Tips to help you before and during your first few weeks

The first few weeks in any job can be tiring, especially so for new teachers.

As well as being in an unfamiliar environment, you'll also be getting to know your new colleagues and, of course, your students.

• Aim to meet key people before the term starts. This will probably mean paying the school a visit towards the end of the summer term if at all possible. You should at least have met the headteacher, your induction tutor and/or mentor and any immediate line managers such as department heads before your first day.
• To help you prepare, some information should ideally be provided to you by the school before you start: depending on how your school is organised, this will often include a staff handbook, class lists, the school's strategic or development plan, timetable details, information about resources available to you and copies of any school policies that are specific to new teachers.
• Once you have started, it is worth spending some time each day familiarising yourself with school policies (your induction tutor will be able to point you in the right direction). Look out in particular for policies on homework, teaching the gifted and talented, discipline, teaching and learning and assessment.    
• Give yourself a few key goals for the first week. For example, you won’t learn all the pupils’ names immediately, but aim to cement a handful in your mind each day. Try to listen to how each child pronounces his/her name, and adopt the same pronunciation. 
• Take time to read through the records your school has on each pupil you teach. Ask relevant pastoral heads if there is anything specific you should know about pupils - for example, any medical conditions they may have, their previous national curriculum levels reached and any special educational needs you should be aware of.
• Take in plenty of resources such as pens, pencils, tissues, notepads, etc. ATL’s starter pack for newly qualified teachers is full of useful items you may need. Lesson planners, board markers and stationery for pupils should all be provided by the school. 
• Be sure to find out how and where you can secure your personal belongings. You should be given a locker, lockable drawer or secure area in the staffroom.
• Introduce yourself to the ATL representative in your school, who may prove to be a valuable source of support.
• Finally, remember not to put too much pressure on yourself - it can take time to settle in! If things go wrong, accept that everyone makes mistakes, especially at first, then move on. You cannot possibly be expected to know all there is to know about teaching in your first term!      

To ensure that your first few weeks runs as smoothly as possible, also consider some of the following ideas.

• Give yourself a few key goals for the first week. For example, you won’t learn all the students’ names, but aim to cement a handful in your mind each day.
• Take time to read through the records your school or college has on each student you teach. Ask relevant pastoral heads if there is anything specific you should know about your students - for example, any medical conditions they may have, their previous national curriculum levels reached and any special educational needs you should be aware of.
• Be sure to find out how and where you can secure your personal belongings. You should be given a locker, lockable drawer or secure area in the staffroom.
• Make a point of introducing yourself to the non-teaching staff - they will invariably come to your rescue at some stage of the new term!
• Make a note of anything that crops up over the first few days that you need to get clarified. Hopefully the headteacher/principal or your mentor will be available to go through these with you later on. Individual school or college policies should cover most questions so it is worth spending some time each day familiarising yourself with these.
• Look out in particular for policies on teaching the gifted and talented, discipline, teaching and learning and assessment.      

Looking after yourself
It’s essential to realise that you cannot perform well as a teacher if you are not at your best, both physically and mentally. Try to maintain a stress-free home environment and get plenty of sleep so that you can devote all your energies to the experience. 

It’s just as important, though, not to let your first year take over your life - the best teachers have plenty of outside interests which enable them to be well-adjusted and balanced people!

 Download ATL's publication, Induction: making it work for you, full of further advice on how to get the most out of your first year in teaching.

Resources

• Induction: getting it right, Mp3 audio, 4221 KB
• Induction: making it work for you, Pdf document, 4285 KB