*NQTs* take care of your health!
1/ Schools are veritable Petri dishes. You WILL get a stinking cold at some point in the first term - it’s standard. You DO NOT, however, have to lose your voice. This will only happen if you don’t take care of yourself...
1/ Schools are veritable Petri dishes. You WILL get a stinking cold at some point in the first term - it’s standard. You DO NOT, however, have to lose your voice. This will only happen if you don’t take care of yourself...
2/ You don’t need to shout to be heard. The only time you need to shout is if you need to get students’ attention quickly because something is dangerous. If you’re shouting because of poor behaviour, you’ve already lost the battle...
3/ I always find it much more effective to give a proper telling-off in a quiet, measured voice, speaking quite slowly. It makes it easier for me to manage my emotions, and the student(s) can focus on the words, not the anger.
4/ Embrace silent, independent work. There is a time for discussion, but when students are working silently, resist the urge to break that silence by chatting to them - I still find this hard!
5/ Teacher talk is incredibly powerful (after all - YOU are the expert in the room). However, there is value in giving some instructions or explanations in written form. Students will have to independently follow instructions in an exam, so let them practise every now and then...
6/ ...this will help to save your voice.
DO NOT talk over students. Wait for silence. There should be a way to combat low level disruption in your school behaviour policy, so make sure you are being consistent with your colleagues.
DO NOT talk over students. Wait for silence. There should be a way to combat low level disruption in your school behaviour policy, so make sure you are being consistent with your colleagues.
7/ At the first hint of a sore throat, stop talking as much. I love a ‘silent lesson’, where all instructions are written and students have to use their common sense - it’s good exam practice and a good way to consolidate things you have already taught them.
8/ n.b. Use ‘silent lessons’ with caution and only sporadically. They do need your input most of the time!
For a sore throat - keep yourself hydrated, take paracetamol, hot drinks with honey, and have early nights.
For a sore throat - keep yourself hydrated, take paracetamol, hot drinks with honey, and have early nights.
9/ Get yourself a big coat for outside duties and a proper pair of shoes for the winter. I tend to wear ballet pumps to work, so I have a pair of (LUMINOUS GREEN) wellies under my desk in the winter - people laugh at me, but my toes stay toasty!
10/ Make time to EAT! It’s easy to get to 3pm without stopping. I take a flask of soup outside on lunch duty with me and it’s almost like having a picnic (if you don’t mind spending your ‘picnic’ mediating disagreements about what does and does not constitute a ‘peng brow’...)
11/ Listen to your body. For the first 5 years of my career I got a chest infection every July and was out of action for two weeks each time WITHOUT FAIL because I worked through illness like a fool. I also once worked through mumps... 😱
12/ ... don’t be a hero. You’re no use to anyone if you burn yourself out.
Remember - your job is not to achieve perfection. It doesn’t exist. Your job is to be a teacher - to do what you can - not to be a martyr to a card sort or data drop.
Also, your job DOES NOT DEFINE YOU.
Remember - your job is not to achieve perfection. It doesn’t exist. Your job is to be a teacher - to do what you can - not to be a martyr to a card sort or data drop.
Also, your job DOES NOT DEFINE YOU.
13/ I’m sure some other teachers can add other practical self-care recommendations... #edutwitter
