Every year 40,000 new teachers join the workforce having completed their initial teacher training (ITT).
Although these professionals will have gained skills and knowledge from their training, turning that theory into practice in their induction year can be daunting.
In a recent government survey, only 59% of primary newly-qualified teachers (NQTs) thought their ITT prepared them for interacting with parents and carers. Nearly a quarter of secondary NQTs did not feel that their training enabled them to teach pupils from all ethnic backgrounds.
Essex Education Services provides the Essex teacher training model on behalf of the local authority, which encourages aspiring teachers onto its school-based teacher training programmes. Trainees on the School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) and School Direct schemes spend the majority of their time in the classroom, easing the transition between their training and the NQT year. With so many new teachers applying from outside its catchment, the local authority in Essex is also experienced at helping teachers who have not benefited from its tuition.
Here are top tips for NQTs according to teachers, mentors and educationalists working in the area:
1. Don’t panic
Having spent so long preparing to stand in front of a classroom, many new teachers are eager to show off their skills. With the added pressure of assessments, including classroom observations, the demand to impress induction mentors can seem great.
However, according to Christopher Roper who is currently doing his NQT year at The Plume secondary school in Maldon, it’s a temptation that needs to be resisted.
“To begin with, I had a tendency to panic and organise really complicated lessons,” he says. “What I now realise is that it’s not about me – it’s about the students. Try and sum up what your lesson is about in a couple of simple sentences. If you can’t do that, then your pupils aren’t likely to understand.”
Adapting to working life can also be hard, especially with out-of-hours responsibilities, such as marking. “The trick is to accept the fact that there are only so many hours in the day,” says Roper. “You need rest in order to teach well. Make time for yourself.”
2. Plan ahead
Good time management is a way of tackling the complexities of teaching. “Planning ahead is crucial,” says Roper. “You can’t leave lesson plans to the night before because sometimes you need advice from your mentor or senior colleagues.”
Coordinating planning using guidance from your induction mentor is also an effective way for NQTs to implement the Teaching Standards; although these standards are universal, different schools employ them in different ways.
Kristian Fulljames, an NQT at White Notley primary school, says: “It’s good to find these out before you start, but you’ll be working out how to implement these with your mentor and from there it’s simply a matter of using your lesson plans, notes and information about individual pupil requirements to show that you’re doing so.”
3. Learn from your colleagues
Once they’ve finished their training some NQTs think they know everything, says Bridget Harris, a headteacher at a Catholic primary school. But every teacher is always learning no matter what level they are at, she adds.
Not only are NQTs observed during lessons, they are also expected to learn from other teachers. Elizabeth Batt, tutor at Thurstable school, believes this is crucial to becoming a better teacher.
“Take every moment you can to watch other teachers,” she says. “Find things you can replicate in your own lessons and write notes to act as springboards for your own ideas.”
Part of the induction process sometimes involves receiving constructive feedback too – just don’t dwell on it. “Don’t take negative feedback badly,” says Roper. “Understand what went wrong and try and build on the positives. It’s all part of the process.”
4. Be responsive
Planning is important, but Roper insists being a good teacher involves responding to your pupils’ reactions too.
“You can’t be a robot teaching lessons by rote,” he says. “Recently, I was in a lesson where I could see things weren’t working so I thought about what I wanted to achieve and refocused. It meant abandoning my approach but not my aims, which is how you should plan your lessons.”
Madeleine Knight, strategic lead for NQTs induction at Essex Education Services, agrees: “Being responsive to what’s happening in class is also about engaging pupils of all abilities.
“You can’t just plan ‘one-size-fits-all’ lessons because those of differing abilities could become unfocused and possibly disruptive if they are not engaged and challenged by their learning. Avoid asking questions where pupils can opt out of answering. Video your classes to see where you can improve and act appropriately.”
“That said, always have a few set lessons in case of emergencies,” adds Harris. “You never know when you might be asked to provide last-minute cover.”
5. Enjoy yourself
While teaching can be stressful and NQT years are full of assessments, it’s vital that teachers enjoy it.
“You’ve got to love teaching, because if you don’t you’re not going to inspire your pupils,” says Fulljames.
“Students will notice if you’re not enjoying the experience,” continues Roper. “Just remember that your school is there to support you, so don’t stress out about trying out new things and making mistakes, it’s what your induction year is all about.”
Moreover, NQTs should remember that the induction process doesn’t last forever, and that afterwards there are new opportunities to explore.
“In Essex, we help our NQTs write a five-year plan to decide where they want their career to go,” says Knight. “It might be subject-related, or it could be a more pastoral route. Either way, we nurture our teachers because we want them to stay with us. They’re the future of teaching, wherever they’re based.”
