Just less than two years ago I was on my main teaching practice. Like other student teachers, I had my fair share of ups and downs. I’d like to share ten tips that I think student teachers would do well to read and take on board…

It would be great if people could add any tips they might have for student teachers below in the comments section! :D

1. Be confident: it doesn’t matter if you didn’t quite finish planning the lesson to perfection – the pupils don’t know that! You are the teacher and the person in charge – 80% of communication is through body language, so if you get this right you’re nearly there! Stand in confident postures and be assertive.

2. Be yourself: perhaps the greatest trap student teachers fall into is trying to emulate their mentor or another teacher whom they respect. Sooner or later you have to develop your own teaching style. Yes, this can have elements that you borrow from others’ teaching but, in essence, teaching practice is just that – practising different ways of teaching to find a way that suits you and which maximizes the learning of your pupils.

3. Don’t be yourself: on the other hand, you’ve got to be a magnified, ‘larger’ version of yourself. Teaching is a bit like acting – we’ve got to pretend to be more offended by remarks and behaviour than perhaps we are, and more impressed than you actually are when pupils produce a piece of work of which they are proud. In everyday life we can afford to be unsure about things – and there’s a place for this in teaching – but most of the time, be definite and assertive.

4. Smile for a reason: yes, you want pupils to like you – it’s human nature to seek affirmation from others. However, given the power of teacher praise and criticism, make sure there’s a reason for beaming at a pupil. Smiling at a pupil who’s just ‘playing’ you regarding behaviour isn’t going to lead to a good working relationship. Make clear what is acceptable and unacceptable in your classroom through non-verbal cues.

5. Praise good attitudes: as difficult as it may be, praise what pupils are doing well and either tactically ignore or – if serious enough – sanction pupils who haven’t got the attitude you expect in your classroom. Whilst you’re teaching it is your classroom – whilst a collaborative atmosphere is what you are aiming for, those who aren’t ‘playing ball’ need to come back into line.

6. Perfectionism != good: you can’t be a perfectionist in the teaching profession and not get burnt out. Trust me. Spend the precious little time you’ve got (less when you get a full timetable) doing things that matter. Tweaking the font on the worksheet, in the whole scheme of things, doesn’t really matter. Put things in perspective!

7. Use resources to hand: scour the Internet and develop your own resource, by all means. But don’t spend forever trying to re-invent the wheel. If the department you’re in has a resource which you’re 90% happy with, either use it (they’ve obviously been happy with it) or cannibalise it so that you can add the 10% to make it great. Don’t spend too long on resources. It’s teaching that makes the difference, not pieces of paper and flashy Powerpoint animations…

8. Keep reading: you have to produce those university assignments for a reason. There’s a proven link between teacher effectiveness and continuing professional development. That’s not to say that you always have to read dry academic journals. There’s lots of websites, magazines and more accessible journals which provide real, pedagogically-sound advice for making a difference in the classroom. Get in the habit of reading more than just what is recommended to you on a course.

9. Keep it real: always remember why you wanted to become a teacher in the first place. It wasn’t, I’m sure, to prove you can create amazing resources; it wasn’t to gain the respect of colleagues; it wasn’t to shout at children. For 95% of teachers, they entered the profession because they want to make a positive difference to the life of young people. Keep that at the forefront of your mind whilst you’re teaching and planning. If what you’re doing doesn’t match up with this goal, then question why you are doing it!

And finally…

10. Be consistent: probably the most important thing you can remember when dealing with impressionable young people, many of whom may not have a stable home life. If you say x will be followed by y, make sure it does. Even if, for example, a pupil who has earned himself a detention in the first part of a lesson works hard in the second half, don’t let them off. Praise the good behaviour/attitude, certainly, but the key is consistency – if you’ve said you’ve put them in detention, that’s exactly where they should end up.

Has anyone any more top tips to share? :p