Surviving Your First Years of Teaching

The Surviving your First Years of Teaching course aims to support you in overcoming the commonly known “practice shock” which most new teachers experience when moving from their initial training to their first job in the profession. This “shock” is often caused by inadequate preparation during the initial training phase, the changing role of teachers in schools, the increasingly complex demands on teachers and the common “loneliness” of new teachers working in environments where there are only experienced teachers.

The course offers guidance and ideas on how to deal with common challenges faced by teachers starting a job at a new school for the first time. It also provides a space to overcome any “loneliness” experienced as a new teacher, offering you a place to interact with peers in similar situations. Furthermore, the course makes an important link to school mentors, experienced teachers who have been trained to support new teachers in their first years.

During the course we will be looking at important questions around how to integrate into a school community and find the right support as a new teacher, how to develop teaching confidence even when experiencing inevitable setbacks, how to become more time-efficient in your planning and preparations, how to develop a positive atmosphere in your classes right from the start and avoid common mistakes in the first days of the school year, as well as what tools are out there to support your daily work inside and outside of the classroom.

The course is targeted at (student) teachers who are about to enter the profession for the first time as well as those in their first five years of teaching. It is relevant for teachers across all school types and levels. Practising school mentors who are working with new teachers are also welcome to join specific parts of the course and provide input into the questions raised.

Join us on this unique course at the Teacher Academy and meet colleagues in similar situations, find useful resources and ideas to help you overcome the “practice shock”, learn about innovative tools that can make your life a lot easier, and earn digital badges and a certificate recognising your work!

To get the most out of the course, you can participate in our Facebook group or share your thoughts on Twitter using the hashtag #IstartTeaching!

Module 1: New job, new academic year

Module 2: Getting ready for the lessons

Module 3: Managing your classroom