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Tips for NQTs from education experts

Tips and Tricks - 31-10-2020 - - 0 comments

We recently hosted an online NQT Q&A session to give newly qualified teachers a chance to ask any questions they might have to a panel of education experts who had been there and done it.

After the event, we asked each of panellists to share their top tips with us. Each of there top tips are below plus some details on how to reach them, should you wish to get in contact.

Steve Waters

CEO and Founder of the Teach Well Alliance with 40+ years in secondary education

When you are faced with a difficult situation in the classroom re behaviour, practise not responding straight away. Count to five mentally. Teaching is such a frenetic job at times that we can go into overdrive and respond instantly. If a pupil challenges you, putting in a few seconds delay before responding makes it less likely for the incident to turn into a confrontation. Plus, if pupils know that they can 'wind you up' and get you to respond quickly, they will do so to get a reaction. Sometimes you may also have to do this with staff too!

Find Steve on Twitter @teachwellall

Richard Simcox

Headteacher of John of Rolleston Primary

Keep your focus on pedagogy and remember to try not to reinvent the wheel - someone has already tried to plan and resource it, ask your subject leads, colleagues and peers and use that as a starting point.

Find Richard on Twitter at @JORPS_1

Suneta Bagri

Founder of the Every Teacher Matters Network and former headteacher with over 20 years of primary school experience

Suneta shared a really helpful PDF with us, which you can view here, that focuses on self care for teachers.

Find Suneta on Twitter @CultivateETM

Louise Sieradzki

MFL teacher and Smile Education's Supply Teacher of the Year 2016

Ask for help when you need it
Don’t burn yourself out! Prioritise
Observe as much as you can (other subjects/behaviour management)

We hope that you find these tips helpful. We’re already making plans for our next Q&A so do watch this space. In the meantime, if there is anything we can help with, please get in touch.

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