And just like that, my first year as a teacher is done.
It has been a rollicking ride of a first year. With the January swap to Virtual School, the issues that come from bubbling and all the other mostly COVID related bits that made working in a school a bit more stressful than normal – I survived. I made it to the end of my NQT year completely in one piece.
Some days were brilliant, and I went home cackling about how consistently funny teenagers are. Some days were incredibly trying, and I went home crying and desperate for a rest.
And now here we are with a blissful amount of time “off”. (Though that “off” time is going to be spent planning for next year, getting to know my new tutor group and helping with GCSE and A-Level summer homework.)
I was invited to speak to the current PGCE cohort at the University of York. I felt flattered that I was asked, and proud of the work that I must have done during my PGCE. I was to give them my genuine thoughts on the NQT year and anything that I would have done differently in retrospect. My biggest takeaway from this year is to trust my instincts and don’t over plan. Every lesson might need to be chucked out at the drop of a hat. It is also completely okay to say no to extra commitments. As someone who teaches in both English and Drama, I end up with a lot of weekend and evening commitments with clubs and rehearsals. So, on days when I can leave when the bell rings, I will. And that is so utterly fine. Teaching is a difficult profession to keep a healthy work-life balance in and I don’t begrudge anyone for doing what is right for them. For me, this means no more emails after 6pm and saying “no” on occasion.
As part of my NQT process, I was paired with a brilliant mentor who I met with once a week and did regular observations across all Departments within the school. At the same time, I was regularly observed and wrote lesson reflections afterwards. The process felt sometimes onerous with the amount of paperwork that went into lesson observations when you also were in the middle of exams or tests but ultimately, I felt entirely supported by my mentor, my Departments and the school.
But next year, I am off on my own. I am out of my statutory period and able to leave all the extra paperwork behind. However, as I am in a brilliantly supportive environment, I know that I am not on my own.This message is intended only for the use of the person(s) (The intended recipient(s)) to whom it is addressed. It may contain information, which is privileged and confidential within the meaning of applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender as soon as possible. The views or offers expressed in this communication may not necessarily be those held by Kimbolton School and must be clarified if in doubt.
