THE TRAINEE TEACHERS' SURVIVAL GUIDE
ISBN 0-8264-8507-3    Continuum Interational

First published in April 2006
2nd Edition 2009

‘The Trainee Teachers' Survival Guide’ covers just about everything someone contemplating or or undertaking a PGCE course could want to know… The sections on reflective practice, parents’ evenings and balancing teaching with a family are particularly useful.’
Sarah Bubb, Times educational Supplement.

Teacher training has a high drop-out rate and this does not help a profession which has a shortage of members in some areas. This manual aims to guide student teachers and encourage them to keep going through their college work and teaching practices and finding their first job.

It is written sensitively to reassure students that they can rise above the difficulties and go on confidently to be successful teachers.

PART 1 –PREPARATION FOR TRAINING
Why be a teacher?
Choosing the right course
The right college or university
Funding
PART 2 – GETTING ONTO THE COURSE
Think ahead
The interview
The pre-course placement
PART 3 – GETTING THROUGH THE COURSE IN COLLEGE
Freshers’ week
Lectures
Essays
Assignments and projects
Mock-up lessons in college
Exams

TEACHING PRACTICE
The preparation
Different formats for teaching practice
Easing yourself in the school
And now down to the business of the job
Being a reflective practitioner
Coping with Ofsted while on teaching practice
Parents’ consultation evenings
The post-mortem
Getting organised for the future

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR QUALIFIED TEACHER STATUS

PART 4 – THE SIDE ISSUES
Stress management
Balancing the course and family life
PART 5 – GETTING READY FOR THE REAL WORLD
Finding your first job
Supply teaching in your school at the end of the summer term

Extract from The Trainee Teacher’s Survival Guide

Tips for finding your first job

Always visit during the school day to see what the school is really like, because every school looks remarkably peaceful after the pupils go home. While the head is sizing you up, you must look out for as many of these as you can.

The head
The head is the greatest single factor influencing any school. Heads set the tone for the school and most of the  attitudes and behaviour of the staff can be traced back to him/her.

Is the head friendly and approachable and do you feel comfortable in his/her presence? Does s/he seem interested in you? Would you feel comfortable talking to him/her if you were in difficulty? These are more important in a small school where you will have more direct contact with the head. In a larger school, you will have more contact with heads of department than the head teacher.

As you walk around the school, notice whether s/he speaks pleasantly to the pupils, teachers and other staff. Does s/he allow the staff to use his/her Christian name? Nowadays only an older head would still expect to be addressed as Mr or Ms, except in front of the pupils of course.

The staff
Atmosphere. 
Try to assess whether the school has a happy, welcoming
atmosphere. Do the staff look as if  they get on well together and enjoy their work?  For me, this is more important than a high place on the league tables.

Staff in situ.  
Are there other teachers people to whom you can relate? Are there kindred spirits here? Will they help you through the induction year? I know one young teacher who spent her first year in a school where everyone was at least twenty years older than her. Although everyone was kind to her she often felt lonely and isolated. Some teachers suggest the male/female ratio can affect the atmosphere.

Staff turn-over.   
Ask what is the annual rate of staff turnover. If it is a low per centage rate, that is an encouraging sign, because unless there is a shortage of jobs, teachers will not stay in a school if it is not a pleasant, happy place. If the turnover is high, the head may resent your asking, but it doesn’t matter because it probably is not a school where you would want to work anyway.

Pupils           
 In the classroom
Are they on task, polite and reasonably interested in their work?

In the corridors
Does their standard of behaviour slip as soon as they walk out of the structured environment of the classroom?

Playground behaviour
Always look out to see if there are any fights in the playground. I would consider a harmonious playground a higher priority than SATs\GCSE results, although it is, of course, worth looking at those as well.

Out of school in the street, at bus stops, in the buses (secondary)
I always think the pupils’ true selves appear when they are completely unsupervised.

Noise levels
Check the noise levels in classrooms. Is it a noise of positive activity or just plain rowdy? 

Behaviour policy
As you walk around a primary school look out for charts with children’s names, stars and stickers. Ask the head what incentive schemes and reward systems they use. It is sensible for a school to have a few positive ways of encouraging children, but if they have lots of them, tread carefully because that usually means that the children are difficult to motivate and there are difficulties with behaviour management.

In a secondary school, notice if there is an Honours Board or any other notice boards with information  or newspaper clippings of pupils’ achievements. Is there a display cabinet with cups, trophies or shields? These are always a positive sign. And of course, don’t forget to admire them.

The job
Pupil/teacher relationships
How do they interact? In harmony or confrontationally?

The styles of teaching
Are they conventional, progressive, practical, creative, boring? Is there much freedom of teaching style, is it prescribed and is it a format into which you can fit comfortably?

What the job demands
Remember, interviews are a two-way process. Teachers often forget that they need to assess whether the school is right for them. A helpful headteacher will try to give you plenty of information about everything which the job requires. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

The extra clauses
Check what overnight school journeys you will have to go on, and if there is are any Saturday commitments.