Ok, so it's the last Sunday night of half term and I'm dreading being back at work tomorrow! Crazy how fast a week off goes, and I also can't believe I am officially half way through my NQT year. It's been a rollercoaster but I feel like the half term just gone has been a lot better than the term before Christmas. I have felt more in control and my time management has also improved massively - I now understand the importance of prioritising!! However, I am still making mistakes:
- My English group's coursework is too similar so I am going to be spending the next half term correcting a term's worth of mistakes.
- It took two attempts to moderate my NOCN unit as I had left careless pieces of work out which hindered the objectives I needed to meet.
- My maths group's behaviour has plummeted and they have been shocking all term - especially with a supply TA they have had in the class. I have had to fill in countless incident reports and had to have phone conversations with parents.
Rather than dwell on my mistakes, I have learnt from them and moved on. You can't change the past but you can shape the future and that is what I intend to do. My confidence in DT has increased though and I was suitably impressed with the learner's final designs which they were very proud of and showed them to countless adults around school.
This term is only 5 weeks and I am stepping into it feeling a lot more confident than previous terms. I feel like I have built positive relationships with both staff and students, I am feeling less tired with the intensive iron treatment and my work/life balance is improving more each week. I am due another NQT observation this term and although I hate them, the relationship between me and my mentor has also improved so I want to demonstrate that I can be a good teacher who promotes good progress.
I hope this term is a good one for all my fellow teachers and roll on Easter! Keep smiling :)
Sunday, 26 February 2017
Thursday, 5 January 2017
Autumn Term Completed!
Okay so my plans to write this blog often went completely out of the window as the first term was an absolute killer! I felt like a complete beginner on starting as an NQT and felt my experience was inadequate in order to meet the needs of learners with a wide range of special educational needs.
My worst day is a Wednesday as I have Design Technology ALL DAY and this term was heavily woodwork based. I haven't been in a woodwork room since high school and I've certainly never taught it so I felt like a fish in a very large pond being circled by a very large heron! The Y8 class especially were a nightmare and their behaviour was incredibly difficult - I had constant dabbing, bottle flipping and throwing dangerous tools across the room. I cried in the cupboard on more than one occasion. As much as I hated Wednesday's, I was incredibly proud when my Y9 class completed their final product and every single clock looked unique - the learners were so impressed with their work I couldn't help smiling.
My relationship with my NQT mentor isn't great - I always feel inadequate and definitely don't feel comfortable speaking with him about my worries and problems. However, I have fit in quite well with all the other staff members and feel welcome with anybody that I work alongside. It's so refreshing to be in a school where you can walk into the staff room and sit anywhere having a conversation with anyone.
I have had a constant cold since September and can't seem to shift it and I also caught a sickness and stomach bug during my first few weeks and was sent home sick! Another absence followed shortly after when I have a seizure in the staff toilets and headbutted the sink. An ambulance had to be called and my face took weeks to recover from the bruised and bloody mess. As much as I hated facing everybody after this, I was welcomed with open arms and all the learners were concerned about my health and well-being. I also found out that I have an iron, vitamin D and calcium deficiency alongside an under-active thyroid which is probably causing the extreme fatigue.
To end the eventful term, I participated in the staff show as a mannequin and a naughty school child - I was incredibly nervous but really enjoyed doing it which is another unique experience.
I have 3 more days left of the Christmas break and although I have so much planning to do, I am going to make the most of these last few days of freedom. Good luck to all teachers and TA's starting back this term and remember there is only 6 weeks until half term! Hopefully write again soon!
My worst day is a Wednesday as I have Design Technology ALL DAY and this term was heavily woodwork based. I haven't been in a woodwork room since high school and I've certainly never taught it so I felt like a fish in a very large pond being circled by a very large heron! The Y8 class especially were a nightmare and their behaviour was incredibly difficult - I had constant dabbing, bottle flipping and throwing dangerous tools across the room. I cried in the cupboard on more than one occasion. As much as I hated Wednesday's, I was incredibly proud when my Y9 class completed their final product and every single clock looked unique - the learners were so impressed with their work I couldn't help smiling.
My relationship with my NQT mentor isn't great - I always feel inadequate and definitely don't feel comfortable speaking with him about my worries and problems. However, I have fit in quite well with all the other staff members and feel welcome with anybody that I work alongside. It's so refreshing to be in a school where you can walk into the staff room and sit anywhere having a conversation with anyone.
I have had a constant cold since September and can't seem to shift it and I also caught a sickness and stomach bug during my first few weeks and was sent home sick! Another absence followed shortly after when I have a seizure in the staff toilets and headbutted the sink. An ambulance had to be called and my face took weeks to recover from the bruised and bloody mess. As much as I hated facing everybody after this, I was welcomed with open arms and all the learners were concerned about my health and well-being. I also found out that I have an iron, vitamin D and calcium deficiency alongside an under-active thyroid which is probably causing the extreme fatigue.
To end the eventful term, I participated in the staff show as a mannequin and a naughty school child - I was incredibly nervous but really enjoyed doing it which is another unique experience.
I have 3 more days left of the Christmas break and although I have so much planning to do, I am going to make the most of these last few days of freedom. Good luck to all teachers and TA's starting back this term and remember there is only 6 weeks until half term! Hopefully write again soon!
Friday, 26 August 2016
Introducing Katie - NQT
Although this should be a very exciting time, I can't help thinking about the past ten years and how tough it has been to achieve my dream. When I was 14, I started to have seizures totally out of the blue. These have been a part of my life ever since and although they have improved drastically, I still have them and it is often the injuries caused from the sudden drops which are the biggest problem. When applying for jobs, I worried about how to discuss my seizures and portray them in a positive light - yes they may be very debilitating, but all of my health problems have shaped me into a very strong, resilient person who doesn't give up without a fight.
I did my teacher training in primary schools but I have always wanted to work with children who have special educational needs. I was offered a job in a special needs high school and I am definitely ready to rise to the challenge! By the end of my NQT year I will have worked with every age group from EYFS to college - the world is my oyster.
I am unbelievably nervous about it all. You would think I would feel ready and excited at the prospect of starting my dream career, but every time it crosses my mind it fills me with dread. What if the children don't like me? What if I don't know how to meet the needs of these children? What if the staff don't like me? A thousand questions and no easy answers. I know it is only natural to worry, every NQT is in the same situation. But I am the most under-confident person when it comes to believing in myself, I always put myself down and don't believe in my skills.
One week to go before two inset days and then I meet the learners on Wednesday 7th! I'm planning to have a team building/getting to know each other activity week before I start "proper" lessons - I'm struggling to plan without knowing the needs, strengths and weaknesses of the children. I have a number of subjects to get my head around - woodwork, maths, English, performing arts, NOCN and life skills. The plan is to enjoy my final week of freedom whilst doing little bits of work in preparation for September.
Good luck to all NQT's this year and I'm planning to write and update this blog with the highs and lows of a teaching career!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)