New school, new policies and procedures

I trust you have all had a wonderful and well deserved Easter break. It is now back to reality! The sun over the last week has definitely made the last few months of the cold and snow ‘worthwhile’.  Am I right, or am I right? Although with the recent showers, we are back to the British weather we are all used to!
 

Now if you would have told me that, by March, I would have had completed my two terms of my NQT year with good progress (YESSSSS!!!) but I wouldn’t have a permanent and full time role I would have massively panicked. Being the person that I am, I like the idea of having everything planned and knowing what my next step is. However, I do find myself in a part-time PE teaching job that is temporary (3 days a week) and working as a cover supervisor or supply teacher twice a week. 

The first 2 weeks after half term have been tough; having to adapt to a new school and only being there 3 times a week; learning new policies and the ways of a different school life. At the same time, going in to different schools has massively opened my eyes up. I see a lot of different practices, policies and procedures. Some work perfectly! Some need MAJOR work to them. The fact of the matter is I am in a very fortunate position (well at least this is how my best friend helped me rationalise it). The 3 days ground me, in these days I ‘play it safe’.  I am able to work hard to create positive relationships with both my colleagues and students. I take time to go to the extra-curricular clubs whether that basketball or rounders. I make it my priority to attend these. Similarly, it is also my priority to attend the Friday afterschool staff football. I get to see different sides of both my students and colleagues. 

One of the letters I received from my old school on my last day. This was from a group of Year 11s who had literally made me cry at the start of Academic year. The letter reads: 'If anyone had told me a year ago that one day I'd actually enjoy PE, I would've laughed in their face. But that was before we had you as a PE teacher. You have been the foot to my football, the table to our tennis, the astro to our turf. Your creativity makes every PE lesson enjoyable, as does your boundless enthusiasm, that extends far beyond the classroom. We will miss you. Lets hope your new school appreciates you as much as we do. If not, they'll always be a place for you, in our school and in our hearts. Please don't leave...

As for my teaching, I definitely feel as if my behaviour management has further developed. Being a cover supply is no joke! The students will push every one of your buttons. Some you didn’t even know existed! The experience is definitely helping me to manage my emotions. I enjoy going into the new schools and classes, however, there is always that battle of the students not knowing you and me not knowing them. As soon as I enter a classroom I have to make a judgement quickly on which management and teaching styles to apply. 

Depending on which school I am in or what subject I am covering; I have had to adapt as both a dictator, this has been mainly in subjects where I am not as confident and I am working to simply keep the students on the task at hand. For example, I was in a school covering a year 7 class doing history, specifically looking at slavery. I knew the basics but could not deliver the content in too much depth. However, in subjects such as PE, I often adapt a democratic approach where I am empowering students to take chances and if it goes wrong, I am confident in my ability to rebuild individuals.   

Just a quick update, I do miss my old PE department (thank you guys, every single one of you have had an influence on my teaching). I have started a new campaign to get more Muslim girls at my new school participating in extra-curricular PE is underway. Very excited for this! I am enjoying the ‘summer’ term teaching athletics. Although with the weather being how it has been, there have been a lot of changes. I appreciate that this is all part and parcel of the hassle and bustle of the job.  

Empowering through PE

‘Miss I can’t lead the warm up… I don’t want to... they don’t listen…’ these are just a couple of examples of things I have heard whenever I have asked girls to lead warm up. At the start of the year, these were standard excuses which I accepted. In retrospect, I had not yet developed strategies to empower the students. I didn't know how to.

Around December time, something changed, I was no longer accepting this mediocrity. Instead, started to go through my register; let students know a week in advance that they will be delivering a short quick warm up the next week. Eventually I found that the students were suddenly motivated and looked forward to display their leadership skills, because of self-gratification that came with being empowered. To be pushed out of their comfort zones. To be praised. To achieve. To feel good!

The Year 9 girls at the 3v3 Basketball initiative launch at Nottingham Wildcats Arena. This was a great event!

Giving away my authority has been a challenge in itself. I know as teachers we love the control however, we need to recognise that control does not mean that the students are learning more. When giving away the control, it allows students to learn important life skills in a somewhat safe environment. Yes Jane did the warm up, not everyone listened to her but she persevered with it and towards the end, she had developed strategies which made everyone listened. She was able to make responsible decision making by not ‘doing it because everyone will not listen’. To step back and watch the growth, for me, that is a great win.

As a PE teacher I find empowering students is controllable. I recently trialled the Sport Education strategy. I start with different roles such as kit manager, warm up coach, referee and skill coaches and this worked brilliantly. The students were able to showcase their abilities as leaders and they fully immersed themselves within their roles. In fact, I even had one student who came up to me to tell me how one of their team members were not taking their role seriously.  

To conclude, teachers need to provide students the structure they need to thrive and grow socially as well as emotionally and allow them to be self-aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Because once they are aware of this, real work can begin to on that journey of empowerment rather than overpowering students.

Just a quick update, I have secured a new job which I start after Easter. In the last three weeks of my latest post and I am really enjoying the environments and atmosphere of the school. The Year 7 girls won the Nottinghamshire Schools Futsal Tournament and the Year 9 girls have just attended England Basketball 3v3 launch event which was great to see on International Women’s Day. Oh and my tutor won the best tutor last half term. #ItIsTheLittleThingsInLife 

Interview Advice

One in 10 NQTs leave teaching after only a year. On top of this, schools are now experiencing increased difficulties in retaining staff in the UK. Some very alarming figures considering I am in my NQT year and don’t quite know what’s next for me. Well today’s blog post is about applying for jobs/interview tips which I have picked up so far…

1.      Before applying for a job, take some time out to go and visit the school. Go in for 30 minutes, walk around, talk to both the staff and students, and get a feel for the atmosphere of the school. Ask yourself, do you see yourself within that environment. Does the school ethos support yours? If yes, then definitely put in that application!

