I’m standing there all eyes staring at me and I’ve gone blank. I see my mentor who I don’t really know yet looking at me with some concern. I’ve got two options – I either get all stressed and avoid the question or be honest with the pupil and say I can’t remember and I will get back to them. Which do I choose?? …….
So my scenario was in fact a dream, or a nightmare in fact. Although, it could have been true. It’s happened and I got through it so why am I stressing again? It’s moments like this that I have to be positive about, before starting my next placement. I need to bring with me everything that I have learnt so far and build on it. Realistically, I’ll have more new challenges and situations that I am going to have to face into and they will help me become the resilient and highly regarded teacher I want to be.
I’d be lying to say I’m not having a few wobbly moments about my next placement. It’s a very different school, all girls and high attainers. I need to up my game a little but I want the challenge and the comparison. So I’ve noted a few tips for others about to change their placement. Hopefully these will help to calm the nerves.
Be Positive. Start as you mean to go on. Don’t shy away from your worries, write them down and discuss them with your mentor. Look at it as a new challenge, and lots of opportunity to learn and experience knew things. Remember you started at your first placement with little or no experience so think positively what you are bringing to this one. And if your last placement didn’t go too well, put those worries to bed and move on. Onwards and upwards, or breadth and new experiences to encounter is what they say.
Set your targets. Give some consideration what you want to get out of this placement. For instance, I know I want to get more guidance about marking and providing feedback. In placement A, it was all about obtaining homework from students and encouragement to complete as engagement was low. I’m looking forward to observing strong marking and feedback practice at GCSE and A-level, to develop myself further. I’m also hoping to have the opportunity to carry out more practicals this term as that was limited on my last. I’m eager to discuss both with my mentor and plan how I can progress in both areas. So, take the opportunity before you start to be prepared to discuss this similarly with your mentor.
Take each week as it comes As our teaching hours grow, the prep, planning and marking will increase. Don’t stress too much about what’s ahead, take each week in turn and get through each one. I really need to focus on this one. I can worry ahead and when I get there I am ok but I have wound myself up so much I have burnt myself out. This is my big watch out in this placement and I have asked my family to be honest and call it out to me if they feel I am going down that route!
Trial a few pedagogy strategies. I am eager to try a few new elements of my practice during this placement. Obviously we’re not sure how much of the placement may be online or in the classroom but some areas I have been reading up on such as flipped learning, whole class feedback and retrieval starter grids are key to me developing my practice this term. Again I hope my mentor is open to me trialing these. My next PGCE assignment is an action research project so developing my practice whilst undertaking research is a win-win for all.
Jobs Many of your trainee cohort will be actively looking for jobs over the next few months. Don’t get stressed and anxious about this. Make sure you choose a school that is right for you. Although my advice would be to begin writing your personal statement that can be adapted, consider answers to typical interview questions, obtaining a recent passport photo and putting your educational certs in order as evidence. This will save you time when the right job advert comes up so you can spend the time preparing the lesson fir the interview and researching the school. It would be wrong of me to say here that this is something I have ahead, as I have been successful finding my dream job. Although, I hope that sharing my advice about preparing for interviews will help. It enabled me to focus on the interview prep in those 72 hours beforehand rather than sourcing ID, photos and certs etc. Be prepared as they say!
Balance your workload/family life and health. As a career changer, community volunteer and mum, my life is hectic. I’ve learnt that teaching never ends. On occasions you just have to stop. I love everything to be perfect and that’s not realistic. My biggest advice is to accept you won’t always be on top of everything, you won’t always have everything crossed off the list and it won’t always be perfect. It is as important to have some ‘me’ time. It’s something I’m always working on and trying to get the balance right. Sometimes the honest and bluntness of a child calling me out for ‘always working’ is what I need. Look after your health as you need it to be the best teacher you can be 😀.
I hope I haven’t bored you with my advice. There are probably so many tips I could write but try these as a starting point. Remember, we all have bad days and without my family and friends, teaching and social media communities I’d be lost. Reach out and don’t be alone, someone else will have gone through it. Good luck and enjoy your next placement .
The Science Classroom 