Part 3 of 3:

• First year in teaching
• The beginning of a life-long career
• Helping you along your way

You in the classroom & managing behaviour
To create a good impression and environment to work in try and be organised. The pupils will appreciate it if you are. Young people thrive on consistency and will respond well when they are clear about what is expected of them, what the boundaries are and what happens if they flout these boundaries. You need to be firm but fair. The best teachers are professional, controlled and rarely need to raise their voice. The pupils want to be taught by someone they trust, not by a ‘friend’ or someone who is over-critical or judgmental.

You may find that pupils will try to involve you in a personal situation. Respect and listen to what the pupil says (or writes) but make sure you refer the issue to the pupil’s tutor or other appropriate member of staff to protect yourself. Whenever you speak to the pupil, do it in the presence of others, preferably a colleague.

Managing student behaviour can be one of the most challenging aspects of the teacher’s role. The first thing to remember, however, is that most young people you meet want to learn and succeed at school. Try to be positive in your dealing with pupils and be sure to establish clearly the rights, rules and responsibilities within your classroom. If a student is still not co-operating, avoid arguing. Refer to the class rules, give the student a clear choice and follow up later. However do remember to follow up and follow through punishments - students respect clear boundaries.

Unfortunately it is more than likely you will still encounter pupils whose behaviour is unacceptable. You don’t have to suffer verbal or physical abuse from pupils. You have rights too. Share your concerns with colleagues and managers. You will find, invariably, that others are experiencing the same problems, probably with the same pupils.

Meeting the parents
Meeting parents can be a daunting experience – presenting another set of expectations and dynamics. However, it helps to remember that they actually don’t know if you have done this once or a hundred times! You will also find that the majority of parents will value your opinion and are just as nervous as you!

Try to be confident. You are the professional. You know their son or daughter as a class member and you have information to offer to them. Even if you are nervous, make sure you take charge by leading the discussion. Stand up to greet parents, maintain good eye contact, sit up straight and don’t fiddle - this may sound trivial, but confident body language can make a big impression and inspire confidence.

Looking after yourself
Many teachers describe their job as a way of life as opposed to an occupation. Even when they are not in the classroom, they are thinking about school. It is important to be organised and leave time for interests and hobbies. Achieving a good work-life balance will help minimise stress levels and will benefit your overall professional effectiveness as a teacher.

One way you can help yourself is by looking after your voice. Like actors, singers and other professional voice users, the voice is one of your most valuable tools, but many teachers underestimate the importance of looking after their voice.

Stress and work-life balance are also common ‘hazards’ that most teachers will encounter. It is important that you learn to manage stress. For example make sure you get enough sleep; eat a balanced diet; try not to smoke or drink too much; cut down on caffeine; and make sure you have about 4-6 hours of the week to yourself.

Money matters
Covering accommodation and living costs can be difficult to cope with on a student grant or a starting wage, particularly if you’ve given up another career to train as a teacher and/or have a family to look after. However, careful budgeting and some good advice on managing your finances will certainly help. If you are still unable to cope you may find that there are further grants, bursaries and even golden hellos to help ease the strain.

If you find yourself in extreme financial difficulty, you may be eligible for a grant or loan from the Teacher Support Network*. You should be aware that there are eligibility requirements, such as having QTS and having less than £5,000 in savings. If you’d like to talk to someone about your situation, call Teacher Support Line (08000 562 561 in England, 08000 855 088 in Wales). *Please note: The Teacher Support Network cannot provide financial assistance towards tuition cost, student loans or student debts.

Extra-curricular work
If you are a new teacher without a partner or children, beware of people assuming you have no out-of-work commitments and giving you all the out-of-school hours’ activities to manage.

It may become difficult when you are in school after hours without support if an accident or sensitive issue arises, particularly if you manager/head of department does not endorse the activity. You should also be careful that it doesn’t impinge on your work-life balance, especially if you have plenty of other work to do.

However running extra-curricular activities can be great for building relationships with pupils, learning from colleagues and showing your commitment and enthusiasm. For these reasons many people are still keen to take on extra responsibilities. Before you do you should try and discuss the opportunity with your mentor and other appropriate members of staff so you can gauge where you can expect support. Be sure you know what the demands on your time will be, what your resources are, who else may help and make clear your expectations of pupils’ behaviour, as you would in normal school hours. Finally be realistic, in your first few years of teaching you will have a lot of demands on your time. Whilst it is important to show you are willing to learn and get involved you must look after yourself and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Career development
Although you will be assigned a school mentor, you will be responsible for managing your own performance and training needs. If you identify any gaps in your training you will need to talk with tutors and your mentor about how you might gain the necessary experience. Your school mentor will carry out lesson observations and support you in your efforts to meet the standards required to achieve Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Before planning lessons, refer to the QTS criteria, which will increase your chances of delivering a higher-graded lesson.

The best way to learn about teaching is to get in the classroom. You will make mistakes, but reflecting on what went well and what didn’t is a crucial part of successful teaching. As well as reflecting on your own practice, you will need feedback from your mentor and other experienced teachers. While your mentor should highlight your strengths, he or she will also need to identify areas for development. It isn’t always easy to take criticism, but it is necessary if you want to develop as a teacher.

If you are interested in school leadership, you may wish to apply for the Government’s Fast Track scheme. This will provide you with the necessary additional training, development and support you will need to become a school leader. (Only available in England)

Masters in Teaching and Learning
It has recently been announced that the government will soon be introducing a new masters qualification specially designed for teachers called the Masters in Teaching and Learning (MTL).

It is thought that the extra skills teachers will gain through the Masters qualification will help to raise the status of teachers and ensure that they get the recognition that they deserve.

The governments aim is that over time it should be open to all teachers and they expect every teacher should complete it over the course of their careers. To begin with the programme will be rolled out to teachers in the first five years of their careers to build on their initial teacher training and induction.

For further information on this topic visit the Department for Schools and Families website.

Part 3 of 3:

• First year in teaching
• The beginning of a life-long career
• Helping you along your way