The NQT Year Thread

It's our last day of the year and I never thought leaving my current form behind would be so hard.

I'm heartbroken to not be moving with them to year 10 :frown:

Reply 2845

Airfairy

21

Original post by greenbeans123

Well...I made it through...

I'm guessing most of you don't remember but I posted a few months ago basically asking for permission to quit. Some of you lovely people assured me that it was indeed allowed and, feeling relieved I...kept going.

Still don't feel like teaching is for me,especially not in the UK. Still think I should have chosen my school more carefully. Still feel like I could have been more supported going through my NQT in a department in chaos with some...interesting members of staff 'helping' me out. (And by helping I mean 'driving me to cry in the stationery cupboard' :wink:

. I did find that the longer I stuck it out the more I found that I WASN'T completely alone and there WERE some supportive members of staff who tried their best to help me struggle on. And struggle I did.

But..I got through and passed the NQT year. Somehow. The relief was such that I stopped forcing myself to go into work (been ill for a week and it wasn't getting better) and now having a couple of days on the sick, I'm looking back with astonishment over the last couple of years. PGCE. NQT.

What the hell was all that about??

Now...what the heck am I going to do next year??

Have you quit or have I read the "what am I going to do next year" bit wrong?*

Original post by ParadoxSocks

It's our last day of the year and I never thought leaving my current form behind would be so hard.

I'm heartbroken to not be moving with them to year 10 :frown:

Every school I've had experience in has kept them all through school as they've progressed. You'll soon settle down with your new form in September. *

Reply 2846

tory88

Original post by Airfairy

Every school I've had experience in has kept them all through school as they've progressed. You'll soon settle down with your new form in September. *

At my school you stay with them for two years - 7/8, 9/10 or 12/13 - except for year 11 which has a special group of form tutors.

Reply 2847

Original post by Airfairy

Have you quit or have I read the "what am I going to do next year" bit wrong?*

Every school I've had experience in has kept them all through school as they've progressed. You'll soon settle down with your new form in September. *

We do key stage rotations. Once you finish as a year 9 tutor you go back to year 7. I think I'll push to stay with my new form for the whole 5 years. Losing my current form broke me yesterday.

Reply 2848

Unununium

12

I'm about to start my NQT year, secondary chemistry, best advice from someone already Completed it? :smile:

Reply 2849

tory88

Original post by Unununium

I'm about to start my NQT year, secondary chemistry, best advice from someone already Completed it? :smile:

Have a clear idea of what sort of teacher you want to be, and design a first lesson that represents that. I tend to do some admin and then a lesson on the nature of Science. I want to be seen as relaxed and enjoyable, and intensely passionate about my subject, but with high expectations that must be met. If that means running detentions every day for the first month, then so be it (it will save you work in the long run). I'm not a fan of don't smile until Christmas - in my first lesson I cracked jokes and talked about my research at university, which built to a good relationship with almost all of my classes. The most important thing is to go in with a plan and stick to it. Your ideas about the sort of teacher you want to be will be refined over the course of the year, but for the first term consistency is key.

Once you've found your feet, I would also recommend getting involved in the school community - extra curricular (clubs, school trips etc.) and within the curriculum (volunteer to run revision sessions, write exams and schemes of work, give a careers talk etc.). Not only are these incredibly rewarding, but you will also establish yourself strongly with both staff and students. Having a reputation helps immensely with everything you do.

Overall, relax and look forward to the year. It's been the most enjoyable and the most challenging time, and I look forward to repeating it all again from September.

Note: Specific to science, copying down rules is dull. So is a lecture. I instead tend to talk about the way that I teach and slip in the expectations I have of pupils in order to make that happen.

Reply 2850

Currently planning for years 7 through to 13 and wanting to cry.

What's your best advice for teaching KS3? I'm going from 2 hours a fortnight with two very very veeeeery low ability groups to about 18 a fortnight with top and middle groups. Yay for the increase in lessons for the pupils (from 1 a fortnight to 2) but not looking forward to the extra teaching or having to relearn how to teach KS3.

Reply 2851

Carnationlilyrose

Original post by ParadoxSocks

Currently planning for years 7 through to 13 and wanting to cry.

What's your best advice for teaching KS3? I'm going from 2 hours a fortnight with two very very veeeeery low ability groups to about 18 a fortnight with top and middle groups. Yay for the increase in lessons for the pupils (from 1 a fortnight to 2) but not looking forward to the extra teaching or having to relearn how to teach KS3.

Remember that at 12/13/14 there are quite a lot of things more important to them than learning, so don't take anything personally!

Reply 2852

tory88

Original post by ParadoxSocks

Currently planning for years 7 through to 13 and wanting to cry.

What's your best advice for teaching KS3? I'm going from 2 hours a fortnight with two very very veeeeery low ability groups to about 18 a fortnight with top and middle groups. Yay for the increase in lessons for the pupils (from 1 a fortnight to 2) but not looking forward to the extra teaching or having to relearn how to teach KS3.

Key Stage 3 tend to exhibit more curiosity, which can be used to a massive advantage. The downside is they are also very easily bored. Break activities into small, manageable chunks and have some challenge questions for the early finishers.

Reply 2853

lascelles

15

I'm about to start my NQT year in primary. I am super excited but also terrified 😂 a couple of the children in my class I had as babies when I was a nursery nurse and I love that I'll get to see them progress in Year 3. I have got most of my classroom sorted over the holidays, but I just need to sort out my timetable and that's freaking me out a little! I'm so scared I'll forget something!

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Reply 2854

beanbrain

6

Original post by lascelles

I'm about to start my NQT year in primary. I am super excited but also terrified 😂 a couple of the children in my class I had as babies when I was a nursery nurse and I love that I'll get to see them progress in Year 3. I have got most of my classroom sorted over the holidays, but I just need to sort out my timetable and that's freaking me out a little! I'm so scared I'll forget something!

Posted from TSR Mobile

Haha, I'm in a similar position but with year 6. However, I'm on a long holiday overseas, so I can't get my classroom sorted until the last week of the holidays. I'm using spare minutes, flying time etc. to plan timetables and come up with medium term plans and the like. Been sourcing heaps of books and things to use from September though!*

Reply 2855

iloveunicorns

Hi everybody 😊 I start my NQT year in September as a Secondary English teacher... Does anybody have any ideas for introductory lessons?

I have classes in Y7-10 if that helps. I want to do something quite fun but it is a somewhat 'challenging' school behaviour-wise so I don't want things to get too hectic! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, thank you 😊

Reply 2856

Airfairy

21

Any advice on how to deal with getting bad grades? The AS Level results came out just now and I feel physically sick and like I've failed all my students. I'm devastated. I know it sounds dramatic but I don't know how I'm supposed to carry on doing what I've been doing when it's given me such crap results. It's all well and good getting outstanding lesson observations but it makes no difference when the results are bad, does it? I honestly feel like quitting.

Reply 2857

Original post by Airfairy

Any advice on how to deal with getting bad grades? The AS Level results came out just now and I feel physically sick and like I've failed all my students. I'm devastated. I know it sounds dramatic but I don't know how I'm supposed to carry on doing what I've been doing when it's given me such crap results. It's all well and good getting outstanding lesson observations but it makes no difference when the results are bad, does it? I honestly feel like quitting.

I haven't had mine through yet but remember this year has been extremely volatile everywhere. You haven't failed them at all.

My A levels came through at A and A* so I'm proud of that but nervous about AS.

Reply 2858

Carnationlilyrose