What I wish I knew as an NQT/ECT

For the last episode of the school year I am speaking to the most enthusiastic teacher (no, that should be the most enthusiastic person), I have ever met. Marna is an absolute breath of fresh air, and by golly we need that now with the current heatwave making us weary at the end of a long term. She said her mum taught her as a little girl to 'Choose joy' and she is the very embodiment of that approach to life. So, if you need a pick me up, listen to Marna; her enthusiasm is infectious. In this podcast we discuss ... How positive, smiling people make a real difference to people's lives. Saying hello and reaching out to people creates a great working environment. Why adults should look like they are having fun as it gives children a reason to want to grow up. The importance of looking for awe and wonder and joy in everyday life. It's good for you and it's good for everyone you share it with. Why you should never give up on what you want to do. Ever! Even when it looks like the way ahead is blocked, there is always a path that will lead you to where you want to go. It's never too late to do something. Remember, the price of success is a lot less than the price of regret. The importance of being teachable if you are a teacher because only then can we reach our full potential. To continually improve is not because you are not good enough, but because being better at what you do benefits you as much as those you work with and it feels good. How authentic praise for children and adults can impact on everything they do. Celebrate genuine achievements, however small. Why you must find time to do your work, but also find quality time for yourself and your family. It's not selfish because having time for your life outside school will make you a better teacher. The fact that all teachers can make a significant difference to the lives of the children they teach. Remember, 'If you can't do great things, do small things in a great way.' That is more than good enough. The reason why metacognition is so powerful for teachers and pupils, even though it wasn't called that when Jeremy started teaching! Why caring matters so much. If children know you really do care then teachers can demand extraordinary things from them and they will achieve more than they ever thought possible. The value of becoming a truly reflective teacher cannot be overestimated. What can I improve? What can I be really proud of? Everything matters, but make sure you always focus on the things you should be proud of as well the aspects you want to get better at. Make sure you spend time finding out what each child needs to be a great learner in your class so they can be as good as they can be. Don't let rules or conventions get in the way of doing the right thing. Have a great summer break everyone (well everyone who has now got a few weeks off school) and I'll be back chatting again in September. I hope you can join me!

Jane Clapp has to be one of the most perceptive teachers I have ever spoken to. She has the ability to cut through all the chaff that litters education, all the fads, all the pointless ideas that add little to the quality of a child's experience at school. Listening to Jane is truly inspiring; she just gets what great education is about. She has so many thoughts about how to create a wonderful learning environment that I know she will be coming back another day as we only scratched the surface of what makes her such a good teacher. In this podcast we discuss ... How tiring the end of the summer term can be, but how being inspired by the children is the thing that keeps you crawling to the finish line. The importance of the teacher believing that every child can learn successfully. If you don't believe, they won't. Asking children to do scary things is fine, as long as you have provided a truly safe classroom environment for them. Why children struggle when adults are inconsistent. All children can flourish when they know what is expected of them. The importance of having an authentic positive relationship with your class. How appropriate routines are essential to create high expectations. So you have to pick what is most  important  for you and set up routines that children understand. Tell them what you expect, rehearse it endlessly and keep going until they meet it. Don't lower the bar ... ever! The fact that rehearsal leads to fluency, so make sure you do this enough for everything! How contextual learning makes activities more meaningful to children, but each new context may need revision of key learning. Meaningful contexts provide a real purpose for learning that children enjoy. The need to keep learning in each lesson clear. It's easy to overcomplicate teaching, so focus on the building blocks that are essential for each lesson and go deeper rather than endlessly extending tasks. Overcomplicating is rarely beneficial to teachers or pupils. Why the tick box approach to writing (such as the endless list of success criteria) actually diminishes the quality of children's work. It can be so exciting for all children to write when they are inspired; sometimes our teaching approach takes away this joy and removes the life from the children's words. How using the National Curriculum helps to make learning more straightforward. Activities often morph into to something quite different that children can't understand (studying phases of the moon is one of these). The most important thing is to enjoy your class. Don't get het up by all the things you have to do, as some are not of any value. Enjoying your teaching is always important, as is keeping your teaching simple and practising your routines over and over again.

Paul Sully is an exceptional headteacher, who really understands learning and how to develop a school community so that everyone is focused on ensuring the children have the very best education it is possible to have. After his school's second successive Outstanding Ofsted judgement (even though the HMI called his school scruffy!), Paul really knows what makes a wonderful school and he shares his thoughts on this during the podcast. It's a fascinating listen. In this podcast we discuss ... Why 3 levels of differentiation fail some children, particularly the lower attainers, as it puts an adult imposed glass ceiling on children's progress. The importance of convincing children that the sky's the limit. How skilful feedback in the moment, based on highly accurate AfL, is a game changer. Why children's success as learners raises self-esteem and makes the difference, much more than a self-esteem happy group session out of class. It's all about achievement. The fact that children feel success in multiple ways - singing a song, saying a line in a school play, giving a presentation, making a model and so much more, so the school must prioritise these things. Understanding that adults in school need to feel the same way too. We're just like children and need to taste success. Planning for children to have regular opportunities to apply their learning and accepting they will fail at times. Don't be interested in children getting the right answer; the full focus must be on children getting better at things. How becoming resilient is achieved by small steps of success after failing at something. It is the teacher's job to ensure children understand this. Why there is great power in teachers watching each other teach, then coaching and mentoring to drive improvement. The only thing that matters is passionately wanting every child to do as well as they possibly can. The rest is just wind! Every child gets one go at primary school and we have to do the very best we can to make it a success for each one of them. Why no child must pass through the school unnoticed. It is the teacher's duty to find out what makes them excited to learn, so all children achieve the very best they can. How fads can become commonplace but have no impact on a child's learning, such as the peculiar strategy of 'phone a friend' when a child doesn't know something. Why SEND children must stay in the classroom and must work with the teacher, as s/he is the person who is best placed to skilfully adapt work in the moment so everyone achieves. Having a relentless focus on clear learning, what exactly you want children to learn and having high expectations. The children will always amaze you.

Vicky Kendell has done it all in primary education, including being a headteacher. But when she realised that she wasn't loving the job she was doing, she went back to a role that gave her the best of both worlds. She is now an Assistant Headteacher working with the children every day and loving it! Vicky is a person who has the courage of her convictions and she is never afraid to do the right thing, even when it may seem surprising to some people. Her passion for being a teacher comes through loud and clear in this inspiring podcast. In this episode we discuss ... How getting children excited about their learning can feel daunting when you are an inexperienced teacher and you think you won't be able to get them calm again. Why it is important to bounce questions back to children when they are capable of answering for themselves if they think hard. The importance of developing lessons by following children's interest so the learning is made more meaningful and memorable, but realising this is a difficult skill that comes with experience. The value of weaving when managing behaviour so you match the strategy to the child's needs at any particular time. Why having a network of supportive professionals is so important. How humble it makes you feel when children will do anything to help you and look after you because that's what you do for them. Why laughter is so important in class, especially when the children come from challenging backgrounds. In one class Vicky taught the children refused to leave the classroom at the end of the year, so strong was the bond between her and the children. The importance of verbalising to children that you really care about them. One way you can show this is by sharing a bit of yourself with them to show you empathise with how they are feeling, because you've been where they are now. How singing the Abba song Chiquitita in a guest appearance in a Year 6 musical raised her credibility enormously, even though the boys tried to make her laugh by singing chicken tikka as she performed. Being surprised by a parent reaction to a class assembly when developing words to describe the giant in Jack and the beanstalk. Making a real difference for all the children in her care, especially the SEN children and their families. The importance of asking for help. It is a real strength to seek advice so you can improve your practice; it is never a weakness. The pride you feel when a parent says they want you to lead her child's appeal for more SEN support as she trusts you more than anyone else, including the specialist appeals person. The joy of being told that you have a wonderful reputation with parents and other professionals because of the way you stick up for the rights of the child and make sure they get the very best education possible. Why you must remember to put on your own oxygen mask first! If you collapse through overwork whilst trying to please everyone then you will be no use to anyone. Use the phrase, 'I'm afraid I can't do that right now'. The need to balance the tough moments in teaching (because there are some) with the numerous wonderful moments so you keep in perspective the balance of good and not so good.

Helen, never planned to work in schools, but her mum said she was bossy and liked organising things so why not be a teacher. Being a good daughter, Helen did what her mum said and became one! And a very good one she is too, because everything she does is for the benefit of the children she teaches. Now many decades after listening to her mum, Helen is sharing her wisdom with us, and, just like her mum, Helen is well worth listening to. In this episode we discuss ... How after some years teaching in a secondary school, Helen took a break from teaching, only to be persuaded back when visiting a Headteacher in a primary school who needed a teacher at short notice to take Year 6 in the summer term. Why this class was so challenging and how she made them teachable by focusing on the relationships she had with them. The importance of really caring for the children and letting them know you get them as a person. How putting a child in a suitcase (yes really!) transformed the way a boy perceived school and his teacher. Why being honest with children is so important, but that doesn't mean saying anything that's true. Have an internal question to ask yourself before speaking, such as, 'Would I say that to you if your parents/carers were at the door?' If the answer is no, don't say what you're thinking! Why it is OK to speak harshly to children occasionally, as long as you don't damage the relationship you have spent weeks building up. Is it a problem if children like you too much? How small things can make a massive difference to a child, such as persuading a nervous girl to perform in Bugsy Malone and how this transformed her belief in herself. Why tucking in your shirt raises expectations and achievement in the classroom. That although teachers have so much to do, there are some things that you can never let go of if you want high standards in your classroom. One thing for Helen was the phrase, 'Before you hand in your work, take a look at it and ask yourself, are you proud of it? If not go away and do it better.' Why there are some questions that children ask that you should never answer. How Helen and I became senior education professionals, despite being called 'a Jekyll and Hyde character' and 'a juvenile delinquent' by our teachers. What to do when children blame you for being unfair. Why sharing a bit of yourself with children, such as  how you feel as a teacher in the class, can be a very powerful way of shifting children's behaviour. The importance of being optimistic if you don't have an immediate impact with children. A Year 4 child has been alive for almost 80,000 hours and in the first half-term of the year you will have taught them for under 200 hours, which is a tiny proportion of their life, so change may hot happen quickly. Remember, especially on the bad days: Yes you can do it, and yes they do care.

