TS 1 – Set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils

As the half term holidays end and the new half term is upon us, I am anxious about my second placement. I didn’t quite realise the challenge that a teacher will face when going in to a new school, standing in front of 30 new faces. Not only this, but all the work you, as a teacher, have done to establish yourself, your routines and expectations, will not count with these new students. You can certainly establish routines and expectations with these news students but the difference here is you are starting from scratch.

That being said, I have heard amazing things about my six week placement school. I keep telling myself that it is only six weeks, it will go fast and I will be back at my block placement school quicker than I can say plenary! Only now do I also realise, the importance of half term breaks for teachers. The expectations of a teacher are far higher than I ever imagined, and not that I am complaining, but I just did not realise quite how much work a teacher invests in every student.

I hope that I have some classroom presence at my new school. I know that the school is an OFSTED Outstanding Academy and it would be strange if I weren’t nervous about my subject knowledge, as the academic ability of studies is far higher, therefore I will need to stretch up as opposed to the usual down. In all honesty, the change is good and I am sure they call it a ‘contrasting school experience for a reason!’. We will soon find out; watch this space!