Is it normal to feel anxious during the final stage of SCITT?

[inthewoods4]

Hi, just looking for some reassurance. I’m currently 2/3 of my way through my training- SCITT. It’s been going really well, until a horrible B placement which really knocked my confidence. Now it’s the holidays and I’m doing my final assignment and constant lesson planning. I can’t relax and often feel nervous and like I’m really heightened. I am really enjoying the actual teaching, just wondered if this is normal for this stage?

Run

Yes. And it doesn't leave you when you qualify. There is always something else to be done and it's hard to switch off. (But you have to learn how to or else you will burn out very quickly.)

Planning does get easier as you don't have to submit full lesson plans to anyone. I think ITT places so much emphasis on planning when there are so many other elements of the job you aren't prepared for!

Have a break, do something nice for you and don't feel guilty.

The post form ZoraBennett - 100% accurate. Exactly what it is like. I had a vile A placement. It was one of the worst school in my LEA and was on special measures for years.

I suggest that you keep all you lessons plans and resources from every school you teach in (electronically not paper) and as you move from school to school you will spend less time planning as you already have the lessons - you can just adapt them. This cuts planning down markedly. I only teach KS4/3 and there are lots of free resources on thew web. If you use power points, avoid death by powerpoint and if you use them from the web adapt them with hyperlinks and images.

Try and ignore the "This is what OFSTED want to see in a lesson" What the students want to see is a teacher that treats them with courtesy and respect, explains things, will go over stuff they do not get, makes the lessons interesting, can use humour to diffuse situations and knows which battles to choose. And also admits when they have made a mistake and does not know something.

This is not an ideal job if you are the type of person that beats yourself up. There are times when you will be undermined by colleagues and / or SLT. This is usually because they are not very good them selves.

I finished at a school last July and was treated badly, by some members of staff. I was asked if I would go back in January which I turned down. Since then I have seen some ex students. One said that her class was horrible but I never gave up with them. The others said can I come back as their new teacher is rubbish. He was appointed and I was not even spoken to about the job that he was appointed for.

It is moments like this that make the job worthwhile.

I’m in the same place as you are—having panic attacks about actually having to do the job for real in September. I like teaching the kids but I’ve never been so stressed in my entire life.