Wake up in the dark, go home in the dark. Mark all day, mark all night. You think it can’t get any worse? That was the exact feeling I had this time last year.
If you are reading this as an NQT struggling to keep your head above the water, allow me to give you some good news – allow me to give you my list of 10 things to cheer up a stressed NQT at Christmas.
It becomes worth it
You may have that feeling of there being no end and often no point, but improving your teaching can come in ebbs and flows – sometimes you dramatically change and seem to grow a foot and other times you have a class that makes you feel that not only should you not be teaching, but that you probably shouldn’t be exposed to other humans.
The only thing I can promise you is that learning how to be a half-decent teacher is endlessly rewarding. That one incredible lesson, that set of positive results and that one pupil saying thank you make the sleepless nights, late-night marking and constant frustration fade into insignificance.
We’re all in it together
Aren’t those experienced teachers cocky? Don’t they make it look easy? Aren’t the been-there-done-that-brigade annoying? Well actually they are not, normally, that bad.
The majority of colleagues I have the pleasure to work with will always offer sage advice, endless help, time-saving resources and a patient ear when you are at your lowest.
Most of the time, the reason they have not offered you advice is more likely because you, the NQT, have been too afraid to ask. Don’t be.
Times, they are a-changin’
Some changes are good, some changes are bad. Gove and Co are doing lots of things that I may not be particularly pleased with, but that will not stop things changing. So remember, change can be good. This is for two reasons. First, you are young, flexible and fresh. You will adapt to changes more quickly, ably and eagerly than a lot of the more experienced staff.
Second, change is a great leveller – the reason the teacher who has taught the same exam for 10 years gets the best results is because they know it inside-out. If things change, they will be as new to it as you.
Technology doesn’t scare you
Okay so you may not be a whizz kid and you don’t write code in your own time, but you would be amazed at how technologically able you probably are without realising it, and you will be even more amazed at how scared some others are.
I have been constantly shocked and, in equal measure, enthused at how many IT questions I get asked and how technologically advanced I am considered to be by others for doing what I feel are quite simple things.
Education has to embrace technology and you are perfectly placed to lead this in your school.
You will not be out of work
British production and manufacturing seems to be dying, robots are getting better and the rest of the world is increasingly able to replicate and replace our service industry – but as goes the old adage, the world will always need teachers. British education is still at the forefront of teaching and that doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon.
It becomes easier after Christmas
I won’t lie. January and February can be pretty bleak. However, in my humble opinion, the autumn term is the longest, hardest and worst.
After Christmas, the kids really knuckle down in the run up to the exams, the pace becomes steadily more manageable, and – although no-one admits it – the summer term barely feels like a real job.
In January, you will come back refreshed, fat and full of ideas, then before you know it the students will be out of the door and the next batch will be arriving.
Youth makes you attractive
No, not to the kids! I am talking about trips. Youth normally means you are packed full of enthusiasm, excitement and passion and for this reason you will never be more in demand to run sports teams, go on trips and get involved in all the truly bizarre avenues that education can take you down. Embrace the absurdity and enjoy yourself.
Snow is falling
You may not yet have been fortunate enough to experience the job on a snow day, but when it comes you will see what all the fuss is about.
Basically it is a surprise holiday when you are able to catch up on work – either that or you get drunk and throw snowballs. Whatever you choose to do, you return with an enormous sense of wellbeing.
Making connections
Connections take longer than you think. You may see more experienced staff who seem to have an almost hypnotic control over a class and despair because perhaps you have a rogue student who has been running you ragged all term. Connections with your students do not come without effort and sometimes you just need to give it a little time.
Students like stability, trust and permanence. I have taught some students for three years now and the simple fact they know me, my routines and my demands makes my job a lot easier. Be patient.
Summer time…
…and the living is easy. No beer has ever tasted sweeter, nor has a summer’s day seemed more beautiful than when the NQT year is done and you know you are qualified, good at your job and employable.
Think of it as delayed gratification. Pack the last few weeks with some trips and before you know it you will forget you ever worked for a living and the dark days of December will seem like modular exams; a thing of the past.
Conclusion
So there you go, when I started writing my original column last year I vowed to be as positive as I could be and avoid become the clichéd cynical teacher. But as the year went on my whinges got more frequent and less funny.
You need to enjoy what you do or, frankly, there is not much point doing it. If I could give you one bit of advice it is to always see the positives of what is essentially the best job a person can do.
To pass on knowledge and passion and make a child a better person is about as satisfying as employment gets, as long as you find some time to enjoy it.
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Tomas Duckling is a second year history teacher at Queens’ School in Hertfordshire.