Schools Your top tips for new teachers
In our new column, we ask the experts on the ground – our members – for your best professional tips. First up: with pre-service placements coming up, what’s the one piece of advice you wish someone had given you before you started teaching?
★★ Top tip ★★
I’ve learned so much from Education Support staff throughout my career – my advice is to seek them out and listen to their unique perspectives on how to best connect with and support students! The real heart of schools, ES staff can provide invaluable advice to new educators.
Emma Beale
★★ Top tip ★★
Find supportive people both inside and outside of school. Teaching is a job best done by a group of people, and no one can become a great teacher by themselves. But also know who will be there outside of school to support you during the harder times (of which there will be some) and the great times (of which there will be many).
George Allen
★★ Top tip ★★
It’s all about modelling good relationships. From staff to students, if you have good relationships, it makes all the difference to the school.
Bec Learmonth
Be open-minded. Try things. Take advice, observe, listen and learn. You’re very new and that’s okay. Be flexible… ‘real’ school is chaos and that is the way it is. And join your union.
Amy Debyew
When you don’t know the answer, admit it. Enjoy the mistakes you make in front of kids. Laugh them off. Kids need to see that adults make mistakes and just bounce back. So long as nobody dies, most mistakes don’t really matter.
Have fun. Every day if you can.
It is the child you most wish to push away (due to behaviour, etc) that you need to draw in closest.
Brendan Patterson
Remember that remaining calm and emotionally regulated is the foundation of supporting positive behaviour.
Robbie Last
Be kind and professional to everyone, including the librarian, cleaner, office staff, canteen staff, gardeners. You are all on the same team. And who knows when you might be able to help each other out?
Hakea HS
Your work is your livelihood, not your life. You can’t get all those weekends and evenings back. It doesn’t make you a less dedicated, caring, effective and professional teacher to not take work home.
Sandra Salmon
Don’t expect a polished performance; just do your best and keep on swinging.
Con Chrys
Educate the whole human, not just the academic. Ask your mentor how they work smarter and not harder!
Rachelle Flower
Don’t reinvent the wheel. Use whatever resources you can access and adapt.
Lisa Gunder
Focus on nailing one piece of the lesson structure at a time. Meaning, don’t stay up super late planning amazing full lessons. Instead, use placements as a chance to try several different forms of starting or reflection activities. Then reflect upon these with your mentor.
Timothy Friel
Plan and schedule your mental health priorities like exercise or crafting to keep you feeling like you.
Pamela Mitzi
