A Kent NQT School Teacher's Experience - Q&A

Will is a primary school teacher in Dartford.  He studied for his teaching degree at Chichester University and is in his first post-NQT year of teaching. Tom from the Kent-Teach team met up with him to ask him a few questions about his NQT year and about teaching in general.

1. Why did you choose to teach primary instead of secondary?

The main reason was because I was passionate to teach children of a younger age. I find teaching younger children is more enjoyable.  Primary school kids are fun to be around and very open-minded and enthusiastic about learning.

2. What surprises did you encounter during your NQT year?

One surprise was how crazy schools get in the last week before Christmas, and how quickly the year seems to pass after Christmas.  Also, I was surprised at how much I developed as a teacher in that first year.  Things that I thought were good ideas I cast aside and methods I had never considered before I now use frequently in my lessons.

3. What was the proudest moment so far in your teaching career?

It was definitely when I had an observed Science lesson.  My mentor was really enthusiastic about Science and was really positive in her feedback.  She said that it was clear my class were progressing in their understanding and that the kids really looked forward to my Science classes.  She was impressed with my subject knowledge and said that she could see me in a leadership role one day.  This not only gave me a real confidence boost but also gave me a clear development pathway which makes me optimistic and excited about my career!

4. Is there any advice you would give to teachers starting their NQT year?

Don’t stress.  If your first observation doesn’t go well, just remember it’s a long year and everyone at the school wants you to do well.  Also, take advice from as many people as you can.  You don’t have to use it all, but it can give you a range of options when making decisions on your teaching.  Another important thing is to be organised.  There is a lot of paperwork, assessments and marking to do so you need to establish a good routine, but also be flexible and adapt that routine when you can see a more effective way of doing things.

What advice do you have for new teachers? Let us know in the comments box below.