You are not alone

Penni VidlerIf there is one thing that I have learnt this year, which has stood out, has been the sheer amount of support you will get as a trainee teacher. No matter what route you take in your training year, you will be surrounded by people willing to help you. 

You will no doubt be given a mentor, or a tutor, to guide and support you through the year. But this person is just one of many that you will be supported by. One of my greatest help this year has been the colleagues within my department at my main training school. I often found myself needing to ask questions about students, skills, techniques, mathematics and more, and it's inevitable that your mentor can not be with you at all times to answer these questions. It is important, then, to build relationships within your department, and indeed amongst other staff, so that when these questions arise, you feel confident enough to ask someone for help. You may find, like I did, that most staff in schools will make this process very easy for you. 

Every school is different. The students, the teachers, the processes, etc, vary from school to school. Your training provider might not know the specific details of your schools’ behaviour policy, for example, or there may be students who have very particular learning needs, and the best way to be prepared for these things is to talk to the other teachers at your school. 

As well as everything else, the people I have worked alongside have become my friends. They have lifted me up when I’ve felt low or stressed or overwhelmed, and they’ve been there to celebrate with me all the big, and little wins, along the way. So, yes, build relationships with the students, but also take time to build relationships with your colleagues.

By Penni Vidler