There is a phrase associated with beginning teaching, imparted by experienced teachers to probationers and students just starting out: “Don’t smile ‘til Christmas.” When I began teaching, I found that statement incredibly hard to live up to - after all, the first term is where you set your routines, implement your rules (hopefully in line with school policy) and get to know your learners. Not letting my own style of teaching flourish almost led to my downfall - it felt artificial and unsustainable: I knew my way of engaging learners was linked to my personality, and I would struggle to not be myself in my lessons. This first term is also when you begin to discover what trials and tribulations learners have endured before stepping into your classroom - and it’s where you, as a teacher, create that impact by fostering a nurturing classroom. I’ve always wanted to make my room a haven for learning and a place where learners can speak their minds by encouraging their creativity and passion. I’ve always thought the teacher was the conduit for learning. And yet, when I think back to my own experience as a student, my favourite teacher seemed very strict. There is a disconnect here that I’ve had to revisit time and again as I’ve worked with difficult classes - ones where the students have become so jaded and cynical about their time in school that getting them passionate about anything was an uphill struggle. It used to be the case that this world-weariness appeared in senior classes (especially ones with no set exam, such as National 4) when learners have had a taste of the outside world and just want to be there already. I’m never going to need to know this. I already have a placement. I don’t want to go to college. Yet now, and it might just be me, I see this mindset in younger and younger year groups, to the point where, now, I anticipate my enthusiasm for poetry, reading and creative writing is going to be met with at least one disillusioned student asking “What is the point?” If I channelled my strict teacher persona, I might slam down the conversation and bark “Because it is!” or “You won’t know what you’re missing until it’s gone!” And if I was going full old-school, I might scoff and question their attempt at being cool and iconoclastic, effectively ruining the positive atmosphere I had previously encouraged.
But I wouldn’t be me. Instead, I refer to our learning objectives, link it to DYW and mention that writing, for instance, is a required element of the courses in the senior stages and it would be pretty awesome if they gained confidence working on it now. I plan reward schemes, merits, school trips, even raffle tickets for the most unwilling when they contribute and when my budget allows. However, this takes time, planning and a tireless attitude that could sap even the most eager teacher of their energy.
Stress, workload and disillusionment: huge barriers to happiness.
We are teachers and we are committed. We care about our students and we want the best for them and those breakthroughs. When that one learner comes to your class despite refusing others, or the student agonising about not understanding blurts out a pertinent answer, or an introverted learner lifts their head and speaks with a clear voice as part of a group discussion – that is what keeps us going. These are the little wins - the moments of wonder in a world full of uncertainty.
Our Conduit resources provide opportunities for learning; they’re editable and dyslexia-friendly and aim to meet all our learners’ needs. They’re written by teachers for teachers, but even I admit that some of the resources we produce work on the assumption that your class is already there: that they’re committed, engaged, know where they are going and what they are doing this for. What happens when they’re so fed-up with learning that they don’t want to start the task in the first place? And how do we keep things going when we are feeling fed-up and jaded?
The New Normal
So many ways of working have been affected by Covid. Social distancing meant that we were back to rows of desks rather than groups; no opportunities for classroom movement and discussion, not to mention the difficulty wearing a mask had for both delivering lessons and classroom control. I did not realise how much I used my face for behaviour management, where an encouraging smile can bolster participation or a set face quickly curb poor behaviour. So I changed things up and felt like a Roman Caesar, all thumbs up and mighty flourishes and every day I felt for the learners in front of me. At the pandemic’s height, we did not know if anything would ever be normal again.
This is when I felt the shift: students unwilling to talk to each other unless it’s behind a screen; stakeholders who were so busy holding it together that the notion of just stopping and looking at this world after a pandemic was an alien concept. We have to catch up, we have to fill the gaps, we have to adapt. We were so concerned with getting back in the fray and “normal” again, that we failed to realise that for so many of us, our core values had been shaken.
What Is the Point?
If I think back to my favourite teacher, it wasn’t because he was strict that I adored his classes, it was because he was knowledgeable and funny and understood his learners enough to adapt. He controlled because he entertained our questions and directed our learning at every step. If he could do that, so can I.
We need to help learners – and perhaps ourselves – find that passion again. And we should try to take our time doing so, finding little wins along the way to bolster confidence.
Planning During the course, or even before it begins, you can use our tracker spreadsheets which can be used to evidence learning. Curriculum outlines, such as this resource for National 4 English, rationalise the course for learners, and daily/weekly learning objectives with achievable outcomes all help reduce that uncertainty for students and encourage them as they know their next steps.
Knowing your learners Liaising with previous teachers is a great way to find out about your classes and input from other departments, especially from pastoral and learning support, will aid you in the preparation and delivery of your teaching.
Vary the learning Without variety, things would be very dull indeed. Make sure your activities are ‘chunked’ and provide many ways of learning, to meet all individual needs. A mixture of whole and group discussion, individual work, digital learning and challenging tasks that might feel like a game demonstrate to learners that, by taking risks, asking questions and being a little more ambitious, learning can be fun. In addition, a great classroom is one where the work in class is connected, if possible, to a ‘learning community’ – be it interdisciplinary or with other classes in the department, and shared with stakeholders.
Assessment is ongoing, authentic and never used as punishment. Provide learners with the criteria and vary those opportunities for self, peer and teacher assessment.
varying the types of assessment can ensure all learners have an opportunity to shine.
Learners know their progress Teachers can use many types of feedback to ensure learners know their level(s) and progression so far.
Protect Your Own Way of Being
After 16 years of teaching, I can say with conviction that fostering a positive classroom takes effort, but hopefully once you spot a student working hard on their starter, overhear a conversation related to the task or even an off-task student grudgingly sit back down when you politely ask them to, you will find the encouragement to continue. You must find time away from the chalkface (or whiteboard-face, which is not as glamorous-sounding) and spend time with your family and hobbies, to develop your own curious nature and be well for the next student that tries your patience.
This blog post is an acknowledgment of the hard work you put in. A waving hand saying, “Hello, I see you. I feel that way too.”
At the time of writing this, I am struggling to engage some very cynical S2 learners, and I will be using these pointers to keep at it and find, with gritted teeth, some happier opportunities for excellent learning. And I will, no doubt, begin it all again with future classes. It will just, as the saying goes, take time.
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