I'm a primary teacher AMA

[MoleMummy]

Primary places have recently been allocated for September. As an Early Years teacher, happy to answer any questions about children starting school. Or any other primary related questions to see if I can help!

@TeaAddict235

I am definitely guilty of using a high pitched voice in the classroom. But not all the time. You have to vary the delivery - so high pitched for fun, excitement and high energy stuff, normal for generally teaching/talking and I have found that if you lower your voice when you want immediate attention the whole class stops to listen!

@abeautifulmess1234

Sadly so many headteachers and members of the senior leadership team do not value teaching assistants as I think they feel like are easily replaceable. From a teachers point of view a good, reliable TA is what makes the classroom work. I know that without my TA I would have been lost.
Unfortunately some TAs are very 'that's not in my job description' and I know that are poorly paid so understand that attitude to some extent-but the TAs that really get involved and don't mind going over and above are irreplaceable.

@OverMoon

Teaching is in crisis. The headlines aren't lying. So many good teachers are leaving due to low pay and unrealistic work expectations. I would say that it is a massively rewarding career in terms of what you are doing everyday but, depending on the school, so much is expected from you outside of teaching time that a lot of people lose so much of their free time.

@Chartreuser

Very few children are truly G&T. Most that are labelled that way (mostly by their parents) are performing above age related expectations but aren't necessarily G&T. I have taught for 10 years and I have probably only seen 2 or 3 children that I would class as G&T. And don't get me started on SATs!!!!! 😡

How do you feel about the reception tests that are being rolled out next year? I disagree with testing children so young and I can’t see how it helps children but I do wonder if teachers agree with it. (My son is starting reception this year)

@Laundryqueenn

Some general questions to ask:

• do they have an open door policy (or do you have to make appointments to see the teacher)
• what do they have in place for children under and above age related expectations
• generally how long have staff been working there.
• how do they support summer born children (in my experience June-August babies may struggle to keep up at first, but a lot do catch up. Especially if the home environment is supportive)
• how do they deal with upset children - some schools have a no hugging/touching policy (madness IMO- young children need that 'maternal' support at school!)

I would encourage you to go with your gut- when you go and see the schools, do the children look happy? Is the person showing you around happy to answer any questions/concerns? Is the school well kept and does it have lots of up to date displays?

Also- I would take personal recommendations over an OFSTED report any day.

@mummyhaschangedhername

A little note of thanks goes a long way in the sea of parent moans.....

@upthewolves

You don't need to intensively prep your DD for school. Some of the things a reception teacher would appreciate:

• can recognise their written name and begin to write it
• can put their coat on and do up the zip/buttons
• can tie their shoelaces (so many children come in on non uniform day in laced shoes that can't do them - so we spend all day tying laces!!)
• can use a knife, fork and spoon
• can get dressed and undressed independently (your DD's teacher will thank you for this one!)

Regularly read with your child at home before they start school and while they are there.

@Howridiculous1

Yes! We definitely do. But it's normally a select handful of 'known' parents that come up in the staffroom.....

@MoleMummy exactly as I suspected, thank you.

I went into DD school last year to meet heads and tell them I was withdrawing DD from SATS in protest at how the entirety of year 6 was drilling them for SATS. They really tried the heavy stuff to stop me in the end DD wanted to see how she would do. She did exceptionally well and now is showing to be making less progress than expected at secondary as her sats results were artificially inflated due to her being naturally conscientious taking tests rather than'clever' Our school doesn't have great results so the new MAT are just making school more and more formulaic and the more creative teachers are just leaving, three with less than a weeks notice notice including old head:( I would imagine all the cuts etc would be far more copeable with if your hands weren't so tied wrt to teaching to the test

How much experience and training do you have in supporting children with, ASD, adhd, dyslexia, Down’s syndrome, anxiety?

How confident do you feel?

