Looking in the mirror: Why lesson evaluation matters for beginning teachers

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Pexels.com When you’ve spent fifteen or more years as a student, you develop certain expectations. For most of her academic life Billie has been accustomed to producing work, submitting it, and then waiting for someone else—usually an expert—to tell her what was good, what needed work, and what to do … Continue reading Looking in the mirror: Why lesson evaluation matters for beginning teachers →

Sitting on the Other Side of the Table: Understanding how to navigate Parents’ Evening

Photo by Rasyid Ahmad on Pexels.com As a parent attending Parents’ Evening consultations, I often find myself glancing at the beginning teacher sitting alongside their mentor on the other side of the table. Inevitably they look a bit overwhelmed by the occasion. While they may have made the odd phone call home, this is probably … Continue reading Sitting on the Other Side of the Table: Understanding how to navigate Parents’ Evening →

A little bit of a panic: keeping calm to make in-lesson adaptations in the classroom

Photo by Anna Tarazevich on Pexels.com Yesterday, I had a little bit of a crisis while I was on a tight deadline leaving work to make the school run. It had just started to rain and there I was, staring at my coat through my car window, pressing the unlock button with increasing ferocity in … Continue reading A little bit of a panic: keeping calm to make in-lesson adaptations in the classroom →

Surfing the ‘Semantic Wave’: Helping beginning teachers to think about tackling the ‘pitch’ of their lesson

This blog is jointly authored by Victoria Crooks and Alex Ford. Check out http://www.andallthat.co.uk/ to read more blogs from Alex. Photo by Vladimir Kudinov on Pexels.com Matthew is a fab beginning teacher. He is highly professional, and his subject knowledge is second to none. Simon, his mentor, is delighted by the deeply informed historical discussions … Continue reading Surfing the ‘Semantic Wave’: Helping beginning teachers to think about tackling the ‘pitch’ of their lesson →

Setting granular targets for beginning teachers

Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com Saima’s teaching practice placement is well underway, and she is getting used to the pattern of her teaching week and her regular mentor meetings. Things have been going pretty well, but she is gathering rather a formidable list of targets, including: "Improve classroom management around transition points." "Develop subject … Continue reading Setting granular targets for beginning teachers →

Settling into a teaching practice placement – it’s a bit like staying at your Auntie’s house.

Photo by Nicole Michalou on Pexels.com Nothing quite prepares you for the feeling of being in, but not of, the school where you on Teaching Practice Placement. But for the majority of beginning teachers this is the reality. So many aspects of the placement school are familiar, but you have entered a new ecosystem with … Continue reading Settling into a teaching practice placement – it’s a bit like staying at your Auntie’s house. →

Getting email right: Learning to communicate professionally with colleagues in school

Every school has its own culture, ways of being and patterns of interaction and communication. I learnt this sage lesson when starting a new post in my second school. I entered the profession in an age of scribbled notes or printed memos left in pigeon holes to be collected and responded to at the recipient's … Continue reading Getting email right: Learning to communicate professionally with colleagues in school →