NQT Support

CPD: ‘Sharpening Your Saw!’ 2

3 A lone walker comes across someone in the woods feverishly sawing down a tree. He asks: ‘How long have you been at that?’. The exhausted worker says: ‘Hours and hours, and it’s really hard work’. The walker says to him: ‘Have you considered stopping to sharpen the saw?’. ‘Oh no, I’m far too busy sawing’ came the reply’. (Adapted from Covey 1999, cited in Bourdillon & Storey, 2002, p.291) How sharp is your saw?

The life of an NQT Today has not been an easy day. Only a couple of weeks back after a peaceful half-term holiday and yet I have a searing headache that feels like it is splitting my skull. I feel overwhelmed by an overload of information, telling me about everything that I should and should not do, exam results analysis, AfL…! I am in need of a serious lie down…. 4

5  To date, what have you enjoyed the most during this first year of teaching?  Up until now, what have been the most challenging aspects of the first year?  Have there been any particular surprises, in terms of expectations of your role as an NQT?  How well do you feel supported by your school? Joys, challenges, surprises, support?

Interests/strengths  How are you developing your personal interests during your NQT year?  To what extent have you been able to utilise your previously identified areas of particular strength during this first year of teaching?  How have you been able to build on these strengths? 6

Previous (and new) areas of development  In what ways have you been able to improve/develop those aspects of your teaching about which you previously felt less confident or had limited opportunities to gain experience?  Do you have new areas of development? 7

Long-term aspirations/goals  Looking ahead, have your longer-term professional aspirations and goals remained the same or changed, and how are you planning to achieve/reach them?  What could the University do to help/support you during your early years of teaching? 8

And finally…  As I reflect, I have enjoyed the NQT far more than I could imagine. Last year on cold dark nights, I sometimes wondered what I was doing trying to plan lessons, create resources and write essays when I could have gone for a far easier route. However, now I think that even a bad day passes over and it will be replaced with a good lesson where the pupils might actually learn something. Far better than being sat behind a desk! 9

Keep calm and sharpen your saw! 10