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Advice for New Teachers

37 replies

LolaSmiles · 22/06/2021 21:25

Lots of people give time to share advice and experience with people new to teaching and considering teaching.

I thought I'd create a thread that we could signpost to for common tips/solutions/general advice, as well as share things that have worked well.

Mine for now would be:

  1. Ignore scaremongering at the start of your training year. When I started some people seemed to delight in telling us we'd never have time to pee, and sex would be out the window in favour of lesson planning. It doesn't have to be like that. It's hard at times, but it doesn't have to take over your whole life.


  1. Listen to experienced colleagues. Within reason you don't have to do things their way all the time time here there may be things you disagree with, but there will be things to learn in those circumstances. Even if you disagreed with them on particular things, the learning will come in handy later.


  1. Have comfy shoes, a bag you can organise well and scarves/layers are your friend. Classrooms aren't well known for temperature control


Over to you staffroom.
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deedeemegadoodoo · 29/06/2021 19:26

Great tips.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or say that you don’t understand something. We have all been a new teacher at some point! Ask your colleagues for help if you are not sure how to do something. This is particularly relevant for classroom management, admin paperwork and moderation.

English marking - get them to self mark as much as you can (skills type work especially).

Be nice to the IT Staff!

Start fresh each day - don’t carry over issues from the other day.

Make the child (especially teens) understand that you like them, but not their behaviour sometimes.

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Rachellow · 28/06/2021 12:24

Bring your laptop to the photocopier so you don’t have to keep running back to collect the maths then print the English etc. Also avoids the confusion of 60 pages coming out and no one claims it with 5 people waiting for the photocopier. Don’t do star of the day to spontaneously fill up the last 5 mins of your 1st day because they will remember and you will be doing it 9 months later. If you’re in a faith school get them to do the prayer even if tiny. Don’t give out resources all at once. 2 lots of 15 glue sticks will last longer than 30.

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Radagast · 26/06/2021 21:11

I've got another quick one for parents evenings, if you can't remember a student's name (more relevant in secondary) just ask what their last name is as your marksheet is alphabetical by last name. Not remembered last names is easily forgivable Smile

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Radagast · 26/06/2021 21:08

Textbooks are great, they contain all the information that students need, and usually have differentiated questions and exam style questions for revision too.

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ByThePool2021 · 26/06/2021 16:29

Be nice to support staff and never think you are above them. Chances are they know the students in a way teachers don’t, and have spent years observing different teachers teach so knows what makes a good lesson.
That’s my advice.

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DollyMixtureLulus · 26/06/2021 15:19

Routine, routine, routine. Start on Day 1!

Always over prepare, even if only by having a stash of subject related wordsearches, bank of games or online resources to draw on.

This works for me but maybe won’t suit others. Print off one master copy of worksheets you need at home, and then you can go straight to the photocopier when you get in in the morning.

Try to always take your lunch or at least a fifteen minute break. Go to the staffroom or base and chat. It will do you the world of good!

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namechangedyetagain · 26/06/2021 14:51

These are fab! Keep them coming please Smile

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PumpkinPie2016 · 26/06/2021 13:57

I'm secondary so some may not apply to primary Smile

Similar to someone else, if you have your own room (we do!) Have all of your PowerPoints/video clips/other resources opened at the start of the day to avoid having to try to find things mid lesson.

When the whole school calendar comes out, populate your diary with all key dates. Then you can work out where the pinch points are and plan for them.

Plan a couple of quick, easy meals for during the week when you are busy. There's nothing wrong with soup/sandwiches/beans on toast a couple of nights a week. It's cheaper than a takeaway.

Make sure your work clothes (and kids uniforms if you have kids) are washed/ironed/hung up at the weekend to avoid midweek clothes sorting!

Do as much feedback and marking in lessons as possible. Pre pandemic, I got really into 'live marking/feedback' and it made a huge difference to my workload.

I go through emails when I have time to action things -either replying/passing on/planning what needs doing.

Finally, remember, not every lesson has to be whizz bang! Sometimes, it's fine to keep it simple, use textbooks etc. Some of my best lessons have been the simple ones!

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longsigh · 26/06/2021 13:23

[quote 13luckyblackcats]@longsigh that is brilliant and I am stealing it.[/quote]
It's o e of the best ones I've heard- Not my idea but you are welcome! 👍🏼

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13luckyblackcats · 26/06/2021 11:08

@longsigh that is brilliant and I am stealing it.

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loopsngeorge · 26/06/2021 10:00

Can I join? Long time lurker here -ive been working as a TA for a couple of years, now starting a primary PGCE with MFL specialism in the same school.
These tips are so helpful. One I saw somewhere else that has worked for me recently is getting them to put two hands up when they want the toilet so you can distinguish the ones who've actually got an answer to your question!

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longsigh · 24/06/2021 18:53

If you do weekly award certificates write one for each child at the start of the year- that way you always have one ready and never leave any one out!

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MrsHamlet · 24/06/2021 06:51

Mark frequently so it doesn't build up. I refuse to mark books in the holidays... if that means a few late nights, that's fine but my holidays are mine.

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Serena1977 · 23/06/2021 22:36

These are all marvellous. Thank you. Keep them coming!

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TheZeppo · 23/06/2021 22:33

@AttaGirrrrl I was pleased with myself when I created that system 🤣

@phlebasconsidered I’m secondary and my art skills are renowned (not in a good way 🤣)

Love this thread! So nice to share tips.

