Any secondary teachers out there?

[whatatanker]

I’m starting a new job (secondary English) in September. It’s a mixed comprehensive and I’ll be working full time. Recent ofsted picked up on lots of behaviour issues (like a lot of schools at the moment I realise)

I’ve got 7 years of experience but have taken a fair bit of time out of my career to raise children, so this will be my first time in the classroom for 3 years.

I’ll also be juggling 3DC - two in primary and one in nursery whilst working full time. Does anyone have any brilliant advice for me?

Bump

I’m a secondary teacher with 3 children!

1. work out what you need to do and what you can get by without doing. You can always do more. The trick is knowing when to stop
2. big planner. Write your life in there for school
3. family calendar - write your life in it for home.
4. enough school clothes for you / school uniform for the kids so you don’t have to wash mid week.
5. embrace your commute. Listen to podcasts / the radio / whatever makes you feel happy. It’s your downtime! I sometimes use mine to listen to A-level subject knowledge podcasts too so I feel like im using it wisely!

If you’ve got seven years experience, I’m sure it will all come back to you really quickly.

In school:

• Find out the school’s behaviour system and stick to it rigidly. That way, SLT should back you up if you do have any behavioural issues.
• ignore any crap about ‘don’t smile until Christmas’. Firm but fair, and friendly!
• Don’t plan too far ahead for the new term. Plan 1-2 ‘getting to know each other’ type lessons for the first few days (I tend to use the same ones for all of my classes, hammer presentation / expectations, and ‘teach’ something newsworthy) then use your first weekend planning once you can access school shared areas, SOLAs etc.
• Be absolutely lovely to everyone - especially admin staff and the reprographics person. Your life will be much easier with them on side.

At home:

• have enough sets of uniform to last a whole week and iron it all on a Sunday night
• meal plan (and use slow cooker)
• lunches / bags etc all sorted the night before
• no one comes downstairs until fully dressed
• checklists for all kids (and you, if it helps!)

Good luck. I hope it goes brilliantly.

From experience, I would be cautious about spending too much of the summer planning, as you will have that as part of the settling in/ongoing changes and adaptations etc.

I assume you know by now if you have any exam classes, and what year groups you are teaching, so you could take the time to make sure you have read any set texts and perhaps familarise yourself with key exam board content (assessment objectives/exemplars/mark schemes etc), if it is one that you have not taught before.

Write down things, don't be afraid to ask questions, and work out where and how you will store things! Planner, exercise books, photocopying - are you always in the same place? etc.

Some super advice here. Yes I need to get some more uniform as I’m often doing a mid week wash!

Ah, yes to the summer planning- I normally go a bit mad but with 3DC off school I simply won’t be able to get much done.

Great advice @OutDamnedSpot about being nice to all the admin staff - I’ve certainly always done this and find it really helps when you’re in a pickle!

Also really like the one about no one comes downstairs without being dressed- I’m trying to do this already!

Keep them coming, this is great!

I’d print and compare everyone’s school terms and training days - often different.
Which night is your training? Can you take turns around the kids clubs?
Sort out back up childcare and emergency contacts when you’re teaching. You’re first contact in the hols obv. Good luck x

@Kathsmum yes I do need to do that re: terms etc. Our youngest is in a nursery attached to a private school, so the terms are quite a bit shorter.

DH is aware and should be mostly able to work around it, but I really need to pin those dates down for the whole academic year and work out all the parents evenings etc. Thank you for the reminder!

@whatatanker That’s what I do on a big family calendar in the kitchen - one column for each person and write it on as soon as you get dates!