First year with my own class.. and doing the dip. Any advice?

Trotter

So at last I've got a permanent job after being a sub for 4 years! It was a long journey from being a secondary sub with a BSc. to a fully real proper teacher! (Pending exam results in 3 weeks time.. fingers crossed!)


Just a quick request to the experienced primary teachers here.. put yourself in my shoes.. first time with my own class (6th) and about to walk in there on monday morning. What should I be doing over the next few days & weeks?

I'm going to allocate the first full week to teething problems.. who sits where, what we'll cover, who's going to learning support / language support and when etc. I'm going to write up a basic and short termly plan and then at the end of the first week, I'll write my first weekly plan - for the 2nd week, if that makes sense.

All and any advice from primary teachers welcome!!

Im all spooked! But in an "at last" kind of way

gaeilgegrinds

Educationposts a good place to look aswell.

kittex

Wooo! So you got the job? Well done.

I'm not Primary but where I am teaching secondary covers 6th class level in first year.
There are great resources for English at teachit http://www.teachit.co.uk/index.asp?CurrMenu=124

I can't find the section but there's a whole load of worksheets and ideas somewhere on Teachit, for the first week of term. You know, getting the kids to write stories about their summer and make mind maps about themselves so you can get to know them.

killbillvol2

Trotter wrote:

So at last I've got a permanent job after being a sub for 4 years! It was a long journey from being a secondary sub with a BSc. to a fully real proper teacher! (Pending exam results in 3 weeks time.. fingers crossed!)


Just a quick request to the experienced primary teachers here.. put yourself in my shoes.. first time with my own class (6th) and about to walk in there on monday morning. What should I be doing over the next few days & weeks?

I'm going to allocate the first full week to teething problems.. who sits where, what we'll cover, who's going to learning support / language support and when etc. I'm going to write up a basic and short termly plan and then at the end of the first week, I'll write my first weekly plan - for the 2nd week, if that makes sense.

All and any advice from primary teachers welcome!!

Im all spooked! But in an "at last" kind of way

A few tips to settle you in quickly. Go in on Friday and familiarise yourself with the layout of the classroom and set it up the way you want it. Get some worksheets ready for Monday. They won't want to do much but that's the day to lay down the law.

As regards seating, let them sit wherever they like and leave it like that for a few days. They always fall for it -the ones you'll never want near each other will sit together and you can assess who needs to be kept apart. But give it a few days as I said.

If it's a sixth class you won't have anything to do with deciding who's going to learning support etc. as that will have been decided last year.

Talk to other teachers who've done the dip with the same inspector before you write any plans. They vary in what they want so you might as well tailor your plans to the individual.

Read the kids' reports from last year. They're often total BS but it's useful if a parent tells you "my little darling was never in trouble before" and you can quote the fact that the previous teacher had hassle too.

If any of the kids have had psychological assessments read them. The better ones often have practical ideas.

Have fun!

Trotter

killbillvol2 wrote:

A few tips to settle you in quickly. Go in on Friday and familiarise yourself with the layout of the classroom and set it up the way you want it. Get some worksheets ready for Monday.

Thanks a lot! The scary thing is I have most of that all done! I've been pottering in and out during the week and I have the class set up as I want it for now. We have a short day on Monday so I was just going to use it up to chat to them about how things will be done this year and get some thoughts from them on different things... very much a talking day.

Good advice though Especially on letting them sit where they like.. I hadnt thought of that!

ArthurDent

For the dip - make sure you chat to anyone else in your school who has done it there with the inspector you will have - as far as I can see all the inspectors have their own ways of doing things, and they want them done like that - it just doesn't pay to go against them. Chat to your principal and try and get the mini dip done early (but not too early - Jan/Feb).
Best of luck

Hershey

First of all congratulations on your new job!! 6th class will be a lovely class to teach for your diploma - I love the curriculum in the senior classes.
You have me wandering down memory lane here thinking about my own first year teaching - not that long ago but feels like a million years all the same!!!:D

My advice would be to hit the ground running. It really is important to establish ground rules from the start - don't fall into the trap of being too nice on day one. I'm not suggesting that you be horrible but you need to set the scene for the year ahead iykwim.
I found planning was key in year one especially - I wrote quick daily plans, almost like a "to do" list, which I found very helpful (Still do:o ).
On the practical side of things I would also suggest speaking to the principal early and asking about timetabling - your time for the hall / library / computer room etc. (It can be a nightmare if you are the last to choose a time).
Don't be afraid to ask questions and seek support from your colleagues - especially those who have recently done their diploma (get a hold of their folder if you can).

Apart from that Best of luck tomorrow!!
Enjoy it!!
And let us know how you get on...:)

BoozyBabe

Hi Trotter,

Hope you're getting on great as I type this.

Just wanna congratulate you.
You've always brrn so helpful at offering support & advice on this site.

Well done you. Just th inspiration I need to keep going;)

Trotter

BoozyBabe wrote:

Hi Trotter,

Hope you're getting on great as I type this.

Just wanna congratulate you.
You've always brrn so helpful at offering support & advice on this site.

Well done you. Just th inspiration I need to keep going;)

Wahey!! Positive waves!!!

It went very well. I'm very very happy with the gang I have. I just have to get my head around the planning now!

No TP prepares you for the task of pacing the work throughout the year so that its nearly finished come June.

I'd really like some advice on that end of things! I've been told by a few experienced teachers that I'll get that very wrong before I get it right.. hope not!

I'm just going to try to have some sort of a weekly plan system up and running before midterm..

English will be a toughie to plan for long term. Im thinking of using book x on Mondays, book y on Tuesdays, freelancing it on Wednesdays and Thursdays (poetry etc) and then essay day on Fridays. How would that work?