Above all else, you want to be able to arrive in September and feel comfortable in your new environment. Getting to know your colleagues before September is a huge advantage. Spending time in the school once you have completed your training can help you get to know your colleagues and the expectations of the school. Ask to shadow the teacher who is teaching your current class/ group of pupils – this can help you to get to know your pupils and to learn some effective ways to support them in their learning. Spend time being sociable with the teaching staff, but also prioritise speaking to the support staff: the secretary, school cook and the TAs in the school. These are all people who will be supporting you in September and having a strong relationship before you start will be a huge advantage.
You will have no doubt scoured the school’s website and looked at key policies during the application and recruitment process. However, these policies are the written version, getting into school and being able to see what these look like in practice can give you a strong working knowledge that will demystify things in September. Spend time on a learning walk around the school/ department. What do the behaviour, feedback and marking, and Teaching and Learning policy look like? What elements are consistent? Which elements are there, but are interpreted and allow for flexibility in how they are delivered? This can help you to know where you have a set framework to work in, and where you can put your own stamp on things.
Over your training you will have seen lots of strategies and ideas that you will want to include in your first classroom. However, be mindful about what will work for the context you are in, and what classroom features are manageable in the long term.
For example, in a Year 6 classroom, you may have seen a display about reading for pleasure – how might this need adapting if you are in a Year 1 class? So often I see ECTs spending huge amounts of times on creating systems and displays that need regular input or maintenance. Remember that each system you put in place needs managing, this has an implication on your workload. I used to develop systems that pupils could take ownership of as much as possible. For example a best work gallery: the pupils would choose their own work to go in the gallery and they would put it on the wall themselves.
When you are setting up the physical environment, sit in every seat that you create as part of your table/seating layout. Can you see the board? Can you see the displays and key information easily without having to turn around? (this avoids potential disruption for others). Also track from each seat to key locations. How easy a pathway is there to collect key resources that they might need? All of these things can create less disruption and reduce the number of ‘friction points’ between students that you have made a decision to sit apart. I remember one year a class where two children who should not be together kept winding each other up. I worked out that it was because one of the students had to walk behind the other to get to key resources and would give them a little ‘nudge’ on the way past! I had not considered this when setting up the room!
Hopefully this blog post will have supported you with a few key tips that will help you in your new classroom in September.
What I would say is that my first tip about building connections is the most important thing you can do. You need to have people around you that you can ask if you are unsure. There may be times you worry about asking the questions you feel you should know the answer to, but we have all been in that situation where you feel you know far less than you feel you should. Never worry about asking for help. Schools are hugely supportive places, but they need to know what support you need. Ask the questions!