Another few of mine:

  1. Have tinned soup available. Sometimes lunch time isn’t a thing, but I (unashamedly) take a cuppa soup to period 4. Hangry me isn’t a good teachers.

  2. Recognise that kids have lives outside the classroom, and they have bad days too. Honestly? Sometimes you need to let them
    be. Much better than having a battle over a worksheet and ruining your relationship (when 9 times out of 10 they’ll catch up later).

  3. always have a word search available for ICT issues 🤣
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Getawaywithit · 23/06/2021 22:09

Join subject specific Facebook groups - best CPD you’ll get and more resources than you could ever need.

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RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 23/06/2021 20:56

If you get to do any CPD once you are teaching, find your key take-aways from the training and use them/try them quickly - ideally the next day.

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phlebasconsidered · 23/06/2021 20:27

I am year 6 (only ever been in primary with 6, was
a decade in secondary too)

Start off speaking quietly. If you start loud, you can only get louder.

Mark as you go. Do at least 2 tables in class.

I find getting in earlier is more productive than staying later. I get in early, it's quiet, the photocopier is mine, there's no one to chat to.

If you know you have a heavy detailed mark in one subject/class, plan another to be self or peer marked.

Use your seating plan. Feel free to move them. They take time. Don't put your prize shouty naughty boy at the front, they have an audience. Stick them at the back, maybe facing a wall.

Even older kids like stickers and prizes.

I have a chart on my wall with spaces for best listener, politeness, kindness and teamwork. I put names up as I go on the half term and leave a pen there for the students to add names. Prizes at the end of half term. Surprising how it works, and it's often the kids who slip through the notice net that get on there.

Wait for quiet. Wait some more. Wait longer than you thought possible. The old one of writing QUIET on the board and losing some of break works.

Ring home. Not just for naughties, but for goodies. A phonecall home to say their child was focused,kind, great at something etc does a lot. I sometimes send postcards home. Better than certificates, which are often daft or unobtainable. This week I rang a parent to say how impressed i'd been with their kindness and maturity in an incident and the mum responded so gratefully. It often.opens up whole conversations because a)they are pleased and b) it's more individual.

This doesn't apply in secondary, but remember in primary, your drawing and art skills are always brilliant, and you get to feel like Tony Hart / Van Gogh.

I get asked crazy questions all the time and if I don't know the answer I will say that and find out. And then tell them. It models learning really well. This week I didn't know the calorific intake and need of the Siberian Nenet people. I am finding out. Not knowing is a marvellous example. Sometimes you can do pretendy not knowing and they LOVE finding out for you.

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Namechercanged · 23/06/2021 20:02

Great thread.

-Learn names a la noble

  • speak to parents early on in the year for positives and negatives. I always make positive calls last thing on a Friday. Makes a shit week seem better.


  • Have boundaries. Work when it's work time, and then stop. Prioritise and if it's not done, it's not done.


  • Be planned a couple of days in advance and use reprographics dept if you have one. Saves you photocopying time.
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RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 23/06/2021 19:58

Observe
Experiment
Even really experienced teachers fuck up lessons
Clear out paperwork from your desk and drawers at the end of every day (if you can), and definitely every week, and DEFINITELY every term.

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CommanderShepard · 23/06/2021 18:05

This is so useful, thank you!

Speaking as a TA doing SCITT next year, here's some of my advice:

  • be very nice to any and all support staff. For a start, they know all the gossip but also you'll get much further if you make an effort to get to know them.


  • USE YOUR TA. I've seen so many students who have no idea what to do with me.


  • Put your photocopy codes on the back of your lanyard.


  • When I have covered in the past I have found it helpful to have all the IT resources open in order. When transitioning from say English to Maths all I have to do is flip to the next tab; no faffing about opening things and losing pace.
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noblegiraffe · 23/06/2021 11:34

Learn the kids' names as quickly as you can. It's your best tool for behaviour management.

I do it by sitting the kids in alphabetical order initially (per the register) and once I know the kids' names in that seating plan, I change the seating plan. First time you will learn the names associated with where they are sat, then once you change it, you get better at identifying them by face. Have the seating plan on your desk and deliberately use to it pick on kids you can't remember the name of. Test yourself! Learning names should be something you make a deliberate effort to do, not just hope it will happen over time.

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Timeturnerplease · 23/06/2021 06:27

Might be more applicable to primary (though, given the maturity level we’ve seen in Year 6 over the last few years maybe is the case in secondary too) - make sure that you do NONE of the logistics in your classroom at all.

I currently teach year 3 and they do everything for me - hand out books/resources, sort out cutlery etc at covid lunchtime, organise home time, deal with recycling..:. Means I can use mornings and after school for marking and admin rather than waste time taking down chairs etc. My class come in every morning to a list of jobs: hand out X books, write date, put X resource on each table etc. Keeps them quiet and busy too!

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LolaSmiles · 22/06/2021 23:11

Timetable might have been the wrong example. I'm also partial to a colour coded timetable, but I've had someone serious ask me what colours they should do and whether I liked the bright or pastel version. Who has time to theme it?

The only second version of a timetable should be the one in miniature that can fit behind your staff badge to check on the move. I stole that idea from an NQT.

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AttaGirrrrl · 22/06/2021 22:45

I’m loving the ping pong idea @LolaSmiles, but a colour coded timetable is ESSENTIAL.

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