Be Open About the Age Group you Want to Teach

My placement is just fantastic! For an old bird like me who came into teaching at 45 to realise that she has finally found her truth north is quite something......to my Outward Bound leaders, I did listen to that bit but didn't ever think it would happen for me.

I am on placment at a really cool school with a great AT and an awesome bunch of kids....I just love the Year 8's and while I can fully understand why some don't want to teach them, I find that they prove to me why I came into teaching. I have really enjoyed the juniors and middle guys but these older kids are by far the most stimulating for me. Being at an Intermediate has demonstrated to me how differently we can communicate with the kids - we can be real with them and I think this is what has hooked me. If one of them has not toed the line you can just tell them and in those words..........they get it!!!

I feel more myself with this age group and more relaxed too. Perhaps this is because it is my last placement but I don't think so! I find them much easier to manage - it helps that generally they are really polite and respectful - no ! the school is not Decile 10!!!! and that the whole place has an amazing chilled feel to it!!!! I got included in the class photo today and that made me feel really great.

And the stuff I am learning!!! My God! MY AT has introduced me to so many new strategies and ideas already and it is only Day 3!!! Brilliant! What more could you ask for! I have learnt some amazing new things - the main one being how to be a really bad reliever!!! The biggest thing I have learnt already about relieving??? Always find out who the 'go to' person is in the school who has copies of planning so you know what to teach! The team leader will generally have copies of unit and integrated plans so you can simply go from them - prevents the teacher from being grumpy when they get back!!!!! We all know what a headache planning is.

Feel annoyed that I have to do large amounts of paperwork for College!!! Do they not get that Ihave to work as well...only joking! College stuff gets pushed to the backburner because so much school stuff takes priority!!!

Anyhoo - GO FORTH AND BE FABULOUS!!

Sue