So you are about to start your new teaching career. You have shed blood sweat and tears on a PGCE or other course, gathering evidence for your teaching strands and portfolios. Now the real job begins. Here is some wisdom and ideas. Good luck.
1) Read the school policies and guides, sanctions and rewards systems, absences, lateness, marking etc. If you are familiar with these then you can slot straight in with the department, school and parents' expectations.
2) Learn and understand the school's 'way of doing things'. Some school structures are fluid and a Head Teacher will gladly support you knocking on their door asking for support. Other schools will prefer you going to your HOD first, or if it is a Pastoral issue, the HOY or if it is a teaching issue, the Head of T & L.
3) Stick to and use the school sanction and reward system. Make sure that you escalate the sanctions, don't wait until the behaviour is so bad that the student has to be removed. Challenge disruption straight away, try the warning first, then the Red Comment or planner on my desk, then Detention and so on. Always follow through a sanction, never threaten something you will not be able to do or won't follow up. "You will be in Detention every day for a year!"
4) Stick to the school sanction system, even when you are being tested to your limits
5) Set your high standards straight away and stick to them. Students will make a decision about who you are and what you stand for within the first 30 seconds of meeting you, then they will test it. Stay true to your expectations of students.
6) Share you expectations with your classes; tell them what you expect from them. Empower them by asking them if they understand or if anything is not clear, then you can always refer back to these expectations should students not follow them.
7) Always challenge the little things, such as equipment and incorrect uniform. Many teachers think these are insignificant, however, students soon begin to think, "If Miss / Sir always picks me up on my nail varnish, what would they do if I swore? I will not do that..." Also think about it, is it not better to have to spend your time dealing with ties and trainers rather than fights and verbal abuse?"
8) When dealing with confrontation give students an option , "you can either stop talking to Darren and come back in and work or I will have to phone home, what do you want to do?"
9) Never underestimate students' need for boundaries. They need to know where they stand and what is expected of them, especially as school may be the only consistent thing in their lives.
10) Take every opportunity to contact Parents and Guardians, this relationship can support you later on. If a parent writes a note in a planner, phone them, if you are concerned about a student, phone home. Teacher, Student and Parent relationships are vital to successful behaviour management. Parents talk to each other, they will talk about you this will feedback to students.
11) Build rapport with all students, learn what they like and what they have been doing. If they have been away on D.O.E, ask how the blisters are, if they are having friendship issues ask them if you can help. If they breed snails, talk to them about snails, (Yes this is true!). A good icebreaker to use if they have other siblings in the school, "I never realised that Sarah was your sister, ..., do you get on with her.."
12) Students will try and distract you and go off task with 'friendship' chat, "Miss did you see Eastenders last night, who do you think will win the British Bake off, ?". If it is not an appropriate time to talk then tell them, "No, but tell me about at break, now back to the task... have you completed section... "
13) Get to know your cleaner, buy them a Christmas present, talk to them. A clean and tidy classroom is a positive environment to learn in. Also, most cleaners know all the gossip!
14) If a student is kicking off big time ask them, "Is it me?" Most of the time it is not and you can manage the behaviour better, ask them if they can settle for the remainder of the lesson, do they need to deal with the issue now or can they wait till break.
15) Speak and learn from other teachers, what are their tricks and tips, what do they do, how do they teach students?
1) Read the school policies and guides, sanctions and rewards systems, absences, lateness, marking etc. If you are familiar with these then you can slot straight in with the department, school and parents' expectations.
2) Learn and understand the school's 'way of doing things'. Some school structures are fluid and a Head Teacher will gladly support you knocking on their door asking for support. Other schools will prefer you going to your HOD first, or if it is a Pastoral issue, the HOY or if it is a teaching issue, the Head of T & L.
3) Stick to and use the school sanction and reward system. Make sure that you escalate the sanctions, don't wait until the behaviour is so bad that the student has to be removed. Challenge disruption straight away, try the warning first, then the Red Comment or planner on my desk, then Detention and so on. Always follow through a sanction, never threaten something you will not be able to do or won't follow up. "You will be in Detention every day for a year!"
4) Stick to the school sanction system, even when you are being tested to your limits
5) Set your high standards straight away and stick to them. Students will make a decision about who you are and what you stand for within the first 30 seconds of meeting you, then they will test it. Stay true to your expectations of students.
6) Share you expectations with your classes; tell them what you expect from them. Empower them by asking them if they understand or if anything is not clear, then you can always refer back to these expectations should students not follow them.
7) Always challenge the little things, such as equipment and incorrect uniform. Many teachers think these are insignificant, however, students soon begin to think, "If Miss / Sir always picks me up on my nail varnish, what would they do if I swore? I will not do that..." Also think about it, is it not better to have to spend your time dealing with ties and trainers rather than fights and verbal abuse?"
8) When dealing with confrontation give students an option , "you can either stop talking to Darren and come back in and work or I will have to phone home, what do you want to do?"
9) Never underestimate students' need for boundaries. They need to know where they stand and what is expected of them, especially as school may be the only consistent thing in their lives.
10) Take every opportunity to contact Parents and Guardians, this relationship can support you later on. If a parent writes a note in a planner, phone them, if you are concerned about a student, phone home. Teacher, Student and Parent relationships are vital to successful behaviour management. Parents talk to each other, they will talk about you this will feedback to students.
11) Build rapport with all students, learn what they like and what they have been doing. If they have been away on D.O.E, ask how the blisters are, if they are having friendship issues ask them if you can help. If they breed snails, talk to them about snails, (Yes this is true!). A good icebreaker to use if they have other siblings in the school, "I never realised that Sarah was your sister, ..., do you get on with her.."
12) Students will try and distract you and go off task with 'friendship' chat, "Miss did you see Eastenders last night, who do you think will win the British Bake off, ?". If it is not an appropriate time to talk then tell them, "No, but tell me about at break, now back to the task... have you completed section... "
13) Get to know your cleaner, buy them a Christmas present, talk to them. A clean and tidy classroom is a positive environment to learn in. Also, most cleaners know all the gossip!
14) If a student is kicking off big time ask them, "Is it me?" Most of the time it is not and you can manage the behaviour better, ask them if they can settle for the remainder of the lesson, do they need to deal with the issue now or can they wait till break.
15) Speak and learn from other teachers, what are their tricks and tips, what do they do, how do they teach students?
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