Top survival tips and advice for new, and trainee teachers!

Dear trainee teacher…

Well a congratulations is in order! You’ve survived the journey so far, and that in itself is an achievement. Most likely, you’re getting ready for September, and you just want it to be perfect, right? Everything is laminated, displays are perfect and your classroom resembles a Pinterest board (something I’ve never ‘grown out of’).

This is such an exciting time, but equally stressful, but here’s some advice that I wish I’d have had when I was starting out.

1.YOU ARE NOT PREPARED FOR THIS.

I always compare teaching to learning how to drive (honestly, just bear with me). You never really know how to drive, until you’re in that car alone. You have all the training, support, you’ve read the highway code, passed your hazard perception test and you’ve smashed the practical test. Amazing, right? Then you get in the car alone, with no one there, no one with an emergency break and no one there to help you reverse into that overly tight car parking space. Well for me this fear was pretty much the same as my first day as a Newly Qualified Teacher. I had 31 little Year 1 faces staring at me and two LSA’s waiting for instruction, FROM 22 YEAR OLD ME. Just like driving, you never really know how to play teacher until you’re left to fend for yourself. The only bit of advice I can give you for this is to BE LIKE A DUCK. Above the surface, be calm, collected and confident. Below the surface, PADDLE LIKE HELL.

2. Mistakes will happen, things will be forgotten and not everything will go to plan, because you’re a human and becoming a teacher did not make you perfect.

Even as a more experienced (ish) teacher, I still forget things and I still make mistakes. It took me a while to come to terms with this. You want everything to be perfect and look right. You’ve spent hours laminating resources, but the lesson went bad. You’re only human. Don’t beat yourself up. If you make a mistake/forget something, own up to it and put it down to experience. Get an organiser, write a to do list, drink coffee (or wine if it’s after 3pm) and move on.

     3.   This job is not everything. You will never finish your to do list. So don’t try, just prioritise.

Maybe this is just me. But I’ve never finished my to do list in nearly 5 years of teaching. I get to the point where I’ve crossed off 5 things, then the next day I end up adding 5 more. This is okay. Prioritise by the importance or time deadline. I really love my job and I love a lot of the things about teaching (note not all). However, fundamentally it is only a job. Do not let it define your happiness and do not let it make you ill (speaking from experience). You don’t live to work, you work to live. This may be a very taboo thing to say, but giving your life to the job doesn’t make you the best teacher. I’ve experienced schools and teachers that think that getting to work at 7am and leaving at 6:30pm means you’re the best and the most dedicated?! Quite frankly that is not true. Don’t get me wrong, some days I do get to work early and some days I do leave late. However, some days I leave at 3:30pm, and some days I leave my laptop at work overnight! And do you know what? I’m happy! You do you. You can’t be a good teacher if you’re drained, overworked and miserable. A wise man once said, “It’s only by saying no that you can concentrate on the things that are really important.”- Steve Jobs.

     4.  Be a good colleague.

I’ve worked in 3 schools in 5 years. In my time I’ve worked with so many amazing people. But I’ve also worked with some trickier ones. A happy team makes a great school. Teaching is not a competition. There’s not a prize to win at the end. Be kind, mindful and share! Whilst you may be dying under a pile of marking, running late or even on break duty. It pays to think about others. It might even be as simple as offering to make a drink for a colleague, sharing something you’ve made, helping with a display or even just sticking a kind worded post it note on their desk. You’ll earn a good reputation as a team member.

5. You’re not there to be a friend!

To the children that is. This may sound harsh, but it’s true. Yes have a laugh and have fun. But the children need to respect you. BE A BOSS and be authoritative. I don’t mean be a scary dragon and scream and shout. Do take time getting to know them and establish a positive relationship with them, but remember you’re there to teach them and your job is to help them grow and learn. You’re the adult in the room and you are the power force within the classroom. Don’t bow down to bad behaviour, because you’re scared they won’t like you anymore.

6   6. Have clear behaviour management strategies and STICK TO THEM.

The easiest way to deal with behaviour is to have clear strategies set in place that you stick too. Never back down on a sanction! NEVER EVER. If you threaten to take away a child’s playtime, then do it! If children sniff weakness, they will play up to it. Your school may have behaviour strategies that they wish you to follow (and do follow these). But I always like to have a few tricks up my sleeve. Table points, marble jars and brain booster to mention a few. Focus on the positives and celebrate good behaviour. Remember, children can’t read your mind (they can sense your fear though), so outline your expectations and give clear instructions. This will not happen overnight and you will not crack this on day one or even week one. This is built over time and takes consistency. Start it from the outset and the children know what you expect of them.

7   7.PLAN, PLAN, PLAN. DO NOT WING IT!

