One of the most exciting times during your teacher education experience in Scotland is finding out which school you will be going to for a placement.
Your mind will be full of questions. How far will I have to commute? What are the pupils like? Will I be welcomed into the department? What clothes should I wear? How do I teach? Everyone on your course will be having the same thoughts.
The school you are allocated to is based on your home postcode and will be allocated by the local authority. Once you have your school, you can do a bit of research to find out more. Have a look at the school’s website. What values does it promote? What is the catchment area? The school website may have a staff list, so if you are going to a secondary, you can get an idea of how big the department is.
Connecting with the school
Your university tutor will probably encourage you to make contact with the school. Getting in touch with the school will help you get to know a bit about it and your new colleagues before you start. Your school may be able to share your timetable and classes with you as well as details of your school-based mentor. You may get the opportunity to pop in for a visit. Contacting your school also allows you to demonstrate your commitment to making the best possible start to your placement.
Make sure to plan your journey for the first day. The last thing you need when starting a placement is to be late and stressed out. If you’re unfamiliar with where the school is, do a trial run to check how long it will take (and remember it may take longer during the morning rush hour).
What to wear? I would encourage you to err on the side of being too smart rather than too casual, especially on day one. (I found investing in non-iron clothing to be a life-changing experience.)
When you start at the school (or pop in for a visit beforehand), it’s natural to be nervous. However, try to give as good a first impression as possible - don’t forget to smile. You will probably be bombarded with information, so take down notes if you need to.
At first, you’ll be in classes observing. Take this time to get to know the pupils you’ll be teaching, learn their names, build relationships and help them when they are working on tasks. Learning pupils’ names is important, and if you have all or most of them committed to memory before you start teaching the class, it’ll be helpful.
Observing teachers
At first, you’ll spend your time observing the usual teacher(s) taking the classes you will have, but gradually you will take on the planning and teaching for these classes. Make sure you actively observe the teacher. Look at how they interact with pupils, how they give instructions, how they begin and end lessons or activities. What do they do that you can use in your own teaching?
If you have concerns about pupil behaviour, you’re not alone - it’s a common concern for student teachers and an issue that has had much attention in Scotland. Hopefully, your university will have given you some input on behaviour management and your new colleagues will be able to share strategies. Make sure, too, that you read the school’s behaviour policy.
You may also have read about issues regarding increasing numbers of pupils with additional support needs in Scotland. Take the time to reflect on what you experience. Does it match what you have read? How does it link to what you have learned at university? What strategies can you use to ensure you support and challenge all the pupils in your class? How do your values influence your expectations of pupils?
You’ll be introduced to lots of new people when you start at your placement school. Try to remember your new colleagues’ names - including their teacher names. Many a time I’ve managed to learn new colleagues’ first names, only to be asked by a pupil, “Do you know where Mr McLaren is?”. “Errr - do you know his first name?” is probably not the best response to give.
Make sure you’re aware of the locations of lessons, what resources are available and when your mentor is available to provide support. Crucially, whatever the issue, don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Most of all, be enthusiastic - and enjoy.
Dr Colin McGill is an associate professor in teacher education at Edinburgh Napier University
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