So you have put in your application and have been selected for an interview, what’s next?

2.      Make sure you research the school. Stalk them on all of their media outlets! I recently had an interview at a city school (I am yet to hear from them) but before that interview, I spent so long on their website, learning about the school, looked at their latest OFSTED report. Looked to see where they are at in the league tables. All this information came in handy when I was being grilled in the formal interview.

Coaching on Mondays has been refreshing. #Cobras

3.      Do not over plan your lesson. Simplicity is key! Have one part of the lesson which will be unforgettable. Leave your observers impressed and the students talking about how exciting the lesson was. Be honest when it comes to evaluating your lesson. If it did not go well, say why and what you would do differently if you could turn the clock back. I once had a shocking lesson at an interview, it was my second ever teaching interview and I just chocked. I could see the lesson unravelling, the kids not challenged enough. Behaviour deteriorated and before I knew it my time was up. Now looking back, there was so much I could have done, and I wish someone had given me hints and tips for interview.

4.      Always have a question to ask your interviewers based on the research you have done.  In my recent interview, most of my questions were based on what the NQT development programme looked like within the school and if I was to be successful, how was that going to be implemented?

5.      Finally, be enthused and be positive!

I hope you find these tips useful. Just a quick update, I have started coaching again, which has made my Mondays extra manic. I am still applying for jobs, it seems to be a trend to have a second subject. Something which I do not have, fingers crossed I will not be the one in ten of the NQTs that leave teaching after a year…

New Year, new challenges and lots to be learnt...

Hope you have all had a well-deserved break! And if not, only a few more weeks until the February half term.... What a challenging and fulfilling first term I have had. I have learnt so much about, not only myself as a Newly Qualified Teacher, but also a lot about the trade. Most importantly, what a web of complexities this profession is.

Firstly, it took me about three weeks to know which building to go into for each lesson. What a relief that was! Another 4 weeks to know most of the students’ names, obviously there is still the odd names here and there that I am still learning. We have all been in a situation where there is a cluster of students and we can’t remember the names of any of them, you stare at them intently trying to remember at least one of their names. Finally, it comes to you, definitely Bob. As you blurt out their name with so much confidence and authority, they all laugh at you, so loudly. Why? Because that wasn’t Bob, that was in fact Billy!

I dare you to believe in yourself. I sure am starting to. 2018, I have a good feeling about this one.

At that present moment, I always get that feeling of stupidity and embarrassment, how could I not know Billy after teaching him for seven weeks. Then it dawns on me, there are at least 1000 or more students that I come across each week. To remember each one of their names is near enough impossible. I guess I have learnt that sometimes ‘excuse me young man’ works so much better, than trying to remember names, which if you do get wrong, they will let you know about it.

Another lesson so far this year has been remembering who is who within the multifaceted school environment. You know when you want to send a quick email to get letters sent out or get a quick print job done. Well there is someone for everyone one of those jobs and at times it is hard to remember who is who (not the Repro guy though, everybody knows him!). Which is why I have found it very important to keep communication going with colleagues within the department; within them they offer many years of experiences which I am finding very useful.

Well 2018 brings me so many opportunities and hurdles. Just because the teacher training year has finished, it does not mean that I have finished learning. I am finding I am constantly jumping hurdles. I have come to appreciate new starts involves me being proactive and it is indeed an on-going process. I want to by the end of the Academic Year to be fully qualified in teaching gymnastics. I also need to find a new job after Easter; reality has started to kick in as my maternity cover post is soon to come to an end… wish me luck! 

Surviving Ofsted

I have always wondered what it would be like to have Ofsted coming to inspect our school. The stigma that came with this has always unsettled me. That dreaded email came through, and I live to tell the story of how I survived my first ever Ofsted inspection…

I’ve heard there is a certain atmosphere to a school after finding out that Ofsted is due; especially if the last inspection did not go to plan. From observation, as our school received ‘the call’ most of my colleagues were focused and determined to ensure they were planned and prepared, so they can give the best account of themselves as teachers. For some, there was a hint of panic and uncertainty of how the couple of the inspection days will unfold.

My school life mantra...

As a first timer, I was both excited to showcase what I had learnt in the last year or so since I started this journey. At the same time, there was an air of panic and there were infinite what ifs that lingered in my mind. What if I have a poor lesson? What if I am not good enough? What if I let the school down? And the dreaded one, what if the students do not behave and it is an absolute shambles? All of these thoughts ran through my mind as I fell to sleep on the eve before the first day of inspection. Safe to say, those couple of days sleep were not the best.

I’d always thought I taught lessons which are Ofsted worthy all the time. On reflection, this has definitely not been the case. How naïve of me!  Some of my lessons are brilliant and I observe progression from all (ish) students, in others I am genuinely trying to stay sane and wondering how I had got myself in this situation. Stood in front 20 odd students, teaching... The fact of the matter is, it is somewhat impossible to have an Ofsted worthy lesson 100% of the time. There are many factors involved, some we control and can take ownership of. Others are completely out of our hands.

Although I was not personally inspected, the experience has been valuable and it has taught me to always be prepared as the old quote goes. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.