Having been asked many questions by this year's crop of trainee teachers from the Essex Primary SCITT, I decided to make a podcast of me answering some of the questions based on my knowledge and experience of 40 years in primary schools. I could have made 15 podcasts with the number of questions they asked, but I have selected 5 questions for this podcast and will repeat the Q and A approach in future to answer more of the questions. So in this podcast I discuss ... Why do some schools still set children by ‘ability’ when all the research shows it does not work?  Dual Coding - Why is this so important to children's learning? What style of dual coding is effective for them and you?  How can you ensure your TA has the most impact within the classroom?  How does building relationships with each child impact on their self-belief, motivation and learning successes? How do you instil a high expectations culture in the classroom?  Huge thanks to all those who asked questions - Helen, Zoe, Lianne, Callum, Jo, Andrew, Faye, Megan, Lara, Lucy, Rowan, Natasha C, Gemma, Jessica, Keri, Rhiannon, Alicia, Natasha R, Marna, Beth.

Zoe has had a passion for teaching, since she was just 7 years old, and that was because she had a fantastic Year 3 teacher who inspired her and made her love learning. After leaving school, she set off on her own journey to become a teacher, and, though the path has been long and arduous (2 years at college, 6 years at the Open University, 4 years working in school, and all whilst bringing up a toddler), she is finally on the brink of becoming a qualified teacher and taking her very own class for the first time in September. It's a great story of how you can achieve whatever you want if you really have the passion and determination to succeed. In this episode we discuss ... The passion a teacher has, for any subject, can transfer to the children and make them excited for learning too. And, that passion can encourage children to achieve more than they thought possible. The importance of creativity in the classroom to excite children and make them curious. The value of working walls as a resource for children to use when they are working independently. How working for a CACHE Level 3 taught Zoe so much and enabled her to work in a nursery at the start of her teaching journey. The great experience she gained after 4 years working as an LSA. It developed her expertise in many areas, including: working with a child with autism, running catch up programmes, delivering online sessions during the pandemic especially Story time with 60 tech savvy children. How the people make teaching great. Training with a great mentor, a great external mentor and being lucky enough to teach amazing children. The importance of prioritising, making a list and methodically working through the items (most important first) which means that some jobs never reach the top of the list! Why making mistakes is so important for the children and the staff. As a trainee you learn so quickly if you you don't worry about getting things wrong and that is true for the children too. Why routines really matter. They structure and guide the work of the day, just don't be afraid to be adaptable if something better for learning comes to mind, so don't feel you have to stick rigidly to the routines every day. How reacting positively to children's mistakes and treating them as a learning opportunity will make children unafraid to try new things and this will greatly benefit the progress they can make. The nerve-wracking feeling you have when you take over the class for the first time. It's hard because there are so many things to remember, but most important of all is to make sure you are communicating effectively with all the children. How having a mentor who actively supports and advises you in the classroom is so helpful and enables you to develop rapidly as a teacher. Why having informal discussions with children about their interests and life beyond school really helps build a trusting relationship that really aids their development as learners.  SPAG - good or bad? It's fascinating watching other people teaching it, especially when they make it active for children and use a range of different tasks to progress the learning. It's challenging when you are teaching it as there is so much to know! The importance of telling children things they don't know and then asking them to use and apply their new knowledge, rather than thinking that everything should come from them, which is not an efficient way for children to learn. Why there is life beyond Interactive White Boards, because they don't always work, so be prepared! The importance of prioritising your work-life balance so when your workload increases it doesn't take over everything. Look after yourself and have some 'me' time, whatever that is for you.

Danny Nicholson, like many youngsters, wanted to be a vet. But having done a degree in animal biology at Birmingham University, the teaching bug began to bite. Now some 25 years later Danny is an author, Science teacher, ICT Consultant, PGCE lecturer and Computing / Interactive Whiteboard Trainer. He has delivered training courses across the UK, in Europe, and in Canada. He has also been a co-writer of many of the primary science schemes used by schools today and he has created the Reach Out CPD course for Imperial College London. He also writes about science education and regularly blogs his ideas so that everyone can share his expertise. He's happy to share these with you too! (see below) In this podcast we talk about ... Why sharing your ideas, especially the best ones, can help everyone can benefit from your expertise. Teaching can sometimes be seen as a back-up career plan but as soon as you find out more about what it entails and get in the classroom that idea quickly goes out of the window, especially when you also like the sound of your own voice! What an incredibly varied job teaching is. It is a job that is never boring as there are so many challenges. How secondary science teaching can pose quite a few problems, especially when the students are much taller than you! What do you do when a student comes in drunk? Get him off to hospital as soon as possible is the best answer. Why going down Brighton sewers with a group of students was so interesting, especially when coming up in the middle of the high street. How difficult it is for schools keep up with changes in IT - laptops, computer suites, iPads, apps, websites - phew it's complex. The excitement of being an internet pioneer in schools. Danny organised a website project with his students when the internet was in its infancy and won a competition.  At the awards night, Danny got to meet TV star Jamie Theakston which was really cool. How having a real audience for children's work can be very motivating and truly valuable because children then have a purpose for their work. The importance of being enthusiastic when teaching science; better still be very enthusiastic. And if you don't feel 100% you've got to blag it so children think you are loving every minute. Why you should never be worried about not knowing an answer to a child's science question, because in science there is loads of stuff we don't know, so enjoy finding out as much as you can together. Getting children talking is so important as they can share their ideas and develop their thinking about new and novel ideas. The importance of this cannot be overestimated.  The reason myth busting is such an important thing to do as a science teacher. There is so much false information that is in the public domain through social media, that we must help children to be skilled at seeing through untruths by analysing evidence. Asking children why they think something, then asking them to prove it is a great way to bust myths. Science lessons are a great way to provide opportunities for application of learning from other curriculum areas. A cross-curricular approach can be really powerful for this, even when Ofsted come calling. Why watching other teachers is an essential way of developing your own practice. You can connect with Danny on ... Twitter @dannynic (http://www.twitter.com/dannynic) And you can find many of Danny's ideas here ... Danny Nic's Science Fix - Practical Science Ideas and Support The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology and Science CPD and Support You can also find him on YouTube here

Jo Palmer-Tweed has worked in education for the past 26 years and she has packed so much in during this time. She has been an advanced skills teacher in Drama, a primary headteacher in an improving schools team, an advisor at the Department for Education, the Strategic Lead for the Expert Subject Advisory Groups (which is a group of 300 independent experts across the UK), and on top of all that she is currently the Executive Director of Essex and Thames Primary SCITT. Jo is also a founding fellow of The Chartered College of Teaching and is an advisor for a range of organisations in the UK, including The Teacher Development Trust, The Goodall Foundation and she is a Trustee for The Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education. On top of that, if she can find any spare time that is, she also works as an actor and voice over artist. With a CV like that you can see why Jo has so much of interest to say to anyone who is passionate about teaching. In this podcast we discuss ... Why you need to be subversive to make sure the curriculum is as good as it can be for the children you are teaching. The need to accept nothing, question everything and follow your gut. Do what is right for the pupils in your class. How acting and teaching complement each other. Both need you to make a human connection with people. The fact that the best teachers have something that makes them stand out in the classroom. They have a presence that makes students want to look at them and connect with them. Why intuition is such a vital part of teaching. The need to have your pupils' best interests  at heart and the desire to help them develop into a well-rounded person. The fact that there are hoops you have to jump through as a teacher, but there are many you can skirt around so you do what is best for the children in your care. Why teaching practice may not be really enjoyable, but if you're with a great teacher you can learn so much from observing what she does to be successful. The importance of putting time into lesson preparation. It is worth every second because then you can be really confident in the classroom. Over time you get faster at planning so do the ground work and you will reap the benefit in class. Why tricky classes are often the outcome of a teacher not getting the learning climate right for the children they are teaching. The value of learning to change what you're teaching if something is not working. It's tricky to do when inexperienced but it is so beneficial that it is a skill well worth learning. Why learning the science behind learning and pedagogy is vital. When this is blended with great planning and your own intuition you can achieve great learning outcomes. The importance of creativity, even though it is much neglected and underrated. There must be space for things that aren't planned if you are going to excite and motivate children and get the most out of every lesson. And there's lots more, including Jo's first nativity production, which was eventful to say the least, and must have been the basis for the film, 'The Nativity'! You can connect with Jo on ... Twitter @JPTteach (https://mobile.twitter.com/jptteach) LinkedIn https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jo-palmer-tweed

