So I’ve survived! My 1st week in my new school,
Bonus Pastor Catholic College. I felt just like I did back when I first begun
Teach First 2 and ½ years ago, not knowing anyone, what on earth was going on,
what was where, how to use the photocopy, even where the loo was. I had a car full of boxes, globes, maps and other stuff to unload, my room was…a
rubbish dump, having been used by a cover teacher for the previous term, and to
top it off I was teaching 4 hours of year 11 on my first day, 2 hours with the
assistant head and ex Head of Department!
However when thinking back to my first ever week back as an
unqualified teacher I now recognise just how far on I’ve come and grown, and
just how much I’ve learnt. Not only teaching strategies, although I’m sure my
lessons this week were a damn sight better than 2 and ½ years ago, mainly
featuring jelly babies as population, but also in terms of developing
relationships with both pupils and staff.
And this is the crux of my advice to anyone else changing schools
or starting out teaching; invest time in developing relationships with both
those you teach, and those you work with.
However frantic and manic it is don’t forget the smiles in the corridor,
plucking up the courage and taking time to chat to someone new over the
photocopier, grab a drink and 5 minutes in the Staff Room (once you’ve found it
of course!) Shout good morning to kids down the corridor (even if you don’t
teach them) and just get to know people. Because whilst this week has gone
pretty well, and I love my new school, it’s been made a lot easier by having
help from my new colleagues, and being welcomed by the kids.
So here’s my top 7 bits of advice for anyone starting new.
1)
Invest in relationships, both with staff and
pupils, even just smiling and morning in the corridor (particular those in your
department)
2)
Be organised – think and plan ahead
3)
Get to know your line manager (a valuable source
of support)
4)
Gut your room and make it home
5)
Make those first lessons count – we say about
kids giving us good or bad first impressions so we should be the same to them
6)
Venture out around your new home – Go explore!
7)
Take a break (and maybe even go for a drink!)
This move I’ve been relatively lucky as I am good friends
with my new line manager who is one of the Deputy Heads (though admittedly they
were away in the first week!) but also my partner works at the school. Whilst
this helps give you some of the basics, and I’ve had a really warm welcome this
last week, I feel like the school could have better prepared me, and is a
common problem I’ve found from chatting to colleagues and seeing new colleagues
joining my old school. The reason for this is that I think that whichever
member of SLT is in charge of new staff, often hasn’t been new staff themselves
for so long they’ve forgotten what it feels like, so here’s my top tips for
you, to help improve the experience of new members of staff in your school:
1)
Get them in on a productive induction day the
term before
2)
Organise all of the practical admin stuff beforehand
e.g. get them a laptop, room key, show them how to use the photocopier, take
registers, give them class lists – all the jobs that take up valuable time in
the first week when they are stressing about other things, or stressing about
not being able to print!
3)
Regularly
check in with them throughout the week – check they’re ok!
4)
Have a “new beginners” checklist which both you
and them use to make sure everything gets done!
5)
Welcome them to as many people as possible
(preferably over a drink on the Friday night)
Overall, my first week has gone incredibly well, and I have
loved the new challenges, people and just exploring a new place. I’m half way
through redecorating my room (and there’ll be a post on that and its importance
soon) I’ve made some new friends, and some kids have learnt some stuff too!
No comments:
Post a Comment