Maybe this is just me being an overly organised, control freak. But it’s just not worth the stress. This point may sound quite contradictory to point three. Sometimes, things happen, situations that are out of your control mean you can’t always get everything done. I get it. But there’s a significant difference between teachers that plan their own lessons and those that wing it. The chaotic atmosphere will reflect onto the children. 

     8. Have the highest expectations of everyone ALL THE DAMN TIME. You don’t do half a job, so the children should never do half a job.

Never, ever let your expectations slip. One thing I always pride myself on is that whenever I’m observed/ my books are used in a book look, one thing that is noted is high expectations. You’re expectations need to be relevant for each child, but they should never falter. Every piece of work, should be their best work. Do not let it slide. No matter how ill you feel, no matter how exhausted you are, keep that bar high.

9   9.  Challenge!

Always challenge your students. Every single one of them. Never put a ceiling on a child’s learning. Challenge make things interesting and overcoming challenges creates a sense of achievement. Don’t limit their challenges. Challenge their limits.

1    10. It’s never a crazy idea!

Capture their learning and interest from the second they walk in the door. WOW starts are my favourite way to start topics. From surprise packages, crime scenes and even smoking, erupting volcanoes! Yes, I built a 6 foot volcano, lit it up using fairy lights, borrowed a smoke machine and set it off, with background music from YouTube. It’s never a crazy idea! It’s never too big, it’s never too much of a challenge. You are a teacher, which means you are resourceful and creative. Utilise your skills and always ask around! Be cheeky, the worst answer you will get is no! As Albert Einstein once said: "That is the way to learn the most, that when you are doing something with such enjoyment that you don't notice that the time passes." Create this atmosphere in your classroom.

1   11. Develop relationships with your support staff.

This is so important. If you’re lucky enough to have any support staff, then treasure them! You have to spend a lot of time with these people and good support staff can literally change your life. I’ve been so fortunate to work with some AMAZING support staff. They’ve literally saved my life on so many occasions and some even listen to me cry when I was going through a tough time in a rough stage of my career. However, remember that they are not a slave. Don’t order them around and make demands. Yes give instructions and tasks, but there’s ways around it. YOU ARE A TEAM AND THEY ARE YOUR PARTNER. They are your co-pilot, so value their ideas and contributions. They see things that you don’t. Build that positive relationship, offer to make them a drink and most importantly value them.

1   12. Get parents onside.

Now this is easier said then done. Parents can be one of the trickiest parts of the job. There’s always a slight wariness amongst parents when a new teacher starts. Especially if you’re an NQT. I qualified at the age of 22! This in itself was a challenge. Instantly, I wasn’t taken seriously. This is still a problem. Be realistic, be approachable and most of all be professional. Spending time building relationships with parents is important because parents may then offer to help in school or come along on school trips. Communication is important and try and be honest with parents. Make them aware of changes and work with them to resolve any issues. However, on that note though, don’t be a pushover and don’t let parents shout or swear at you. You are not there to be shouted at or verbally abused. You are always within your rights to ask a parent to leave your room or request for another adult to be present. My favourite line is “If you wish to continue this conversation, then we will need to have the head teacher present.”

      13.  Always ask for help and advice.

The best piece of advice that I was given was by my University tutor. She said, “The day you think that you know everything, is the day you should leave teaching.” You are always learning, every second of every day. You never know it all. I ask for help all the time and it’s not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of growth. Listen to advice, we’ve all made mistakes and we will all make some more mistakes. But some mistakes can be avoided because someone else may have already made that mistake! Learn from other teachers. On my final placement at University, I had the privilege to work with one of the best teachers that I have ever seen! Still to this day, I follow advice that she gave me. She was truly an amazing teacher. I wish I could have worked with her. Touching on point number 4 again, seek advice from others, it’s not a competition. Experience as much CPD as possible, go on every course you are offered and observe as many teachers as possible. Observe an English lead teaching an  lesson and observe a maths specialist teach a series of lesson. These experiences will help shape you as a teacher. Remember, a wise man never knows all, only fools know everything.

     14.  Time is the best teacher of all.

Give yourself time! This is a journey not a destination. Take time to learn the details of the job. By this, I don’t mean not aiming high. I’m in my fifth year of teaching and have taken on a lot of responsibility, especially considering my age. But when you’re starting out just do your best you can do at any given point.  Keep going. Everything you need will come at the perfect time. 

1   15.Never give up. Keep the dream alive, and enjoy it.

Be magical, inspiring and adventurous. Ask lots of questions, research and never stop learning. The influence of a good teacher can never be removed. So buckle up and remember to enjoy the ride. If you believe in yourself, anything is possible.

“Be daring, be different, be impractical. Be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the PLAY-IT-SAFERS, the creatures of commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.” Cecil Beaton