Gill Haysham is the guest for the final episode this term. Gill is a Freelance Education Adviser for Mathematics who works mainly in Essex supporting teachers in primary schools and training new teachers. For 12 years prior to that she worked for Essex Local Authority as a Mathematics Adviser. All this after qualifying from university with a 2.1 in Mathematics and Education. Now if you think that sounds like Gill must know an amazing amount about great teaching and learning in maths you would be right! But don’t just take my word for it. Following some training that Gill led in an Essex school, one of the participants said, “Gill is the best consultant I have worked with or had training from ... by far! Her relaxed and calm personality instils confidence, with fantastic enthusiasm and passion for the subject.” And if you listen to the podcast you will see why that comment was made. In this podcast we discuss ... The importance of telling children that if they work hard and don't give up then anything is possible. The teacher is responsible for giving this message endlessly until the children believe it. The likely disconnect between our own upbringing and that of the children who may have experienced a very different childhood to that of the teacher. This can be an emotional shock. Why lots of teachers still have maths anxiety because they aren't confident with the why and how of teaching maths and developing mastery. The pluses and minuses of wearing a toga in a lesson on Roman roads. How having an A level in Maths and a degree certainly help with subject knowledge but you still have to learn how to teach maths to children who don't find it easy. Children have many gaps in their knowledge and fall down many misconception holes and it is our job to get them out! The importance of  doing the maths yourself so you can understand the possible difficulties that children may encounter, especially when you are inexperienced or unsure about the lesson you are teaching. This is the most important tip for teaching maths. Why experience will make you a better teacher, as great teachers spend their careers on the path to improvement and never stop learning. The value of a self-supporting, collaborative classroom if you want great learning. You have to make sure you give the children useful things to think about, then help them to articulate their thoughts. When children make mistakes their brains are ready to listen. So children have to share half-formed ideas even if they are wrong. Real understanding takes time, so if you want children to develop mastery be patient, slow down and go deeper. Simply taking the maths from the page in the text book will not lead to confident mathematicians. Teachers have to make maths real and live and relevant for every child if concepts are to be mastered. You can contact Gill on: Email - maths@gillhaysham.co.uk Gill's website - gillhaysham.co.uk   We'll be back with more educational chat in the summer term!

If your job is to eat a frog, what do you do first thing in the morning? Eat the frog of course. What's that got to do with teaching I hear you ask? Well listen to the podcast and you will find out. It is just one of the many words of wisdom that Stephen Saunders shares with us. Having trained in Manchester University, he moved to Essex to take up his first teaching job and he has been here ever since. When his current school achieved an outstanding grade from Ofsted the report stated that, ‘The deputy headteacher provides a very strong teaching role model’. And that is why we are talking to him today. He is an expert teacher and he has so much to share. In this podcast we discuss ... The importance of starting in a school that fully supported his development as a new teacher played a key part in him becoming the great teacher he is today. Why you should not believe everything you are told, even if it is your most skilled colleagues telling you. The book  by David Didau, 'What if everything you knew about education was wrong?' was inspiring and led Stephen to challenge his beliefs about what made outstanding practice. Your ability to respond to the children's needs in each lesson is essential for their progress and your development as a teacher. If you learn the skills to adapt what you are doing to match what children need they will learn very effectively. Tough days and long days all become worthwhile when children get those light bulb moments and truly enjoy their learning. That feeling that you have made a difference is what makes teaching special and great teachers get that feeling alot. Dealing with parents was a challenge when Stephen first started teaching, as he didn't always let parents finish speaking before becoming defensive about what had happened. He soon learnt that he needed to let parents talk, find out what the problem really was and then decide how to progress. The benefits of taking risks with teaching to get better learning far outweighs the drawbacks, so never be afraid to try new ideas that you think will improve what you do. Inexperienced teachers are often overly scrutinised and this can make them feel there is only one way to do something. This can be very restrictive to developing highly effective pedagogy. The value of working walls is greatly enhanced if they provide a scaffold for children's thinking. This ensures the children can use their working memory for the most challenging aspect of a task. Set your expectations high. Teachers must have a relentless drive and an unshakeable belief that every child can achieve, for only then can all children reach their potential. Why is there a red table/group, a blue table/group, a green table/group? And why do the children on the red table (lower attaining) always stay on the red table? Surely this can't be right? Children can do some remarkable things. If they are working at the edge of their comfort zone, encouraged, supported and challenged they will definitely achieve success. Make no excuses for children underachieving as it does them no favours. Find the time to keep reading yourself so you can continually extend your subject and pedagogical knowledge. Continually developing yourself is essential so you can do the very best for your class. Reflecting on what you could have done better in each lesson will lead to your rapid development as a teacher. As you build up your experiences of teaching sequences you will quickly build effective practice. Keeping a notebook of what went well and what didn't go so well will help you to do this in the quickest time. And finally ... eat the frog! To find out more, you'll have to listen to the podcast if you haven't heard this phrase before, but it's a great bit of advice!

Teaching is in the blood for John Cosgrove, as his parents and other family members have all been part of this glorious profession. In almost 40 years of teaching, John has seen just about everything. During his career he taught across England in secondary schools (as a French and Spanish teacher), before transitioning to primary schools, where he went on to become a headteacher. He also wrote articles, news items, blogs, plays and books, both fiction and non-fiction, that have been published widely. And he even found time to stand in a general election as a prospective MP. He came very close to being elected too, losing out narrowly to athletics icon Sebastien Coe. After a lifetime in education, John knows the impact that great teachers have on the students they teach, and the importance of making a difference. In this podcast we discuss ... Why teaching is worth investing time in. You always make a difference, but it may not always be instant, in fact it may be many years later that you find out just what difference you made. How realising that a boy who rarely behaved well couldn't actually hear a word John was saying. The boy had moved school many times and he had slipped through the net. John picked up the problem, the boy had grommets fitted and he was transformed. So much so that he called out to John years later when he saw him in the town. Why teachers who resort to shouting are not helping anyone - not the child who is being shouted at, not the other children who don't like it, and not the teacher (especially when an accident occurs at the point of shouting!). There are many better ways to help children behave better, so make sure you use them.  How he was greeted on walking in to his first class. A young teenage girl at the back commented, "Ugh, look what the f**k just walked in!" It was a tough start and made John consider whether he could carry on, but it turned into such a valuable learning experience. This made John realise how important it is to be protective towards NQTs (ECTs) and how important it is to seek help from more experienced colleagues, as they helped him to manage the situation.  The value of asking colleagues to come and observe you so they can support you. One teacher told John he was doing little wrong but that he wasn't looking after the most important resource in the room ... himself. This was the most important lesson he ever learnt and it is the most important lesson for ECTs today. After the only formal observation John had in his NQT year, which lasted 5 minutes and was carried out by the headteacher right at the end of his first year, John was told he had passed. Very different to today! How dealing with the anxiety of always thinking you need to do more and that you are never good enough should be the priority for every new teacher, as you can't teach your best when you are worrying all the time. Having a laugh with your class is an essential part of every day, even if the young children don't always get your jokes! Seeing a child do something that they couldn't do without your intervention is what gives you a buzz in teaching. During John's first inspection, the lead inspector told the staff that if the school was judged as satisfactory, as many schools are, then you are doing the job you are paid for. And that is as true today, even though the pressure of accountability is much greater. You can always be better, but be satisfied when you are doing a good job. The joy of working holistically with primary school children was what tempted John to end his career in secondary schools. The chance to influence every aspect of children's learning and development is just wonderful. How John almost won a seat in parliament as an MP having stood against Sebastien Coe no less. Just a few thousand votes was all that stood between him and Westminster. One of the marks of a successful classroom are smiles and laughter. This tells you that there is joy in learning. The way young children s

After 1 year of teaching Ilse was wondering if teaching was the job for her. Working in a school where the headteacher bullied everyone had left her disillusioned by a career in education, even though she loved teaching her class and working with her very supportive colleagues. Having plucked up the courage to change schools, which was no easy task due to the unpleasantness she had to go through to make it happen, Ilse realised that teaching was definitely what she wanted to do. This inspiring podcast shares the lows and many subsequent highs of Ilse's varied career in education, and how her own experiences helped her to realise the importance of improving heath and wellbeing education for primary aged pupils, so that they can take care of themselves physically and mentally for the rest of their lives. This led her to set up The Children's Health Project in 2016. She now works with hundreds of schools and helps the staff and children to live their best possible life, whatever circumstances they find themselves in. In this podcast we discuss ... How brilliant friends and amazing teachers at primary school, who were creative and passionate about their job, made school so exciting that she became keen to teach. The importance of loving what you are teaching and enjoying learning with the children in your class. The fact that great teams matter and everyone needs to commit to make where you work as good as it can be. So love the place you work and love the people you work with for then you will be able to do your best. The way inspiring leaders, inspire others to achieve great things. Getting away from bullies in the work place as soon as you can is essential. Never accept it or put up with it. Working with a cruel person is very harmful and may make you quit. It definitely doesn’t happen in many schools, so look around and find the place where you can thrive. Seek out the support of others to help you get you through situations like this. Having secret phone calls in the pre-mobile era was the way that Ilse escaped from her horrific situation. How returning to the school where she had been bullied as a teacher was a good experience, as the new headteacher welcomed her, explained that the culture was now very different and invited her to come back any time. How special it is to be a teacher and being able to spend time with the children, especially your first class. Being aware of the influence you have as a teacher on the children you teach. This can never be underestimated. How do we know? Because some contact their old teachers many years later due to the special pupil-teacher bond that was formed. Developing your classroom community as a safe and secure environment is a good thing for everyone. Prioritise people at all times, because it’s not what you say and do as a teacher that is most important, it’s how you make the people feel that matters most. Learning can be difficult, but any time a child is struggling then make sure you listen really hard to what the child tells you about what is making learning tough on any particular day. Why sports days are special events for everybody if the school culture is right. You must try to make it an event for everyone to enjoy, not just those who love competing. Being engaged in physical activity is a right for everyone and must be promoted so that we are ensuring every child can be physically active. Using sport to enhance self-esteem can be really powerful. And not just for those who are great at sport. It is an opportunity for all when done in the right way. Creating joy through achievement can be done in many ways and is different for different people. Making sure that all members of the school are really clear about what doing the best for everyone means and looks like every minute of every day. How The Children’s Health and Wellbeing Project takes a positive approach to wellbeing. Don’t spend endless time warning pupils what not to do, teach them about all the great th

