My Real First Week Experience as a Student Teacher

5 Things I Had Experienced During My First Week as a Student Teacher

1. Do Students Know You Are a Student Teacher?

Well, that depends.

Absolutely no student has any idea you are a student teacher in your first few weeks of teaching. You may not have any idea on how to teach, but the students do not know that. They just know that every teacher has a different style (or similar). They are used to coming into class and experiencing the student-teacher dynamic.

Do not worry.

However, those were my younger students. I mainly taught 12-16 year old students and once the year came to a close, I suspect the odd student began to cop that I was a student teacher but did not say anything.

2. Staff Room Politics Are REAL

During my first day as a student teacher, the Principal and Deputy Principal sat all of the student teachers in their meeting room (a normal meeting) and explained the staff room politics of this school’s staff room.

I was lucky that the Principal and Deputy Principal were kind enough to disclose this information, not all will.

We were told which tables were filled with positive people and which tables were filled with negative people.

Sit with the positive table! It’s a no brain-er. Surround yourself with people and teacher that you would like to become.

3. Not Every Staff Member Will Give You The Time of Day

This did not even occur to me before I walked into the school. I was incredibly nervous to teach teenagers, but staff room networking was not really on my mind.

Several teachers will probably rarely or never talk to you because you are one of the many student teachers than come and go and will not remain in the school.

Do not take it to heart. It is reality.

Do try make little conversations with those teachers, but do not focus your time or effort on them.

Instead, network with the ‘positive table’ discussed above. It will be much more beneficial for your professional development and mental health.

Many teachers are incredibly friendly and will help you no problem- because that is teacher nature!

4. Schools Are BUSY Places

As a student in secondary school, I had never realised how hectic school life is for Principals, teachers, administration team, care takers… the list is endless!

You probably will rarely speak to your Principal or Deputy Principal. They are ten times more busy than you could probably ever understand. Doing what? I still do not understand either!

Teachers are extremely busy too! Just because they have a ‘free class’, does not mean they have a free class. They are creating lessons and resources, grading homework and exams, running lunch time clubs and after school activities, dealing with misbehaving students, helping other teachers… this list is also endless.

AND this is what you will end up doing too! So take note and observe.

5. Who Really Run The Schools

Yes, the Principal and Deputy Principal and teachers may ensure education is being delivered among other things.

However, the real people who keep the school running are the care taker teams and the administration teams.

Make sure you learn their names immediately because they will save you when the printers are down and when the classroom you are suppose to teach in starting five minutes ago are locked. They are the first people your inspector will come into contact with. Imagine they did not know who you are when they arrive!

Elise-Teaches.com