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

Oh, that rhymed 😁.

@Restinggoddess

Personally I would recommend being first out the building. Never done me any harm 🤣. We need to teach the freshies not to succumb to martyrdom.

@Restinggoddess Sound advice. I wish somebody had given me that when I first went into teaching!

Oh and you may be called out on playground duty so you need to be warm and ready to play duck, duck, goose. You may also be asked to join in PE lessons. Also you will be bending over a lot and believe me older primary child will notice bra straps or cleavage.

I know that you have your style but what you described as 'lax' which is a negative way of describing what others are wearing may have strong reasons behind it.

Maybe consider other ways of showing your style? I wear a range of Doc Martens which my children love and t shirts with messages on like 'Be proud of who you are,' I also wear different scarves in the winter as my classroom is so cold.

Or just wear what you want but do it because you are comfortable and covered and ready to work.

I am really glad you are excited about the start of teacher training

Watch and learn is a good starting point.
Don’t attempt to tell older staff how to do things ( yes, students do that)
Respect the head teacher ( again you would be surprised how some students behave)
Advice given to me many many years ago - respect the office staff and the caretaker ( they know more about what’s going on that even the staff believe) - if you make a mess clean it up - a pissed off cleaner is not a good start.
Be aware of the staff room politics - there may be one who always moans, one who dominates and one who wants to tell you everything. Above all - what’s said in the staff room stays in the staff room
Teachers do not knock off at 4 - there maybe a teacher who does - you don’t know their circumstances or their experience- don’t be first, second or third out of the building

Wishing you a long and happy career

Don't wear skirts in primary, you'll be up and down. Do watch the staff and follow the policies. Don't be too friendly so the kids think you are not staff, being 24 and primary should be fine though, a level much harder on that front.

Wear what you can comfortably and modestly get up off the floor quickly and run across the classroom in! I wear jeggings or trousers and a tangle of tops depending on how cold it is because the heating won't come on until October half term and you will still have windows and doors open.

Make sure if the teacher is known as Mr/Mrs/Miss Surname you do the same. The children do treat people by how senior they think they are and whilst having a friendly positive attitude is great you are not their friend. You are there to teach them not be their BFF!

I hope this doesn't sound mean but it is so important. I had a student teacher who let a child always sit next to her, chose her first for everything and even let her sit on her lap. Then she had to tell the child off for biting someone and it led to chaos, the child was devastated that her friend was telling her off, her parents were not happy that her child had been told off by 'the classroom helper' and we had to have many long conversations about it.

My main advice is spend your first days watching the teaching staff and do what they do. I have been teaching 25 years and am moving to a new school and will be doing exactly that for the first few weeks.

Reframe your mindset. You’ll be working not volunteering 😊. Good luck.

Talk to the TAs! They often know a lot more of the minutiae...

Listen and watch.
Muck in and help whenever you can.
Ask if you are unsure about something.
Expect the staff to be busy - it's the start of term, they are setting up routines and getting to know their class - you won't be their priority.

I'd wear similar clothes to the staff - however if you want to wear dresses I'd suggest wearing them with flat shoes or trainers.
Don\t wear anything you don't want to get glue/paint/snot on - schools are messy places.