"Children with special needs bring so much joy, they’re so lovely, they’ve got so much to give and they are an important part of our society". So says Melissa Stead who always wanted to be a teacher of children with special needs. In her career she has been a mainstream primary school teacher, a special educational needs teacher and she is currently a special educational needs and disabilities coordinator. Melissa has seen some distressing practice in different countries - adults chained to beds at night, babies stacked in cages, children slapped for touching toys, but she has only positive things to say about how lucky she is to work with children with special needs and to actually get paid for doing it! In short, you've guessed it, she absolutely loves it.   In this podcast we discuss ... Why some people are afraid of the unknown and are unsure how to speak to children with special needs or how to react to them. Anyone who works with people with special needs deserves the total respect of society as they do great work even though it can be very challenging. The importance of talking to a child with special needs in the right way. We should never talk about the autistic child but the child with autism, just as we should never refer to someone as a naughty child but as a child who needs help to change certain behaviours. Trauma perceptive practice - a fantastic program that looks at where the children's behaviour is coming from so they can be helped to regulate their 'emotional pots' so they don't become overwhelmed. Every child has some form of special need. The teacher's job is to make sure that the most important needs for each child are supported in the best way possible. How the introduction of PECS (picture exchange communication system) transformed a 14 year old boy's communication so that he could talk in sentences having been non-verbal. The joy of seeing a boy in a walking race run as fast as he could to the end of the track whilst laughing all the way. His classmates cheered him on and, as he hadn’t always got on too well with them, it was lovely to see them do this. Taking a boy with cerebral palsy trekking in the Lake District in his electric buggy. The scary moment when a KS3 boy got so excited at the beach that he ran fully clothed into the sea and started swimming, whilst two teachers (also fully clothed) chased after him to pull him out. Staying calm is essential when problems occur. Although you might have a churning stomach, on the outside you must look totally unflustered so that everyone else stays calm. When the swimming pool was unexpectedly closed, one boy was so upset that he got changed into his swim shorts back at school and lay on the carpet swimming. How laughing with the students is essential. Make sure school is a fun place and, when funny things happen, enjoy them with the children - don’t take life and education too seriously. In education we rarely get moments to just consolidate our good practice as we are always looking for improvement. So make sure that you only change something you are doing because you think it will truly make the education better. As a young teacher it would have been so valuable to know more about the children’s individual needs. Focusing on reading and teaching children how to read should be the priority for every ECT. Managing other adults in a way that develops team work is hard but crucial. To work successfully as a team you have to share ideas and respect the views of others, even if you don’t always agree. LSAs can provide great support to a new teacher by sharing their expertise so make full use of this. Make sure the LSA works with all children not just those with additional needs. The teacher must work regularly with these children to accelerate their progress. If you’re not making someone else’s life better then you are wasting your time. Your life will become better by making other lives better. You can connect with Melissa on https://www.linkedin

Maria Brosnan is a specialist. What in? Well amongst other things she's a coach, mentor and trainer in wellbeing and her expertise has never been more needed than it is now. For over 15 years she was MD and co-founder of two educational companies that created award-winning resources The Story Spinner and Striver. As a consultant and coach, she has worked with numerous clients, from schools to multinationals including British Airways, the Body Shop and Burberry. Now, through her company Pursuit Wellbeing, she dedicates her time to the wellbeing of teachers, school leaders and other school staff and helps them to manage stress, anxiety and daily school pressures, using practical, research-driven information and support. As well as offering online wellbeing training for school staff, she also hosts a podcast and has published a book for teachers ‘The Pursuit of Sleep’. In this podcast we discuss ... The 5 key things that all teachers can do to protect their wellbeing. Being good is good enough as perfectionism is the enemy of wellbeing. When you are teaching 30 individuals for 6 hours a day it is not possible to be perfect, so just strive to be as good as you can be each day. Taking the pressure of yourself by making sure the children are working really hard and focusing your efforts on making sure they are all learning something. Listening to your mentor or your trusted colleagues. When they tell you to rest, then rest! If they say enough is enough, then it is. They have been there and they have seen what needs to be done to become a great teacher. The art of teaching is complex as there are so many things to learn and you can't learn them all at once. It takes years to master the art of teaching. Perfect lessons happen rarely, if ever. So be happy with what you have done as a teacher when you can't think of anything you could have done to make the lesson better.  There is a real value in reflection but the tendency to beat yourself up when things are not perfect must always be resisted. Focus much more on the things you are doing well and spend a sensible amount of time thinking about one thing you could do to improve. Make sure you maintain strong connections with family and friends and do this very regularly. Spend quality, happy, joyful times with them every week. We all stay healthy by having fun, so have plenty of it away from your role as a teacher. Chat, chat, chat, share, share, share especially when you are feeling anxious. This is one of the key ways we learn to manage our emotional state and cope with the challenges we face every day as teachers. Small, everyday choices matter. Do you have a short walk everyday? Do you eat a healthy snack? Do you have an early night? The small healthy choices have a massive impact on our wellbeing. Make the right choices and the crash that many of us have at the end of term due to being physically and emotionally exhausted can be avoided. A tiny bit of preparation really helps us make good choices. For example, short meditations are so good for you so make time for these every day. Or develop visualisations to help you let go of feelings that are unhelpful. (A link to some of Maria's 3 minute meditations is at the bottom of the blog).  Take responsibility for your own wellbeing. Don't expect others to do it for you. Each of us has responsibility to do whatever we can to care for ourselves. Others can help, but you must do as much as you can to take steps to look after yourself. It's in your hands. MENDS - the 5 things you must do all the time to enhance your wellbeing: 1.Mindfulness 2.Exercise 3.Nature 4.Diet 5.Sleep. You can connect with Maria on: Twitter https://twitter.com/mariabrosnan Her website https://pursuitwellbeing.com/ Her 3 minute meditations can be accessed through this link https://pursuitwellbeing.com/meditation-downloads/?preview_id=4159&preview_nonce=aa4252681a&preview=true   Follow this link for a free e-copy of her book ‘The Pursuit of Sleep’. https://p

Don't you just love experts! I do, and I'm talking to one in this podcast. Wendy Cobb has extensive experience working in a number of primary and secondary schools across Kent, London and Essex in a variety of teaching, leadership, advisory and coaching roles. That alone would make her a great person to listen to as she has so much to tell. But Wendy has done much more than work in schools. Indeed, she has the most varied educational CV of anyone I know. She currently works at Canterbury Christchurch University as the Lead for Primary ITE in a number of priority areas, plus, she is the Academic Link Tutor for the PGCEi in collaboration with The City School Pakistan, a leadership coach for the Achievement for All charity ... I could go on, as there is so much more! Suffice to say, Wendy knows what great teachers do, so she is well worth listening to. In this podcast we discuss ... How Wendy developed a love of teaching even though it wasn't the thing she'd always wanted to do. Why becoming a teacher after doing other things helped her. Wendy believed she wouldn't have been very good in her 20s, unlike the current crop of new teachers, and that being a parent really changed her perspective on how to be a great teacher. The importance of teaching the child not the number. The emphasis on data used to leave Wendy cold. Of course she read the grades passed on by the previous teacher but then put them away for a month so she could focus on the potential of the child. Often the previous data didn’t match what the child was capable of, indeed it could be completely different. What to do when your tutor turns up unexpectedly to do a lesson observation and you had planned a lesson to collect information for a college assignment. The value of building on children's ideas and letting them lead the learning so that they become fully involved in the lesson and have total commitment to their work. Teaching is tricky but it's wonderful too. The sparky lessons aren't possible every day but when they come enjoy them fully and remember them when there are tougher times. How using time effectively doesn't mean that you always get on with the learning immediately, as you will often need to spend some time getting children into the right emotional state to make the children ready for learning. Being brave enough to do what you feel is right for a child, even if you don't know the theory behind your judgement. Trust your instinct if you feel it will benefit the child. What you need to do when the builders start using a pneumatic drill right outside your classroom door. Always get your TA, cleaners and caretaker on side. They will be great supporters of you as a new teacher. How she welcomed visiting teachers from Japan into her classroom to watch her teach a maths lesson before the school caretaker decided that would be the ideal time to take down her blackboard and put up a whiteboard! Mayhem ensued and Wendy wondered if she would become a celebrity on the Japanese version of Candid Camera! Great moments are often hard to identify until some years after they happen. One boy Wendy taught in primary school decided to become a teacher after being inspired by Wendy. Then she taught him again when he was a trainee teacher. 'Pick up the pieces' by the Average White Band might not be the first choice for Tudor dancing, but Wendy used it to energise the children for their final performance and they loved it. Playing with the curriculum is well worth doing. Don't lose the fun things that children love because this enhances the learning for everyone. Building positive relationships with difficult children and classes is what will make the difference in how hard they work and how well they behave. But this takes time, so be patient.  How even the most successful, experienced teachers have very difficult classes and challenging times. Whilst these are tough, you will succeed in the end. 3 final things to think about (taken from one of Wendy's blogs

