Seeing as the first week of
school has passed and the real year is about to start, I think it is an appropriate
time to share what I have learned in my first year as a teacher.
I shared my knowledge on studying
abroad, and I think it reached a few people who needed it. Now, I want to
do the same for first year teachers.
Teaching is difficult in the UK.
There is a lot of pressure on teachers and there is a heavy workload. My
friends back in Canada don’t have to deal with the same system, but I hope
there is a small tidbit you can take from this.
1. Find your Marigold
Before I started last year, I read an amazing article titled
“find your marigold.” Apparently, other plants grow really well when they are
next to a marigold. Using that as a metaphor, the writer of this article
encourages first years to find the person who is going to help THEM grow.
I am lucky enough to have my marigold in my
department. She connects with me on so many levels, works with me to make
things better, and she is my work mom. I don’t know what I would do without
her. So people: Find. Your. Marigold. They make your life so much better.
2. If you want to make friends, say yes to
everything.
This is a great rule for making friends! I
think my catch phrase is “Yeah, I’m down.” I made two amazing friends because
of this rule. Claire asked the people in my department to go out for a pint
after work, and I said yes. Later, we decided to go on a trip and Rosie tagged
along. Now, I’m lucky enough to call them my best friends.
I’ve also been exposed to all kinds of
cultural activities just because I said yes to everything! I got to celebrate my
head of department on his birthday - TWICE. I got to go to Paris on a school
trip. I got to see Stratford with amazing people. If you want to make friends,
say yes to everything.
3. Listen to the people who love you.
Listen . . . work life balance is HARD. Not
a lot of people can truly say they have achieved it. I am not a good example of
it (as you know from every goals update
I post). However, I listened to Matt when he expressed his concerns.
At the start of 2019, he sat me down and told
me I need to stop bringing work home and actually spend time with him. He was
right. I never stopped working. I would be distracted all the time. I would
give up quality time with him just to mark a useless piece of homework.
After that, I made a conscious effort to
make a change. With the exception of exam season, I did stop bringing work
home. Our relationship got so much better after that because I listened to what
he had to say.
I was blinded by the notion that I had to
do as much as I could to do well in my first year. Yes, you’re going to feel
like that but it is not worth sacrificing your personal life over.
Do what you can to go home even five
minutes earlier. You won’t do it every day and you won’t be perfect at it, but that
five minutes can make all the difference.
4. You are not alone.
After a department meeting in the fall, I
had a massive breakdown. After listening to what was expected from the Year 10
exams, I convinced myself that I didn’t know what I was doing. During the
meeting, I barely uttered a word. I could feel tension growing in my chest
(hello, anxiety knot). I hastily left the room only to start bawling in the
privacy of my classroom. I felt like I was doing my Year 10s a disadvantage by
being their teaching. I had no idea what I was doing.
What I later found out is that no one
really knows what they’re doing. Once you think you have it figured out, things
change. The next day, I talked to someone who had a lot more experience than me
and she was feeling the same way. In this case, I was not alone.
You’re not alone either. At some point, you
will feel like you don’t know what you’re doing. Once you talk it out with
someone (sub-advice: ask for help),
you’ll realize that everything either does or has felt the same way you do.
Also, your abilities will grow so much over the year.
5. Get out of your department.
I cannot stress enough how important this
is in all aspects of your career. Getting out of the department helps with
friends, with teaching, and with fostering a good work atmosphere. When things
inevitably get a little stress-y in your own department, it is really nice to
have refuge somewhere else in the school.
In terms of teaching, watching the way
other people teach is valuable. I have seen Math, Drama, Music, and Geography.
Even though the subjects are different, I’ve picked up on the routines that
work in their classroom and applied it to my own. My teaching practice has
improved as a result.
Getting out of your department is one of
the best things you can do as a mood booster. When you roam the halls, you’ll
run into kids or other teachers and you can get a smile or a conversation. Make
an effort to be friendly and smile to everyone and you’ll get the same back. It
feels good and it makes you feel like you’re part of the school community.
6. Be yourself.
When I was in my training year, I was told
I needed to turn down my enthusiasm because “it’s not sustainable.” People have
made fun of me for being too loud and excited. I’m known amongst the students
as the loud Canadian one (at least they like to hear my accent!). The thing is,
I’m never going to change. I can’t imagine teaching lesson after lesson without
being amped up and smiley. I’m passionate. It’s clear that I love what I do.
Students respond to that.
It may not be the norm, but I will continue
be enthusiastic until it (if ever) becomes unsustainable. As for you, find who
you really are. If people are resistant to it, it’s because they’re stuck in
their own ways. Teach whichever way you feel comfortable. Be yourself.
This was a long post and I hope someone out there gained
something from it. My lessons
learned posts are some of my favourites to write. I like analysing the
little moments from my life that have made the biggest difference. I can see
how much I’ve grown from looking back.
This past year certainly hasn’t been easy. I’ve cried a lot
and felt like I wouldn’t ever get caught up. It’s a shock, and I’m sure it will
be an even bigger shock this year when my hours go up. However, I made it
through. You will too.
If you’re starting your first year of teaching, good luck.
You’ve got this.
-Daniella
Comments
Post a Comment