breaking it down
It would be too easy to return to blogging with a huge rant about the ups and downs of being a probationer teacher.
Instead I’m going to break it down a little. Here are 3 of the most important things I learnt over my first year of teaching. I imagine most new teachers when asking for advice generally get the usual: you gotta enjoy teaching, make sure you plan, get involved in wider school life etc etc. Mine are (hopefully) a little different…
Best piece of advice I’ve been given: “You’ll learn to achieve a level of working (from the pupils) that you are happy with. It may be lower than you’re expectations but work with it”. This was said to me in reference to pupil behaviour and was completely true.
“The most important thing to help you be a successful teacher is to have other good teachers to surround you.” Without a doubt, being able to talk to others, work with others and have a laugh with others made my job a happy one even when the pupils were giving me a tough time. A department of teachers moving and working together and supporting each other is probably the number one thing that I will look for in the future.
In contrast to that, “Get things done yourself and others will follow”. Clearly barging in and getting on everyone’s nerves is not the way to do it. But equally clearly, to me, is that it is inevitable that there are teachers who are stuck in their own ways and change is something they find in their pockets rather than something related to their job. These people are everywhere (and rightfully so because without a mix of people life would be boring). Therefore, there is little point in complaining to each other all the time (something most teachers do well) and a lot of point in making change happen.
And one more thing: don’t leave keys in the door.
September 11th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Krysia,
These are great thoughts that I’m going to pass on to our probationers. All to often, people give the ‘expected’ replies* (as you imply above), but the reality is that we need people like yourself who are able to identify and name other aspects of our practice that we need to remember.
I really liked your point about having good colleagues. They are there to help you through the rotten times, and what many don’t remember is that teaching is actually a remarkably solitary profession. With the exception of the odd visit from a PT or member of the SLT (or Director if you’re in East Lothian!), the teacher is on his or her own in the classroom…
* I should just point out that the expected replies are almost always good advice based on experience, but what works for one teacher may not work for another — that’s when you need good colleagues!
May 27th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
I really like your post and I agree with each point you’ve made! I’ve had a fantastic year and I’ve loved every minute. I’ve heard or thought about all your points at some point this year and it always helps to read someone else’s experiences when they’re the same as your own!