Lucy Williams has just completed the first term of her teacher training. She has worked with children for the last 18 years, so she definitely started young. She studied child development at GCSE, then completed a diploma at college, before gaining a 1st class honours degree at university. And now she’s putting all of that study into practice by training to teach. In this episode we discuss ... How a fabulous male teacher helped Lucy face each day and cope with the death of her father when she was only 7 years old. The importance of developing a range of strategies for dealing with learning difficulties, in Lucy's case dyslexia.   The need to be strong, resilient and tough enough to get through the hard times. You can do anything you want to if you are willing to work hard enough. How being a child minder, SENCO in a nursery, working on a children’s ward in a hospital (including with young oncology patients), were all experiences that helped Lucy develop her understanding of how to help children get the most from every situation. Why you must make the most of every day however tough it is. You have to find something positive even on bad days because if you give off positive feelings these will be mirrored back to you. How having great mentors like Sharon Jakobek and Rhian Fisk make anything possible. That training to be a teacher is tough but you have to keep your foot on the accelerator to make sure everything that needs to be done is done. Why you have to recognise your achievements so that you can look back with pride at all you have done. When you go through those times when you are losing confidence or imposter syndrome is taking a hold, this is an effective coping strategy. Bringing out children's natural smiles and seeing them succeed, is the best possible feeling. This is reason enough to become a teacher. Getting positive feedback from parents, such as when they thank you for making their life easier in the mornings because their child wants to come in to school, is such a good feeling. The importance of reflecting on your difficulties in class so you can take immediate action to address an aspect of your teaching that could be improved. See this as development and explain to the children why the situation has to change so both you and the children can achieve more. Don’t brush issues under the carpet; tackle them and move on. Being consistent with children is an essential element to becoming a great teacher. They have to know what you expect of them every day so the way to be successful in class is absolutely clear. Make sure there is no ambivalence. This is a great lesson! The value of scaffolding to give children ownership of their learning and the confidence that they can overcome problems on their own. This makes them become more independent and helps them to believe they can achieve. When one person is teaching, two people are learning. Why observations are so valuable so don’t get overly stressed. Embrace them and realise that they are going to be great learning opportunities that will be really valuable as long as you respond positively to them. Enjoy the moment, trust your children, show them you care and love them and value them. They are the next generation so nurture them, give them great learning opportunities and help them to become a great citizen. Be yourself. Be unique. That’s what children deserve.

Graham Chatterley is a former SEMH school leader who recently started his own training company. Having experienced a huge range of behaviour as both a Primary and Secondary teacher, Graham then started work in an EBD setting in 2007. Graham has now left his school leadership role to train and consult full time. He published his first book ‘Building Positive Behaviour’ last year. Graham has led training for thousands of Educators across the North of England. He has great insight into how successful practice in a specialist setting can be transferred to mainstream schools. He believes that developing a supportive ethos and culture will always achieve better outcomes than quick fix strategies and believes the adults play a pivotal role in the behaviour of the students. This approach not only benefits every child, but it has an enormous impact on staff wellbeing. Graham is the Director of Changing Perceptions Limited, where the training and support to schools is designed to do just that. In this podcast we discuss so much, including ... Are you a teacher of a subject or are you a teacher of children? Is the grade more important or is it the child? It has to be child first.  Prioritising as a teacher is the key element to creating a great environment for learning. The things that you can’t measure by testing are probably the most important ones to focus on. The idea that children are choosing to misbehave or be naughty is usually untrue. In reality the reason is unlikely to be any sort of conscious choice by the child. Why teachers may blame themselves for poor behaviour when actually it is very unlikely to be their fault. If teachers believe it is personal it will only damage the relationship between the adult and the student and this will make things worse. How using an authority figure approach failed miserably when Graham first became a teacher and it was only when he developed a more personable, positive approach with some of the children he found difficult to work with that things started to improve. Shifting the focus to developing children’s social and emotional wellbeing was when the penny dropped for many staff. That was the point when Graham started delving deeper and deeper into understanding why children behaved as they did. If support is provided at the right time in mainstream schools then most children will succeed in that setting. It works in other countries so there is no reason why it shouldn’t work here. When a child is feeling anxious then the wrong part of the brain is activated and the child won’t be able to learn effectively. Accepting behaviour mistakes are learning opportunities. It’s how we teach every other subject. Everything we do at school is about using corrections productively. Why is children’s behaviour treated any differently? Those children who don’t know how to behave should not be punished when they get things wrong. If you want to learn the guitar but play it badly because you don’t know how to do it and get punished then you will never want to play again! It's all about mindset. Put yourself in the child’s shoes before you start deciding what to do. Behaviours generally come from 3 different places. Fear responses leading to lashing out, survival responses which lead to avoidance, overwhelmed responses leading to irritating problems getting bigger and bigger. Adults can usually self-regulate, some children can’t. We need to teach them how. The most dangerous phrase in education is ‘It’s what we’ve always done.’ There can be great resistance from adults to move away from the status quo and use new approaches. Early intervention is always the key if you want to avoid crisis point. Lots of little, low level interventions across the day will have a very positive impact on anxious children and will often prevent them from reaching crisis point. Choices can work if children are slightly wobbling but won’t work if children are in distress. Once they are distressed then children are unab

A 'friend' once told Lorraine she wasn't clever enough to be a teacher. What! This is the woman who worked full time as she did an Open University degree, studied and passed her English, Maths and Science GCSEs and gained a Level 3 in Forest Schools, whilst making sure during all of this that her family were well looked after and fully supported. Now if that is not a definition of a superwoman, I don't know what is! Not clever enough? Never has a comment been more inappropriately made. Lorraine has now completed her first term as an ECT and in this podcast we discuss how she has achieved her dream of being a teacher. As the famous song from the Rocky Horror show goes ... 'Don't dream it, be it'. And that is exactly what Lorraine has done. In this podcast we discuss … The importance of putting your heart and soul into whatever you want to do because then you can achieve anything, as long as you work hard and are willing to struggle through the hard times. The fact that the harder you work, the luckier you become and the more you achieve. How overcoming adversity to achieve your dream is well worth it. You have one life so live it to the max! What it was like as the class teacher on day 1 and the surreal feeling of looking over your shoulder expecting someone else to come in and take over, before realising that no-one is coming because you are the teacher. That you have to be brave enough if something is not working to make a quick decision and change it, so think on your feet and don’t be afraid to adapt what you are doing. If the air hostess on a plane is panicking then you know it’s bad news, so if your TA looks worried that’s a good sign that things aren’t going too well. The work-life balance as an ECT compared to being a trainee is much better. It’s good to be able to just focus on the teaching and not the assignments and all the other things you have to do as a trainee. How essential it is to be prepared. Get everything ready for the next day before you go home so you can have a relaxing start to the day, as this will impact on the children when they come in to class. Avoiding the photocopying queue by going at times when it’s not busy! Asking for help and support as there is no silly question that other people haven't asked before you, especially when you are new and learning. Working with a great team makes so much difference to how quickly you settle in as a new teacher. With a great team you can quickly feel like you’ve been there forever and that you really belong. Making best use of your time so that after working long weeks of 50 hours plus during term time you can relax in the holidays knowing that you have done the best you could. Knowing that giving it all you’ve got, believing in yourself whatever anyone tells you, and being yourself is enough. Reacting to someone saying you aren’t good enough to do something by using their words to energise yourself and prove them wrong. Knowing that you must be doing something right when your daughter wants to follow in your footsteps and be a teacher too after seeing what you do.

"Teaching is a great and noble profession and the sheer joy of changing lives and getting children to believe in themselves is magic. Great teachers are alchemists and have the power to turn something normal into gold." So says Richard Sutton-Smith. And he should know. He's had six primary headships, was a national leader of education and set up one of the first Teaching School Alliances in the country. He was, briefly, an Ofsted inspector but hated it, and he was also head of school improvement for a local authority. He speaks with authority and passion about his lifetime in education. It's compelling listening. In this podcast we discuss … How leaders have to empower staff to try things out without fear of failure and how this is particularly important for inexperienced teachers, because you don’t get greatness in anything without letting people fail. The importance of balance between very exciting learning experiences and the more mundane practice of knowledge and skills that are also essential for great learning. Having to chase a runaway child across a building site with the school's headteacher (who was wearing his brand new blue, wool suit) and having to rescue him from the muddiest of puddles during the chase. Having a conversation with the deputy head in his first year of teaching about planning. She told Richard she thought she could teach his class for 2 days without doing any planning and still provide great learning opportunities for his children. Then she said ... "But you can’t Richard, and I would like to say that your planning is what we call in education a bit crap!" What answer you should and should not give if you are ever called in to the Headteacher’s office during your training. QUARK. Not a secret sect, but the key elements for teaching effective lessons. The importance of having an agreed approach for working with parents, especially those who may be upset or annoyed, so teachers are absolutely clear about how to conduct the discussion. How the burdensome scrutineers (Ofsted) create a tyranny of orthodoxy that schools feel compelled to follow and how striving for an outstanding grade leads schools to try to get everything in for Ofsted, whether it matters or not. When Richard inspected a school in a hugely deprived area and the lead inspector told him before going in that the school had special measures written all over it, which was the judgement she reached. During the inspection one child told Richard that, “This school tells you that you can be anything you want to be. This school is an opportunity school.” Sadly, the children’s views were not taken into account. It was his last inspection. Always having a beginners mind. The search is the point, the flailing around is the point, the process is the point. So taking time to learn to become a great teacher is the point. Find a school that supports your aspirations, beliefs, ethos and culture. When you find it, buy in to it, commit to it and add to it. If your current school is not a good fit, look for another because there are plenty of schools around where alchemy is going on, so find the right one for you. Happy Christmas everyone! Thanks for listening. See you in 2022.

