If you are starting your first teaching job in September there is a plethora of tasks you can do to prepare. Hitting the ground running is imperative in the teaching profession. There is no easing in gently! Yet there are some tasks you can do ahead of your first day to make those first few weeks run as smoothly as possible. These ideas may help:
1. Get the admin sorted
This includes making sure that you get a contract in place, and reading it thoroughly to make sure there are no nasty surprises! If in doubt, your union will be able to help. You also need to find out who your mentor will be and any arrangements you need to know about how induction will work for you. This is a great time to start building great relationships with those you will be working most closely with. If you are visiting the school, pick up any planning and curriculum documentation that you need alongside school policies. It is particularly important to be familiar with behaviour, safeguarding, and SEND policies before starting work. You may also be able to familiarise yourself with the specific needs of children you will be teaching. Finally, sort out a route from your home to school. If you are driving or cycling, make sure you research multiple routes in case of traffic disruption, and if going by public transport, check out timetables for alternatives to your preferred schedule, just in case. If walking, check out the most direct route, and a scenic route, for when you want to relax before reaching home.
2. Visit to check out your classroom
If at all possible, visit the school while the children are still there towards the end of term so that you can see how room layouts work, and how children use the spaces available to them. Find out if you can arrange your room the way you want it or if there are any restrictions you need to abide by. The more you can organise before the term starts the better. Don’t go overboard, though. Get the basics sorted and know that you can add and adapt over time.
3. Boost subject knowledge
This is one strategy that can make your teaching life a whole lot easier when it comes to preparation, planning, and what happens in your classroom. Aim to spend some time over the holiday boosting your subject knowledge across the themes you will be teaching in the first term. Explore good pedagogy for these topics and make sure you can teach beyond the need-to-know basics in each area. If you know you will be teaching children with specific needs, now is a great time to enhance your knowledge of these needs and how they are best supported in the classroom. Subject associations and condition-specific organisations can be incredibly helpful.
4. Batch cook
I cannot stress this enough. Starting your first job in teaching, and undergoing induction, will be exhilarating, but it will also be exhausting at times. Eating well is central to your overall wellbeing so it really is essential to ensure that you have nutritious meals to hand when you really don’t feel like cooking. If you’re new to batch cooking, the key is to choose recipes you love and that freeze well. Bulk buy ingredients if you can and set a day aside to cook. When it comes to freezing, split it into portions and label it well so that you know what it is, when it was cooked, and reheating instructions. That way you know that when you’re late home after meetings or just too exhausted to cook, you can have a favourite meal in no time.
5. Relax, sleep, book treats for the term ahead
There is a temptation to fill every moment of the break before starting a new job in September with work-related tasks. While this enthusiasm is commendable, it is not always advisable. The autumn term is usually long and while you may well attack it with maximum energy, you’re likely to run out of steam before the end of term if you don’t give yourself the chance to relax and recharge. As the Roman poet Ovid advised, “a field that has rested gives a beautiful crop.” Something else to consider is how your term will pan out. Do you have pinch points of high activity in it? For example, additional work at school plus family events all clashing at the same time? Plan ahead for the times when you will be especially challenged and book a treat for soon afterwards. Whatever suits you best – a weekend away, theatre or cinema trips, spa days, visiting family, city breaks, walks in nature, hibernation at home, cooking for friends, nights out out… whatever works for you! Create space in your diary regularly throughout the term so that you don’t lose touch with what and who you enjoy and cherish.
Good luck!
About the author
Elizabeth Holmes
After graduating with a degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Reading, Elizabeth Holmes completed her PGCE at the Institute of Education, University of London. She then taught humanities and social sciences in schools in London, Oxfordshire and West Sussex, where she ran the history department in a challenging comprehensive. Elizabeth specialises in education but also writes on many other issues and themes. As well as her regular blogs for Eteach and FEjobs, her books have been published by a variety of publishers and translated around the world. Elizabeth has also taught on education courses in HE and presented at national and international conferences.
