' - the tougher you are, the more they'll appreciate you.

Have a great time.

Game face
Be the adult(to chn you are a teacher regardless)
Don't be the fun aunt- 30 excitable primary chn are hard to bring back down.
Always send chn in smaller groups ( to toilet, to get coats, to put things away- 30 rushing at once is not good.
Smile!

Watch, listen and learn. There’s a wealth of knowledge being offered there.

Don’t judge. Too often students sit on the sidelines and think ‘I wouldn’t do that’. You cannot imagine the ball juggling needed all day, every day until you’ve been in front of that class.

Sometimes children attempt to play different adults off each other, eg if the main teacher doesn't let them go to the toilet, they simply go and ask you instead. A good tactic in the first 2 weeks as you become more aware of routines and rules for everyone is, if a child asks you permission for something, ask them "what did Mrs X (the main teacher) say?"
You can then catch them out in order to make sure all adults are consistent towards every child in the room.

Carry post it notes and a pen in your pocket in case you want to remember anything random to ask the teacher after school, as they may not have time during the school day.

It's a wonderful profession! I hope it goes really well.
Each school has a really different "vibe"/priorities, so don't give up o teaching as a career if it goes badly, the school just might not be the right "fit" for you. Remember, you can learn a lot from a negative placement as well as a positive one!

Listen to the TA' s they know far more about your classroom than SLT.

Ask for as much Sen training as possible.

If any of your kids have a 1:1 make sure they get their support. No asking the 1:1 to work with other kids/run errands

Don't use shame as a punishment

Don't withhold toilet breaks

Give parents regular feedback