Jean Crook is 90 years old. Can you learn much about teaching today from a 90 year old? You sure can! If you were a great teacher in any era you would be great today and Jean was as good as anyone. And don't think that I'm biased because she's my mother, no not at all. When former pupils from 50 years ago are still visiting her and taking her out to lunch you know she was a special teacher and in this podcast she shares some of her great wisdom from the early years of her career. In this podcast we talk about ... How Jean loved the relationships she formed with pupils and staff, and still meets them decades later. The challenge of teaching practice with ferocious lecturers looking for faults and every mistake she made and then being super critical of what she had done. Taking white rabbits and frogs on the London underground when teaching science lessons and how entranced the children were to see these living things, even though they were jumping all over the classroom! The difficulty of teaching PE when the children throw all the balls over the playground railings into the road. Working with vulnerable children, including those who sit under the table and won't come out. How you get yourself out of a tricky situation when you have forgotten that you have to teach a music lesson so you have to make it up on the spot and to your surprise the children love it! When a lecturer criticised a lesson and said she would show Jean how to do it. Unfortunately, when the lecturer taught the lesson the children went wild and locked themselves in the toilets and the Headmistress had to save the day! The importance of pacing yourself as not every lesson every day can be high energy. As long as the children are learning, good enough is definitely good enough, so don't be concerned when lessons don't always go as planned. How creative teaching can provide excellent opportunities for developing children's English skills and can even lead to a whole school musical, as it did with 'The Poisoned Apple'. Having a final Ofsted observation at age 78 and enthralling the inspector so much with the song 'Great Balls of Fire' that she demanded an encore so she could join in. The importance of taking your time to learn your job. Be enthusiastic, work hard and keep trying and you will become a very effective teacher. You can connect with Jean on Facebook - Jean Crook | Facebook

Hannah is just 3 months into her teaching career and is still smiling ... alot. She always enjoyed school and had the pleasure of being taught by some really great teachers who inspired her immensely. She grew up with a mum for a teacher and so was surrounded by all things educational! Although she got fed up of the school environment in the 6th form and decided she didn’t want to be a teacher anymore, when she was away from it she missed it and this reignited her passion to follow teaching as a career. In this podcast we discuss ... the importance of not letting the bad days get you down. All teachers have bad days and that is OK - it really is OK. Children will still be learning and so will you be as each day teaches you something new and useful. the new ECT framework is both good and bad and needs tweaking. It can be overwhelming so make sure you pick out the good bits and ignore what is unhelpful, like being told to learn the children's names! being a beginner and being comfortable with that. Everyone is a beginner whenever they do something new so accept it and embrace it, then you will get the most out of each experience. the picture of perfection that teachers have for each lesson they teach.  You will rarely achieve perfection but you will still be doing a good job. So focus on all the positive aspects, including how the children are progressing, and feel proud of each achievement. just how essential it is to have consistent expectations every minute of every day if you want to make the most of every moment in class. This makes more difference than anything else. the need to end flapping and the value of developing a legendary line. the value of creating a group of 'go to' people who can advise and support you as you go through your ECT year. taking time for yourself is not  optional it is a must. It is easy to have a never ending to do list as there is always more you can do, so you must know when to stop. Pick your going home time, prioritise what needs doing for the next day, and leave on time. Ofsted is a stressful time, even for an ECT, but it is great to see how everyone comes together and works for a common goal to show off the great things the school does. why you have to believe that you can do a great job at the start of your career and know that you will only get better and better as you gain more experience. You can connect with Hannah on Twitter @primaryhannah

Alastair is the most positive person you will ever meet and in this podcast he shares the most important things he has learnt from his own teaching and from training hundreds of new teachers. He has had a varied career since university that has taken him from car insurance, into primary schools, then to being head of IT in a college, then back to primary, including 2 headships, and now he is the Director of the Colchester Teacher Training Consortium. He's one talented man and he loves talking even more than I do! In this podcast we talk about ... the importance of remaining positive and seeing the best in everything you can.  how children have an infectious enthusiasm and a hunger to learn and how facilitating this is such an honour. why it matters that you understand the children you are working with, including their cultural heritage. how much easier behaviour management becomes when you have a genuine, trusting relationship with the children you teach and why finding something to like in every child will reduce, even remove, behaviour issues. the surprise of finding that the fantastic ideas you got at lectures didn't work in class quite as you had planned as you didn't have the skills to implement them. the stamina needed to teach for a whole day when you are trying to inspire children in every lesson. how you react when a child tells you he was late because his mum couldn't find the f...ing car keys! the importance of finding structures and strategies that save you time when planning and preparing. keeping 3 things in your mind when planning - what to recap, what the new learning is, and what are you going to get children to practice or apply. having a 5:1 ratio of positive to negative comments. And how this positive class ethos affects everything that happens in school and with the parents. You can connect with Alistair on: Twitter @colchesterttc

Clare still believes that teaching is the best job in the world, even though it is tiring and demanding. When you listen to Clare speak about teaching you will recognise why she loves it so much and also why she is such a great example of an outstanding teacher. If I had to go back to school then I would want Clare to be my teacher; she is an inspiration! In this podcast we talk about ... How speaking on the podcast was more scary than cage diving with sharks! Really? Why children come to school looking forward to seeing their teacher more than anything else. Just how important it is to know the children you teach very well so you can get the very best from them. How children can be extremely supportive of you as a teacher as long as you are open and honest with them. The challenges of supporting a child whose parent has died. I think this part of the podcast is essential listening for all teachers of traumatised children as Clare's insight for how to support a child in this situation is inspiring. Creating a foundation of laughter in a classroom helps to build respect. The fact that butter comes from butterflies and the Titanic should not have sunk because it was being filmed as it happened, so the Captain could have been warned about the iceberg! If you can capture children's intrinsic motivation then children will switch on, skip through the door and eagerly await what the day brings. Why you must not overload yourself in your first year even though there is so much to get involved in that is so exciting. How you need to learn quickly that assessment is based on what children do in class every day; it is not just what they do in a one off test or in an end of unit assessment. Plus it is much more than just making academic judgements. The importance of knowing where the glue sticks are. Teachers are superheroes, yes they really are! You can connect with Clare on Twitter @clarepmorris.

We've already had education royalty on the podcast (aka Maria Rumsey). Well now we have an icon of the online education world, Andy Taylor. And why is he a star? It's not just because he has more than 28,000 followers on Twitter (@MrTs_NQTs) but because he is arguably the most generous tweeter there is. He freely offers endless advice, support and guidance to everyone who needs it as they take their first steps as teachers. The education world, indeed the world in general, would be a better place if there were more folk like Andy. In this podcast we talk about ... Day 1 of his teaching career when the Ofsted brown envelope was brought into the staffroom by the headteacher. The Ofsted visit came and went, but an inspector with great humanity recognised that Andy was going to make his mark, and a big one at that, in the educational world. See, inspectors can be right in their judgements. How teachers make a difference to the lives of many people, so be proud of what you do and don't take for granted the impact you have. The importance of being positive about being a teacher and trying not to moan as it depresses you and those around you. What to say to a student who asks you on a cold winter's day, "Do you like my muff?" whilst warming her hands in her furry fashion accessory as her mother watched on laughing. The value of developing social capital with parents and the local community; it's well worth the effort. Little moments becoming significant when you do the right thing at the right time over and over again to make sure that everyone (students and colleagues) can achieve as much as they can. Being good enough. Do not pressurise yourself to be the finished article immediately as no-one ever achieves that in teaching, and never doubt your ability to do the job. Knowing the expectations people have of you and the ones you have for them. As an ECT you do not need a folder of evidence - your day to day work is enough to prove what you do. Looking after yourself at all times. Teaching will take what you give to it and there is always something else you could be doing, so you have to learn when to stop. You must prioritise replenishing yourself, as you can't pour from an empty cup. Building relationships ... with everyone ... endlessly. Seeking support when you need it. There is so much available in schools but you've got to ask for it, so don't be afraid to do that. You can connect with Andy on ... Twitter @MrTs_NQTs

Did Amy always want to be a teacher? No. She did a degree in Fine Art with Art History and thought about going into museum and gallery education. But after university she volunteered in a school, the teaching bug bit, the classroom beckoned, and 6 years later she is still teaching and absolutely loving every minute of it ... well almost every minute. In this podcast we talk about ... How training to teach was a baptism of fire but so enjoyable. The cyclical nature of schools means each year is highly motivating as there is always a new challenge. Why finding a school that matches your personality enables you to be the teacher you want to be. Setting up your classroom at the start of the year and getting the tables in just the right places is not easy! Winging it isn't a bad thing, it shows that you have developed into a confident, knowledgeable teacher and it is a key component of reducing workload as you become more experienced. What do you do when the hamster has escaped! Should I tell the Headteacher? The importance of coping with feelings of being overwhelmed not just accepting them as part of the job. How much credibility you gain with the children when you let a tarantula crawl on your head! Why creative chaos is not really chaos at all but essential for productive learning. The value of learning alongside the children when working in areas where they may have more knowledge than you, such as using certain Apps in computing. Realising every teacher has insecurities even if they don't show them and how essential it is to discuss yours with someone you trust who works in a school setting.

