I’m feeling like a very anxious nqt

[Earlycareerteacherr]

I’m hoping for some advice here. I’ve started at a new school. Got my job around early April time and visited a few times here and there since but as I was also on my placement I couldn’t go too often but when I Met the dept they said that there was a few things that needed to be sorted in terms of my things for September.

So I said I’ll do whatever I can to support with that. I was meaning to send an email my mentour but I’d been away with my family and just enjoying my break generally. He sent me a email a few nights ago saying “hello please advise when you can come in during the holidays to arrange things in preparation for September”

Then a few days ago he sent me another email saying “ just a heads up - the doors are going to be completely locked for the next week the school are therefore going to be having more security around (I think it’s refurbishment) and if we go in we have to request a special pass to enter the building. We should do this as we really need to sort out a few things ready for September” I said “yes not a problem I’ll see you then but i can also come in on Friday this week to sort anything out if that would be helpful”.

He then said “great. We need to get some bits sorted for sept asap if Im honest. The ordering of the books won’t take much time but resource booklets and policy checking are going to take the majority of the day get sorted and from what I remember there are lots of boxes that also need sorting as they’re not organised at all. I also recall from when I checked after my meeting that the places and lab your teaching in are not looking great and that’s going to take some work. see you on Friday morning”

Have I done anything wrong? I fely he might be a bit angry at me maybe that I’ve not been proactive or something in the holidays? What do you guys think?

Sorry I seem like I’m over thinking I just wanted to make a good impression on him and the new dept generally as I do really care.

I've read this a couple of times and can't see anything other than he's eager to gets some messy areas sorted out for sept? And as quickly as you both can, but he's warning you it may take longer than you think. It sounds like he's on the ball to be honest and you're responding appropriately, between holidays?

Some teachers are also quite business like in their responses, which he seems to be .

Hope it went ok if you met today.

@WarriorN we had to cancel today as I’m not feeling very well as I’d been throwing up all night. He said he’d rather I waited till I’m better. Hopefully he doesn’t think I’m a rubbish nqt or anything like that:(

Ah no! I hope you get better soon. There's a bad bug going round.

No I don't think so, I find if I emulate the way a teacher writes emails it makes the connection. So make sure you give lots of dates and times etc, offer extra. When you're better you can show how
efficient you are in school.

I was terribly anxious before my first job. A long summer of apprehension! It will
Feel better when you've been in.

I don't think he sounds angry and I'm sure he's not. Sounds like he just wants to make sure things are organised for you which is good!

Hope you feel better soon

I know all schools are different, but this would be an absolute hard no from me. August is holiday month and no way would I be going in to school to sort things out - especially since you presumably don't avtaully start your contract until next month.

I CHOOSE to go in for the results day and I CHOOSE to do my exam data analysis before I go back to work in September, but I'm damned that I would be directed to go into work to do what sounds like a load of work to sort stuff that should have already have been sorted. It sounds like you are being expected to do a lot of clearing up and sorting the classroom - why has it been left for you to do?

I don't think he's angry with you at all - but book ordering etc seems a bit odd!

Hi pumpkinpie. Thank you! That’s eased my worries a bit. Sometimes being anxious makes me overthink. Doesn’t help when I’m not well too. Thanks for your well wishes

Hi Mrs hamlet. I thought so too. I wasn’t sure why. But I want to be a team player so I’ll go in when I’m feeling better and make sure I can help where I can. But again I was a bit confused too.

Are you having to teach English in a lab? Apologies if I’ve misremembered your subject, but that does sound like a lot of sorting out to do, hope you get enough time on-site to get organised.

Hi Carrie blue apologies I think you may have confused me with someone else

I wouldn't worry too much about it - sounds like he was encouraging you to get straight before September because the INSET days are often packed and it's an overwhelming time.
Bit surprised he's being so direct about coming in over the holidays, but he probably means well

I'm going to go against the grain here. If I've understood correctly, you start your new job in September but are you thinking that you can just arrive on the first day and get started?

Of course there are lots of things to sort out. Our NQTs are chomping at the bit to come in and start organising their classroom and resources, get their heads around the planning and school policies and so on. They certainly don't need chasing several times - they are contacting us and asking when they can come in.

Usually, they are released from their placement to do this before the Summer holidays. As it looks as if you didn't arrange that, what choice is there but to go in during the holiday period? I'm sure he'd rather not be contacting you, worrying about you or coming in to school during the holidays either but presumably things need to be ready before the pupils arrive.

I don't think it's great that he's had to contact you several times to finalise a date and it's a shame you were ultimately too ill to go in. I hope you feel better soon and would suggest contacting him to arrange a date rather than waiting for him to contact you again now (unless not possible as school being locked up).

