How To Keep Organised in your Primary NQT Year
As the start of the school year approaches, many NQTs will be feeling daunted at the thought of being in charge of their own class. Planning is the most important way to keep on top of things, so try some of our tips to keep your stress levels down and make your NQT year as successful as possible.
Write it down
As basic as it may sound, you will have so much information thrown at you within the first few weeks of your NQT year that it will be impossible to remember it all. Getting into the habit of writing everything- and we mean everything-down will go a long way to helping you keep on top of things. Make lists of everything: what you have planned for each lesson, each day, each week and each term; and keep track of what you learn about your class to make things easier for yourself when it comes to writing reports at the end of term. Whether you use a notepad, a word doc or even an app such as Evernote, sometimes writing things down can help to prevent you from feeling overwhelmed, as you no longer have to keep everything in your head.
Use a planner
A calendar is the best way to help you keep track of events. There is something about being able to visualise the week, month, and term ahead that can really help you to focus. Teachit Primary have just launched a year planner for the 2017-18 school year which includes relevant events such as Roald Dahl Day and World Space Week as well as seasonal holidays and religious festivals. The PDF planner includes links to relevant resources for each featured event which is useful for lesson planning. You can also add your own important dates and print it out to display on your classroom wall.
Regular prep sessions
With no two days ever the same in a Primary school classroom, you will often find that there are times when you start the day, then blink and suddenly find that it’s 3pm before you know it. With such busy days it is hard to find time to think, let alone plan lessons for the following day. While a ‘little and often’ approach can be helpful if you are pushed for time, ideally you should spend some time at the start of each week prepping for the next few days. Taking dedicated time to sit down and plan ahead can help take the stress out of your week, and you will be glad that you took the time.
