Going back into class...advice

[Smilingthru]

Hi,

After 3 years of releasing SLT and not having my own class, I'm going into a job share in September and will be having my own class again and I am REALLY nervous!!!

I keep thinking of all the things I need to do over summer like tray labels, coat pegs, setting up folders etc and it's feeling all very overwhelming! I don't know who my job share will be. They're interviewing on Tuesday but they have promised me someone nice and experienced.

Il be working the end of the week and they have offered to increase my hours by half a day a week for PPA. So I will be in class thurs and fri and every Wednesday afternoon I will join my job share and rest of year team for PPA which I know is such a luxury and I'm very lucky!

I guess I'm just after reassurance il survive being back in class and any tips for a job share? I'm soooo nervous!

Thanks!

You'll love having your own class that you can build a long term relationship with. You'll also enjoy being able to carry something on the next day and seeing topics/projects through from beginning to end. You'll be able to make your own decisions about what you want your children to learn and how you are going to cover it, so you'll have far more job satisfaction than when you go in, teach what you've been given to cover and then leave. Does that help?

I think lists are the way forward. Lots and lots of lists. Then arrange to meet up with your new job share partner as soon as possible and split the job list between you. Not only who is doing the peg labels and who is doing the tray labels, but how you are going to balance the subjects out over the week. For example, you don't want to be left with extended writing to mark each week and teaching Science and History/Geography while your job share partner does SPAG, Art & PE! Which one of you will set the homework and which one will mark it? The more things you write down now to discuss and agree, the fewer misunderstandings there will be later on.

That's great! Thanks!!

It's a three form entry so things like homework are planned and split across the teachers. I'm hoping being part of a team with 4 teachers will massively reduce planing etc!

I'm just sooo nervous! I feel like an NQT all over again!!!

I think it's important to make sure your jobs are as 'stand alone' as possible so on really busy weeks when communication slips you won't be at a disadvantage picking up on a Thursday.

So maybe you do comprehension/ spelling/ reasoning and tables and job share does writing/ grammar and arithmetic.

Thanks. That might an idea to consider. We will have PPA together every Wednesday afternoon so hoping during that time we can hand over properly.

I met her today and she seems lovely and very much like me in her teaching style. I'm quite excited now Iv met her but still so nervous.