Hi Lucy! I'm about to go into my final term as a trainee teacher (can't believe how quickly it's gone!) do you have any tips on surviving the last term? I'm teaching 90% as well!! Also, I have a job as an NQT in September and was just wondering if there any staple resources/documents etc that I need to print/make to prepare myself for my own class? X
Hello there, sorry for the delay in posting, but I agree time flies when you are teaching - I’ve been behind on several blog posts due to classroom commitments! Many congratulations on getting a job for September and almost being donw with teacher training, quite some feats indeed!
As for some tips for surviving the last term, I’ll give you a brief rundown of essentials:
Look after yourself - make sure you are eating, drinking and sleeping regularly (sounds obvious but I was a norotious meal skipper during my last placement and it does you no good for the kids as well as yourself).
Have an end point and work backwards - plan where you would like to be lesson/topic-wise at the end of your placement, where would you like the children’s learning to be? What learning objectoves do you want to have taught well? Once you decide where you want the children to be at, plan to be there and then work backwards with all your final term planning. It really helps to keep you on track in the final few weeks.
Keep on top of marking - Even right to the last week of placement, you want to ensure everything is marked/assessed and up to date for when you leave the class/school - and it sucks having to mark on your final placement day!
Have a fantastic all-singing-and-dancing final observation - at some point in your final term, someone from your course provide (a mentor/leader/former teacher) will come and assess you for your QTS. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OBSERVATION YOU WILL HAVE so it needs to be planned to the last detail, resourced wonderfully and engaging for all the children. Once you’ve had this nerve wracking observation, then you’re on your way to becoming a qualified teacher :)
Get all the information/assitance whilst you can - although you have secured a job for September, it is worth asking your collegues for job application advice, interview advice/lessons, medium term or topic plans and other sources of information to help get you up on your feet when you begin life as an NQT. All placement collegues ave been in your shoes before and will definitely give you tips, advice and share resources.
Enjoy spending time with your class - treasure the time spent with your class, placement classes always will have a special place in your memory and make sure you do some fun activities with them too before you leave!
If you follow all this, and keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll be absolutely fine :)
As for NQT start-up resources I will put them in a seperate post, and link it here, as there are a fair few things you need when starting/setting up your own classroom :) Take care, and enjoy your final teaching term!