A year later, I spent 4 days in work (well, 3 and a half!). One was for planning, the one and a half days were throwing up displays, and the first day I went in and literally said to myself 'what the hell am I supposed to do?' as the endless list in my head seemed to go out of the window.
This blog post isn't meant to give NQTs explicit advice in a 'don't do, do do' sense, there's loads of them about (check out Sue Cowley!) but this is my view a year after the initial stress and panic of 'I have 25 children that are MY responsibility'.
So, dear Miss Lee (2013),
Just some pointers about the year to come:
- everything will never get done. Once one thing is finished, there will always be something else
- your teaching assistant is your best mate, your map, your guide, your saviour
- how are you supposed to get to know everyone if you're never in the staffroom?
- parents are on your side, so don't be scared talking to them!
- your classroom will be a mess for the majority of the year, but always keep the cupboard tidy!!!
- little things that will wind you up now you'll be over your head by Christmas (except lids off glue sticks!!!!!!!!)
- spend more time on twitter, but not to procrastinate!!
- be consistent, except for behaviour management. If it doesn't work, even after six weeks, change it. When it does work, stick with it.
- children literally remember everything that you wouldn't expect them to. So don't tell your class you'll teach them in an irish accent in the last week
- you will be alive by Christmas
- don't bottle things up, it'll be a self-esteem nightmare
- there is always somebody to talk to, and your head teacher isn't that scary
- have one night a week that's your night, and Friday doesn't count
*As a teacher who moved away from home and into a new city for the first time (I'd stayed in my home city of Liverpool for uni!) it was so hard to break out of my own bubble. So every Thursday, I go to a dance class; other teachers go and the girl who runs it teaches reception! we can have a life!
- BALANCE YOUR LIFE!
*From the point above, a tip from one of my very good friends @MissP_Year3 is to timetable your home life (we are an orangised bunch!). She never works weekends (I can vouch for it!) but has two late nights a week. This isn't feasible for everyone, but planning time for planing isn't a bad idea!
- you will do things a lot differently in your second year
- things that worked on placement don't always work in every school
- kids and colleagues never cease to make you smile, laugh and cry due to laughter, even on the naff days
Everyone's first year is different. I'm not going to say my NQT year was a breeze. It wasn't. I let the 'stress' and panic get the better of me and there was a time when I was ready to leave, until I thought about how much I actually love what I do every single day when those children are in my room.
You will never have another year like your first year. No more guesses, no more 'am I doing this right?'
Seriously, doing the 'first ever day' right is nothing to worry about. It's just scary, and once you're over it, you're there! Everyone wants you to succeed and believe it or not, you will. Now if I can say that as a huge pessimist, I just be talking some sense!
And think about it this way, which everyone told me last year...
Would you really be employed as a teacher if your boss didn't think you were any good?
Good luck!!
@MissLeeSays
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