In this podcast I am talking to 2 SENCOs. Nicky Vangalis qualified in 2008, teaching first of all in Basildon and then returning home to Southend in 2012. While EAL lead she took every opportunity to increase her knowledge of SEND and became school SENCO in 2018. She has achieved many other things, including being EAL and MFL lecture for the Thames SCITT and writing various articles for The EAL Journal.  Rachael Marlow had a big decision to make. Houses of Parliament or school? School every time was Rachael's decision as children are much more interesting than MPs. After a quick trip to Costa Rica for 3 months, Rachael returned to England and started her SCITT training. She spent 5 years as a class teacher, then became a SENCo, an Assistant Head and Early Years Leader before deciding to focus full time on SEN in her school in Rayleigh.  In this podcast we talk about … The challenge posed not by children losing a year of academic learning but by losing a year of emotional development and how some children have missed key developmental stages so they need support in this more than anything else. Dealing with the anxiety that has been created by the last 18 months and accepting that it is a very different year this year to other years, so teachers must be gentle with themselves. How the difficulty posed by Ofsted inspections is the main thing that makes being a teacher unpleasant, but there is little point being anxious about it because, whatever anyone says, they are not terribly important in your career, so just do your best. How you must make time for yourself and set this time aside every week (even write it on the calendar) so you have a proper balance between work and the rest of your life. Exhausted teachers cannot teach to their best. The small actions, comments and behaviours from children that show they value you and care about you as much as you care about them. The importance of making sure the mic of the sound field for hearing impaired children is switched off when you are not in class, otherwise children can hear everything you are doing! SEND support gives all children the chance to achieve and succeed whatever their needs are. Avoid judging them and aim to form great relationships to get the best from them. How SENCOs are like dogs with a bone or a pitball fighting for their children. In SEND never worry about not knowing everything, as what works for one child may not work for another, but don’t let this dishearten you. Just steadily increase your knowledge of what works by talking to others. Creating small steps on individual learning plans or one plans are what is needed so children can achieve them in the set time. Be ambitious but not too ambitious. Always tell parents you will do the best for their SEND children and that you are on their side fighting to get the best for them.

Kerry Tokley has a degree in Musical Theatre, performed at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games and in 2017 became the freestyle dance national champion, which was the year before she qualified as a teacher! Prior to that she had spent 3 years as a 1:1 SEN LSA and it was during that time, as she gradually took on more responsibility in the classroom including covering a class every week, that she knew she wanted to pursue a career as a teacher. Having retired from competitive dancing, Kerry now enjoys learning aerial acrobatics and martial arts, which must be the perfect combination for energising a flagging class of children! In this episode we talk about ... The sparkle in the children's eyes when Kerry was teaching dance and drama at a special needs school. How success in one area of the curriculum helps children achieve in other areas. Never measuring your progress, as a child or teacher, using someone else's ruler. Why getting to know your class really well leads to children who feel listened to and respected and creates a family like environment. Planning lessons that incorporate children's interests as this ensures they are highly engaged and motivated by the learning. The fact that what happens in the classroom is so much more important than everything that happens outside the classroom. Why changing schools if work-life balance is not prioritised is immensely beneficial for a teacher's wellbeing and how important this is if you are to teach well. How energising it is to take learning outside and how much children learn beyond the the main focus of the lesson when doing this. The importance of essentialism - only doing what really needs to be done. If in doubt as to the value of a task then ask and see if there is a good reason for what you are being told to do. You can connect with Kerry on ... Twitter: https://twitter.com/kerrytokley Instagram: @kerrytokley  You can find Kerry's YouTube timetables songs at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuQ8JWDmKcj3KQbKSDQqiOQ

Sara Trickey is a highly successful secondary teacher who writes a terrific blog called Teach with Mrs T, which is full of great advice on pedagogy and practice for trainee and newly qualified teachers and is highly relevant for primary and secondary colleagues. Sara is currently Head of Faculty for Business, Computing and Media Studies. She is also a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teachers, has an MA and has just started studying for a doctorate. She enjoys reading Stephen King books, plus she is an expert builder of Lego masterpieces, though how she finds time for that I don't know! In this podcast we talk about ... How Sara forced her younger siblings and cousins to be her school pupils, with no playtime until the work was done! The teachers who inspired Sara, made learning fun and her school experience phenomenal. The importance of explaining to students that not everything can be really exciting but by building foundations future learning will be highly rewarding. The need to raise student aspirations and how essential this is to enable them to see where their learning can take them, both in their school career and afterwards. How positive reinforcement for what you expect from your students can help develop their enthusiasm for a particular subject or for learning in general. The excitement of using Super Mario to grab students imaginations in order to motivate them and give them a clear purpose for their learning. How important it is not to be fooled into following the latest educational fads. Realising that the fundamentals of great teaching have not changed over the years and understanding that new ideas and initiatives are very often a re-hash of teaching approaches that have been used successfully for decades. The challenge of dealing with parents who are older than you when you are a young teacher, but by demonstrating your professionalism and expertise consistently you will gain respect. The value of Socratic questioning and the need to constantly ask students to explain more deeply by asking 'Why?' or 'So what?' when they give short answers. Sara's fantastic blog Education | Teach With Mrs T You can connect with Sara on ... Twitter @teachwithmrst Instagram @teachwithmrst LinkedIn Sara Trickey | LinkedIn You can read Sara's blog at www.teachwithmrst.com

This podcast discusses the vital teaching and learning strategy known as dual coding. Although the term has only been used quite recently, good teachers have used the approach for decades. Even Confucius knows the value of dual coding, though he wouldn't have called it that! I'm joined by 2 secondary school students, Zachary and Isla, who talk about their primary and secondary experiences with dual coding and how it helps them to understand new or complex ideas. In this podcast we talk about ... What dual coding is. How it can be used in the classroom to develop better understanding of tricky concepts. How Jeremy learnt to use dual coding when he was an NQT playing with toy cars in a science lesson with a Year 5 class. Providing a summary of learning in a diagram makes an idea much easier to comprehend and avoids overloading working memory. If teachers only talk, especially if they talk too much, this can lead students to zone out and stop listening. The value of dual coding when looking back at work that has been done previously. How important it is to present information in different ways so that all students can access the learning. The need to plan the visual image if you are new to dual coding so you know what to draw as you are explaining key ideas. How students can use dual coding in their own recording to help them understand and recall key information. For more information on dual coding (or anything discussed in previous podcasts), you can contact Jeremy on Twitter @whatnqt or via email on jnc.edu@gmail.com.

Louise Howlett has not been teaching long, but she is already an Assistant Headteacher in an outstanding school. What has made her so good, so fast? Probably it's her forensic attention to detail, because Louise had always wanted to be a forensic scientist before catching the teaching bug when helping an excluded boy see that school could really change his life. And that is what has motivated Louise to be the very best teacher she can be for every child. She knows if she does her job really well it changes children's lives, and, believe me, she does it really well. In this podcast we talk about ... The similarities between forensic science and teaching. How helping an excluded, vulnerable boy change his life was the moment Louise realised she must become a teacher. Why children remember the people who have made a real difference to their lives. The fact that it feels like your training hasn’t prepared you for day 1 minute 1 with your first class. How a dragon fly helped to break the ice with her first class. Telling children they would be fine performing their Y6 play on a very hot day as it was going to be really fanny in the hall. How relationships must be built consciously and unconsciously through every action that you do as a teacher. Being sick in the classroom bin before her first parents evening as she was concerned she wouldn't know what to say. The value of making a folder full of the many positive comments made by children and parents over the years and looking at it after a tough day to remember all the good things that have happened. Being a perfectionist is ok but it is not attainable every moment of every day, so accept this and aim to be the best you can be. Accepting you can't know everything and know when to stop working. Becoming very skilled at prioritising the things that really make a difference to children's learning.

