Top Tips for Trainee Teachers

Teaching is a tough but rewarding job, and starting out in teaching can be nerve-wracking as well as exciting. We asked Cathy, an experienced teacher who works with us to make CGP+ resources, for some top tips for teachers starting their new career. Here’s what she had to say…
 

How to maintain a good work-life balance

It’s important to try and maintain a good work-life balance. The work in teaching is never finished — there is always something that needs to be done, whether that’s lesson planning, marking, making resources, filling in assessments, creating displays, answering emails, following up on behaviour issues… the list is endless.

A good idea is to write a list for the day with the most important tasks at the top and cross them out as you complete them. Any of the less important tasks towards the bottom of the list can then be carried over to the next day if necessary.

It is also important to set yourself a time to stop for the day and switch off. If you find that you work more efficiently at school, then complete as much as you can there before going home. If you find that you work more efficiently at home, then try to leave school at a reasonable time so you do not end up working at home until midnight every night!
 

How to deal with nerves

All teachers get nervous before teaching a new class for the first time, even if they have been doing the job for years. The trick is to act as if you are super-confident, even if you don’t feel that way inside.

This can be achieved by:

• standing at the front of the room and facing the pupils,
• making eye contact whilst talking,
• and scanning the whole room to look at all the pupils.

It’s natural to talk quickly when nervous, so be aware of how fast you are speaking and make an effort to speak slowly and calmly. It’s also important to vary your tone.

When asking the class questions, do not feel compelled to repeat yourself too quickly if there are long pauses before pupils offer an answer — waiting time is important.
 

How to praise and discipline pupils

When teaching a new class, it’s natural that some of the children will deliberately misbehave in order to test your boundaries, so be ready to respond to this calmly, firmly and consistently. Make your expectations clear and follow the behaviour policy of the school. Praise always works better than punishment.

Try to find an opportunity on the first day of working with a new class (and the days that follow) to praise at least one or two of the known ‘trickier’ pupils for doing something well, especially if you have had to remind them of expectations earlier in the day. This will help with establishing positive relationships with all pupils. It is important to show that you like all of your pupils — even if they can sometimes test your patience.
 

How to teach at the correct level

Pitching lessons to the correct level with a new class is tricky. If you start a lesson and realise that you have pitched it at too high a level, do not be afraid to stop and go back over prior learning before continuing.

This is preferable to ploughing on with what you had planned simply because it is on the plan. Similarly, have an idea of what you want pupils to learn next and be ready to move on if pupils are ready for this more quickly than you anticipated.
 

How to ask for help

Do not be afraid to ask for help. When on a teaching placement, it may seem daunting to ask questions, especially if you have a lot of them! Just remember that all teachers were trainees at one point, and all of them will remember what that was like, even if it was many years ago. Most teachers will be happy to offer support and advice.

In the event that you find you are not receiving adequate support and guidance from your mentors at a placement school, make sure you contact your university tutor as soon as possible and explain the situation. Do not suffer in silence — teaching is a challenging job, especially when you are just starting out. Your tutor will know this and should offer you support and guidance. They will also be able to liaise between you and your placement school if necessary.
 

I have been a teacher for just over 22 years, working mainly in Upper Key Stage 2. More recently, I have worked with Key Stage 1 children as part of the National Tutoring Programme, which has been very enjoyable, giving me a great insight into younger children’s unique view of the world! I have always enjoyed writing resources but, often did not have time as a full-time class teacher. Teaching part-time and writing for CGP+ offers the perfect balance.

To see CGP+ resources written by Cathy, click here.