I agree with pp that it should be a choice to go in during the holidays or not. I rarely do. But setting up a new classroom, starting a new job, if it wasn't possible to meet earlier, does warrant it I think.

The OP said that she got the job in April and had been in a few times here are there since then. I am a HOD - I would not expect to either go in myself, or to expect a new member of staff to go in over the Summer holidays. I certainly would not be expecting a NQT to be involved in ordering books.

I am guessing here, but it reads as if the previous person using the classroom has left a lot of stuff that needs sorting through and clearing out. It should not be down to an NQT to sort that out. I also agree that doing it in September on top of starting a new job will not be good either and I would have to go in and get it sorted - but I would be wary of this becoming expected of me.

This comes down to choice. Many people like me can't stand chaos at the start so go in during hols to tidy up and get organised. Sounds to me like the lab you are going to be using is a mess and will need sorting out. It is of course true that you shouldn't have to do it but the reality is you probably will. You can do this in Sept in between all the other shit or you can do it in hols. Some people will not set foot in school during summer and I completely respect that. When my kids were little this was me as I had no childcare and it was a nightmare. Now they are older I tend to do a bit in school just to feel less stressed at start of term. I would arrange a day for tidying up your lab and getting everything you need and maybe another day to meet with hod and do whatever he needs to explain or discuss.

Yes fair enough, I took the 'popping in here and there' to be more about meeting the team and so on rather than getting substantially organised for September, but may have misunderstood.

I think HOD really just needed some reassurance that things will be ready for the pupils.

If OP had emailed and said she'd do it all on the inset day, or had it all in hand, then that would be ok too but I can imagine him looking at this unprepared room, he hasn't heard from op in awhile, a couple of his emails have gone unanswered etc, and I can see how he'd be starting to feel anxious and keen to pin down a date.

I hope you're feeling better op. I'm sure all of this can be redeemed and put down to misunderstanding. You'll go and get impressively organised and then have a great NQT year I'm sure.

Hi @fourminutestosavetheworld I answered any emails I had. I never ignored any at all as soon as I saw it I would reply. We agreed when I popped in I think to have a look at a few things when I asked if I could he said he’d email regarding details when he could. As soon as he did we arranged the date but then I wasn’t feeling well so we’ve just chose a new day really. I haven’t at all been lazy

"He sent me a email a few nights ago saying “hello please advise when you can come in during the holidays to arrange things in preparation for September”

Then a few days ago he sent me another email saying “ just a heads up - the doors are going to be completely locked for the next week the school are therefore going to be having more security around (I think it’s refurbishment) and if we go in we have to request a special pass to enter the building. We should do this as we really need to sort out a few things ready for September”

I took this to mean that he had to send a second email. Apologies if I have misunderstood.

@fourminutestosavetheworld I read it the same way.

Op I don’t think he’s angry or that you’ve blotted your copybook, but it’s getting close. I get the impression that the lack of preparation for September is stressing him out. I think it’s a good sign that he’s trying to help you have the best start and kind of him to help you.

Hi @fourminutestosavetheworld no I replied as soon as i got my emails. It wasn’t that I ignored one then had to be chased with another. I replied to all.

@Monestera if I replied to all emails as I got them so I don’t see where I’ve gone wrong to be honest.

Different schools work differently.

When I was preparing for my NQT year, I visited the school to meet the team in the final half term and then had a meeting with the HoD where they gave me copies of schemes of work (all in printed folders ). They showed me my classroom, let me know that school would be open certain weeks, and should I want to come in to get my classroom ready I could arrange for them or a member of the team to be in with me. If not then there would be time on the inset days.

It sounds like he is keen to sort things out with you, and is also keeping you in the loop about when the site is closed. I'd try to communicate to him that everything from your side is in hand (assuming it is) and get in to meet with him ASAP if it isn’t. Nobody wants the start of term for an NQT to mean a chaotic first week.

I don't think you've done anything wrong either OP. Lola's advice is spot on. Give him some information on what your plans are so that it's one less thing for him to worry about.

[quote Earlycareerteacherr]@Monestera if I replied to all emails as I got them so I don’t see where I’ve gone wrong to be honest.[/quote]
It's great that you are now feeling far more confident that you've done everything right than you did when you first posted.

I guess just carry on as you are then. Good luck for your NQT year!

And I agree - good advice from Lola.

it's also really good that you've got a proactive mentor who is trying hard to get your year off to a great start, and willing to pop in to help you during the holidays. A good mentor makes a big difference!