Primary ECT

[bagged]

Hi all,

Hope your start to year has gone well!

Hopefully this post won't be too long but just wanted to get it off my chest and gather your thoughts.

I am in my first year ECT at a large school, KS2. I'm the first ECT this school has had. I LOVE my job to bits, and have always wanted to teach. I've settled in really nicely, taken on subject leadership responsibilities despite this not being required, and have had nothing but glowing feedback from everyone.

However... part of me thinks I'll still be a distant statistic. The workload is fine, everything is sorted - it's just the subject knowledge and constant feeling like I'm on a hamster wheel. I am super organised and review all my lessons beforehand, have daily slides, speak with year partners and ensure I'm 100% familiar with the lesson but still feel dumb. I've worked in other industries prior to teaching whilst studying and I always knew I was good at those jobs, but I do not feel like a good teacher (despite mentor/colleagues saying otherwise). I still feel like I'm doing everything wrong and feel like I'm failing the children.

I'm determined to complete my ECT years as I don't feel it's unbearable, but what are your thoughts? Is this something that goes away or minimises with experience? Any advice/tips?

I do feel like it's down to not knowing the curriculum confidently, but then it's a matter of when do we find time to actually "study"! I have an obs this week and I'm just worried because I don't feel confident. I feel like the nerves will get the better of me, and it equally feels like I'm surviving from week to week.

Also - is it normal to be extremely drained at the end of a day, so much so that you don't feel energised to do anything else in the evenings?! I'm not sure how people cope with children of their own!

TIA x

I must be honest, having spent most of my time in Early Years , when I had to spend time in another placement in year 1 in my QTS training year I freaked! And that was only Year 1 - and it was the same reason as you - the subject knowledge, in this instance the Victorians. Spending time in another year group, I also had to really brush up on my Fire of London knowledge.
I totally get you, there are some subjects I am clueless about. If I had to go into KS2 right now and teach the Romans, Ancient Egyptians, even the names of the muscles in PE I would be stuck. Maths not bad, would likely only have some trouble with new methods then ones I know but I’ve got quite a mathematical head so I wouldn’t threat so much with maths.

I think the best thing to do is not try and study a whole subject but make sure you stay a lesson or two ahead. You essentially learn your lesson in advance by watching the video you’re using or looking at resources online or the scheme lf work or just googling it - and if a child asks a question that throws you, you come back with “That’s a great question - how can we find out?” Start a class discussion, find some ways to research together. Even in reception I got caught out with some artists names and styles recently and had to look up what the scheme of work wanted me to teach the children!

It sounds like you’re doing great, yes it’s draining and exhausting. You’re not alone there. It sounds like you’ve got you’re head screwed on and are managing the constant work well. Be confident in yourself and remember subject knowledge is at your fingertips these days, just stay that little bit ahead .