Following on from the above poster. Os it standard practice for teachers now to have tarining for asd, adhd ect. If so is it a quick one to 2 day kind of thing or proper indepth training?

Thank you for what you do OP

Do you shout or work with many teachers who do? Do you think no-shouting policies are realistic?

Also, if I may be cheeky and ask 2 questions, do you think that having lots of different teachers and TAs taking a class (in lieu of their class teacher) is detrimental?

Both a couple of worries I have about the DC’s otherwise very lovely school

@Itwouldtakemuchmorethanthis @Harleyisme

I don't feel confident at all in dealing with children that have additional needs. When I first started teaching 1:1 support was slightly more readily available for children with additional needs, however more and more recently due to funding cuts, unless a child has an EHP (education and healthcare plan) then 1:1 support just isn't available. So a class teacher has the children who require a lot of extra support and the other 20 something children who also need you. I have found that if you have a child in your class with an additional need you have to just get on with it and learn as you go. We have occasional training days where some of these are touched on, but I don't feel teachers are trained enough on this.

Thank @molemummy that actually makes alot of sense.

@Alb1

I have mixed feelings. On one hand, it's another thing for teachers to do - we don't know whether the test will actually help the children but, if done correctly, it could be a great tool to help judge where children are as they enter Reception and how to help them progress. In EY and Year 1, testing isn't an actual 'test'. They don't even know they are doing a 'test'. The children see it as sitting with their teacher 1:1 and doing what they do every day.

@SockEatingMonster

No I don't shout. If you have good behaviour management strategies and have control of the class then there is no need. The teachers that I have known that regularly shout are the ones who can't control their class. obviously there are times where I have shouted- but it happens very rarely. For example- if I had seen something happening the other side of the classroom and it's time critical to shout out at that moment rather than go over there then I'll shout!

@SockEatingMonster

Sorry- forgot to reply to your second question.

Honestly I think consistent adults in the classroom are the best for the children. But with the best will in the world sometimes this can't be helped!

Can I ask why the class is being taken by people other than the class teacher? Does this happen regularly?

As an early years teacher your role is key in identifying children with additional needs and advising parents how to proceed. You should be key to obtaining support and a bit part of obtaining a useful EHCP. What would help you do this? What do you need to be that key person for the most vulnerable children in your class?

I’ve posted here on the SN boards for many years and it seems to me that we can do more to help EY staff be what is so desperately needed.

How do you feel about term time holidays? particularly in reception, earliest years etc.

How many children are in your class?
What proportion have extra needs
Would you work on the private sector? (Or do you?)
Is private education worth paying for?
How much outdoor learning do you do and what do you do?
How do you feel about the way your school is marketed?
As a teacher how do you help market your school?

Thank you @MoleMummy

The class teacher has 2 other roles within the school. 20% of the teaching time is covered by another teacher and 20-30% by TAs, the odd supply teacher and specialist staff (e.g. music/sports). So the class teacher has them 50-60% of the time. In a normal week they will be taught by 4 different teachers/TAs, including their class teacher.

The class teacher is amazing. The other teacher is very experienced but very shouty and quite negative. I don’t have experience of the others.

I should have said that this is a KS2 class.

So helpful thank you

@Itwouldtakemuchmorethanthis

I agree that a EY teacher should be trained to pick up on whether a child is showing signs of additional needs but I do feel that it is then the place of a specialised professional such as an Ed Psch/speech and language therapist etc to come in and advise the teacher and parents as to how to proceed and support. With the best will in the world a class teacher surely cannot be expected to have specific in depth knowledge about how to deal with every single additional need?

@Justasecondnow

Honestly I totally understand why parents take their children out during term time. The price rise in the holidays is ridiculous!! As a teacher we have no choice 😔

Even in the earliest years taking a child out mid term is detrimental to their learning. If you have to do it then try and do last couple of weeks of autumn or summer term. That's when nativities/Christmas games and wind down for summer happens. Your DC would miss much less.