Your Teach First Journey Begins This September: What to Expect & How to Thrive
So, the confirmation email landed, the celebrations happened (maybe a few nervous moments too!), and now the reality is setting in: you’re starting with Teach First this September. That first day, walking into your new school, feels like a huge milestone. It’s a potent mix of excitement, anticipation, and yes, probably a healthy dose of butterflies. You’re embarking on something truly significant – not just starting a new job, but stepping into a role that impacts young lives and tackles educational inequality head-on. Let’s talk about what those first few weeks and months might look like and how you can hit the ground running.
The Final Countdown: Pre-September Prep
Before you even set foot in the classroom, there’s groundwork to do. Use the weeks leading up to September wisely:
1. Logistics Lockdown: Ensure all your paperwork is sorted – DBS checks, qualifications verified, contracts signed. Know your exact start date, reporting time, and who your main point of contact is at the school and Teach First. Sort out your commute – do a practice run!
2. Connect and Absorb: Attend any pre-term induction days offered by your school or Teach First. These are goldmines for meeting key staff (your mentor, department head, SLT link), understanding school policies, and getting a feel for the culture. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if they feel basic.
3. Scout Your Territory: If possible, visit the school site again. Find your classroom(s), the staffroom, the photocopier (crucial!), the toilets, and the office. Familiarity breeds confidence.
4. Gear Up (Mindfully): You don’t need a teacher’s entire wardrobe on day one, but think about practical, professional attire. Invest in comfortable shoes – you’ll be on your feet a lot. Start gathering essential stationery. Check if the school has specific requirements.
5. Mindset Matters: Remind yourself why you chose Teach First. Revisit your passion for making a difference. Acknowledge the nerves – they’re normal! Visualise positive interactions and successful moments. This journey is as much about your growth as it is about the pupils’.
Week One: The Immersion Begins
Your first week is less about teaching full lessons and more about observation, orientation, and building vital relationships.
Meet Your People: Your mentor is your lifeline. Build that relationship fast. Introduce yourself to everyone – department colleagues, support staff (TAs, admin, site team – they are invaluable!), and senior leaders. Smile, be approachable, show genuine interest.
Observe, Observe, Observe: Shadow your mentor and other experienced teachers. Don’t just watch what they teach, watch how they teach. Notice routines, behaviour management strategies, questioning techniques, and how they build rapport. Take copious notes.
Understand the Ecosystem: Dive into the school’s behaviour policy, curriculum documents for your subject and year groups, marking policies, and safeguarding procedures. Know these inside out – they’re your framework.
Meet Your Classes: You’ll likely be introduced to your tutor group and possibly observe your future classes. Start learning names immediately – it makes a massive difference. Pay attention to the dynamics and individual needs.
The Staffroom: Find your spot (it might be temporary!), make a cup of tea, and engage in the chat. It’s a hub of informal support and information. Listen more than you speak initially.
Absorb the Culture: Every school has its own unique rhythm, traditions, and unwritten rules. Pay attention to how things operate – break times, assemblies, staff meetings. Flexibility is key.
Finding Your Feet: The First Half-Term
As you gradually take on more teaching responsibility (often starting with parts of lessons or small groups), the reality of the challenge intensifies. This is where resilience truly kicks in.
Planning Power: Planning will consume significant time initially. Collaborate closely with your department. Use existing resources as a springboard but adapt them. Focus on clear learning objectives and engaging activities. Don’t reinvent the wheel every night! Teach First’s training programme will provide frameworks.
Behaviour: The Constant Learning Curve: Managing classroom behaviour is often the steepest learning curve. Be consistent, apply the school’s policy fairly, build routines, and focus on positive reinforcement. Your mentor and colleagues are your best sources of advice – share challenges openly. Reflect on what works and what doesn’t.
Marking Marathon: Understand the school’s expectations. Is it deep marking every book, focused feedback, verbal feedback stamps? Develop efficient systems early. Prioritise quality feedback that helps pupils progress over covering every page in red pen.
Workload Wrangling: It will feel overwhelming. This is normal for any new teacher, amplified by the challenging contexts Teach First operates in. Be ruthless with prioritisation. What must be done today? What can wait? Use your planner/calendar religiously. Learn to say “no” or “not right now” to non-essential tasks when your plate is overflowing. Protect your wellbeing – schedule downtime and stick to it.
Embrace the Training: Your Teach First training sessions are not an add-on; they’re core support. Engage fully, share your experiences (good and bad), and apply the strategies discussed. The network of other participants is an incredible source of shared understanding and solidarity – lean on them.
Celebrate Tiny Wins: Did a tricky pupil engage for five minutes? Did a lesson activity work better than expected? Did you finally remember all the names in Tutor Group 7B? Acknowledge and celebrate these small victories. They fuel you through the tougher days.
Thriving, Not Just Surviving: Key Mindsets
Beyond the practicalities, your mindset is your most powerful tool:
Be a Learner, Always: You are training on the job. You will make mistakes. View every lesson, every interaction, as a learning opportunity. Seek feedback actively and non-defensively. Reflect daily – what went well? What would I change? Why?
Compassion is Core: Remember the context. Many pupils face significant barriers. Approach them with empathy, patience, and unconditional positive regard. Building trust takes time.
Resilience is Built, Not Given: There will be tough days, moments of doubt, and times you feel out of your depth. This doesn’t mean you’re failing; it means you’re growing. Draw on your support network (mentor, colleagues, Teach First, fellow participants, friends, family). Practice self-compassion.
Focus on Impact, Not Perfection: You won’t be the “finished article” teacher by October – no one expects you to be. Focus on making a positive difference, however small, each day. Celebrate the moments you connect with a pupil or spark their curiosity.
You Are Not Alone: The Teach First community – your cohort, alumni, the support staff – is vast. Reach out. Share the struggles and the successes. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
September: Just the Launchpad
Starting with Teach First this September is the exhilarating, daunting beginning of an extraordinary journey. It will test you, stretch you, and ultimately transform you. The first term is about laying foundations: building relationships, understanding your school, grasping the core routines, and beginning to find your voice in the classroom. Embrace the messiness, the learning curves, and the incredible privilege of working with young people in communities where great teachers are needed most. Take it one day, sometimes one lesson, at a time. Be kind to yourself, lean on your support, and hold onto the passion that brought you here. Your journey to becoming an impactful teacher, and making a tangible difference, starts now. Welcome aboard.
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