Katie is an outstanding teacher and someone I have known since she started her SCITT training. From her very first day as a trainee, she stood out as someone who would have a big impact in the education world, and the years since she qualified have proved just that. Perhaps her greatest quality (though she has so many) is her ability to intuitively build great relationships with her students and colleagues so that the maximum is gained from every situation. Putting people first is what enables Katie to achieve such high standards with her children, as she knows what to do and when, and that is a skill that every great teacher has mastered. In this podcast we talk about ... How being thrown in at the deep end to teach in a school in Germany having received no training, led Katie to realise she actually loved teaching. The terrifying moment of facing 30 children for the first time who are all your responsibility and all different. But how quickly the terror passes when you find out what those children need from you and how you can do the best for them, as that's what really counts. The importance of getting to know them all as little individual people and how essential it is that they get to know you too. Because, when you know what makes them tick, you can drip feed that through the day and create a happy classroom. Then anything is possible. Being creative and getting children to have fun whilst learning, as this 100% leads to better learning and higher standards. Who would have known that magic potions in fraction lessons and TAs dressed as aliens could so successfully motivate children to learn. The challenge of finding the balance between getting things done and letting children learn in their own time so they can explore concepts in depth. How taking a dead fox into class that had been killed by a car in snowstorm created lifetime memories for a class. When you start teaching you are focused on not making mistakes, doing things right and getting through the day, but how you need to take some time to look back on the wonderful light bulb moments, that everybody has, because those are the moments that remind you that teaching is an amazing thing to do. The importance of linking learning to the real world in as many lessons as possible. We are preparing children for the real world, so we must make sure they can see how their learning links to real life. Every teacher should ask themselves, 'Why are we learning this?', and then share that information with the class. How teachers can get resources to teach children about what is happening in the world today that will enable them to develop their critical thinking skills when considering problems across the globe and recognise when they are being fed fake news. To find out more about the inspiring work Katie is doing to educate students about the real world go to: Twitter: Economist Foundation (@Econ_Foundation) / Twitter Email: foundationteam@economist.com Web: Home - The Economist Educational Foundation (economistfoundation.org)

Maria Rumsey is an outstanding teacher and headteacher. Indeed I think of her as education royalty! She has achieved so much as a teacher and headteacher. She does this by always putting people first and she trusts her intuition to decide what is right and what is the best thing to do. She is a refreshing presence in the educational world, as she does not feel bound by Government or Ofsted diktats, but always weighs up whether a change will benefit the people rather than simply tick a box. Visiting her school is a wonderful, enriching experience. In her last SIAMS report, the inspector stated that Maria's impact in a short space of time had been transformational. And she does that everywhere she goes! In this podcast we talk about ... How great teaching can change the lives of all children for the better The role of creative arts in developing the confidence of those who are seen as less academic and how this improves their learning in all areas The importance of mutual respect between teacher and child Why a broad and balanced curriculum is essential to provide a great education for children and how it raises standards How truly believing in children's potential maximises their ability to succeed The excitement of topping the bill performing a musical that she and her children wrote at the reopening of Liverpool Street Station in front of the Queen The feeling of responsibility you have on your first day as a teacher, especially when the parents think you are too young to be teaching their children The value of having staff who encourage and support you and avoiding those who make unnecessary judgements; find the ones who are happy to offer guidance and advice Why your classroom organisation must not be allowed to dictate the children's learning

Maisie Smith has just qualified and starts her teaching career with a Year 3 class in a school in Basildon, Essex today! This podcast is a must listen for any teacher at the start of the autumn term because Maisie discussed the one thing that every teacher (not just NQTs) should do at the start of any school year. And what's that I hear you ask? It is the importance of making clear to her class what great learners do, what their habits are, and how they need to behave all the time if they are to succeed day after day. Maisie has already laid the foundations for this when she worked with her class for 2 days at the end of the summer term, but she realises that there is still much to do to embed the expectations into children's day to day behaviour. During our conversation we discussed ... How fascinating children are because they get excited by different things and as a primary school teacher you can bring out their best qualities. The importance of making children feel excited about being in your class so they look forward to each day. How critical it is to use humour with the children to engage them and keep them healthy. You could even buy a joke book! How observing children gives you so much useful information that you can use to make them better learners. How swapping class rules (that they have had in every other class) for class learning expectations means children know what they are meant to do to be great learners, and it makes them behave well too. Giving children ownership of their learning and behaviour in class. This, according to assessment for learning guru Dylan William, is one of the 5 key aspects of AfL. How independence can be developed in children and how a simple strategy like the 4Bs can support this. If you praise the learning behaviour that you want again and again it makes it much more likely you will see that behaviour every day. The value of regularly extending the list of learning behaviours you expect children to demonstrate, so the list stays fresh, relevant and challenging. How questioning can be structured so children have to think more deeply and how learning to join different thoughts together helps them to form more complex ideas. Why asking children to justify their answers is so good for learning.

Polly Wicks qualified as a teacher in 2016 having trained as an events manager. Having realised that wasn’t the job for her, she was unsure of what to do next. Feeling the draw of teaching, she became a volunteer in her old infants school and instantly knew that teaching was what she really wanted to do. During her training, she made such a good impression in her placement school that she was offered a job. And so began her love affair with teaching that is still very much alive today. Her enthusiasm and passion for making a difference to children’s lives comes through loud and clear in our thought provoking chat. During our conversation we discussed ... No day is the same in school and that’s what makes people love the job How she instantly felt that buzz and that warm feeling when enabling and empowering children to learn successfully, a feeling that she had never had in other jobs Falling in love with teaching and still being completely in love with the job How the pandemic made the job much harder when trying to support every child Day 1 of her career, when she arrived at school before the caretaker The terror of being in charge for the first time, but how her natural instincts kicked in immediately the day begun The need for praise and a pat on the back for all teachers The importance of focusing on the positives and the amazing impact you have on the children The need to ask, and give, when you or others need advice and support How dressing up as Goldilocks made the learning more powerful You can connect with Polly on LinkedIn - Polly Wicks | LinkedIn

Sandy Thornton has been a primary school teacher since 2003. She is passionate about learning, and has a ‘can do’ approach to all things educational. After gaining QTS, her natural teaching ability was quickly recognised when she became part of the fast track teacher initiative. Then in 2010 she became an advanced skills teacher which enabled her to use her outstanding teaching skills both in her own school and to support teachers in other schools. But she didn’t stop there! In 2011 she became an assistant headteacher, before completing the Post Graduate Certificate for Primary Maths Specialists, and then she became a Specialist Leader in Education. She is currently a Cohort Leader and Senior Trainer with Suffolk and Norfolk Primary SCITT. That sounds enough to be going on with, but on top of that she even finds time to coach the Great Britain junior and senior netball squads for the Maccabiah Games in Israel. She is one busy lady! During our conversation we discussed ... The joy of seeing those magical moments when children light up after they have learnt how to do something new. That moment when you are both thrilled and filled with fear as you walk into class for the first time with the stabilisers off! How to break the ice by getting the guitar out and singing a song that everyone joins in with. Using music and singing to help children learn. Every lesson has a song don't you know, so learn the key ideas by singing about them. The importance of having high expectations of all children because invariably children will meet the high expectations you have of them. How the Pharaoh's motorbike in a production of Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat enthralled and energised one boy who was a reluctant learner. Teaching is all about having a transformational impact on children and making their lives much better because you have taught them. You can connect with Sandy on Twitter @thornton_sandy

Cara Carter has just qualified and starts her NQT/ECT year in September in a school in North Essex. Her first career was as a garment technologist (and the shimmering drape behind her in her picture shows she intends to use this talent to the full to brighten her classroom!). In this podcast Cara shares with us her light bulb moment, the turning point in her training year, when she came to realise the importance of looking at the learning through the eyes of the child.  During our conversation we discussed ... The fact that teaching is such a challenge and that is what makes it so enjoyable. How working with 1 teacher makes you think 'That's how I am going to do it' before seeing another and thinking 'Oooh that's good', then realising that you can learn useful things from every teacher you observe before deciding on your own unique approach.  How devastated she felt when she taught a lesson and introduced all sorts of relevant ideas, only to realise the key learning in the lesson was not secure because she wasn't seeing the learning through the eyes of the children. This was the turning point in her training year. The importance of having the extra ideas to introduce in lessons, but only teaching them to the children who need them, not to everybody. The value of asking the right question at the right time. How essential it is to find out what children have been taught and more importantly what they have learnt and retained before moving them on. How knowing where the children are in their learning makes it much easier to take them forwards step by step in manageable chunks. This is what it means to look through the eyes of the child to understand what they need to learn next.

James Troughton is a primary school teacher. His route into teaching took him through 2 non-teaching occupations and a couple of years in South Korea (where he got his first taste of teaching), before returning to England and training to teach with the Essex and Thames Primary Consortium. Although he only qualified in 2014, he is now Assistant Head at Newlands Spring Primary School. He combines this demanding role with fatherhood and being a published author of science fiction stories. He is one busy man! During our conversation we discussed ... The value of teaching abroad to wide your experience. The joy of seeing young children get excited by learning. The demands posed in your first morning as a teacher and how to get through it. The challenge of coping with the hundreds of micro decisions you have to make everyday as a teacher. How important it is to be excited by what you are teaching and the value of inspiring children with your passion, whatever that might be, so that they can develop their own unique talents. Knowing when to stop working at the end of the day, because more tweaking of the plan is unlikely to make a significant difference to the quality of learning. The value of observing other teachers to develop your own teaching strategies. Using all you have learnt from other teachers to develop your own unique teaching style. There are loads of ways to be a great teacher, so be yourself, don't try to be like anyone else. You can connect with James on: Twitter: @JRTroughton LinkedIn: James Troughton You can find out about James' science fiction stories at: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7203144.James_Troughton

Giavanna Ferreira is a primary school teacher, currently Early Years Lead at Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School. Her passion for teaching and working with children are evident as soon as she starts talking and she is a shining example of how passionate great teachers are every day in their work with children. During our conversation we discussed ... The importance of embracing the opportunity to learn new skills and teaching approaches How Post-it notes improved her organisational skills The value of taking the time to develop great relationships with other staff members and trusting their advice when they gave it The joy of seeing children make dramatic progress and how this can happen when children feel really comfortable with the teacher How essential it is to know when enough is enough and it is time to switch off from school What to do when the fire alarm goes off and you have a child who is at school for his first day sitting in a wheelchair with a broken leg! Using your teaching skills to start a YouTube channel Realising that even the most experienced teachers are not brilliant every day You can connect with Giavanna on LinkedIn Giavanna Ferreira | LinkedIn And see her stories on YouTube at ALIVE Story Time - YouTube