Guest Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Hi to you both, just thought I would say Hello and wish Mozart luck for her new job, are you starting soon? Well I have survived a few weeks as a CC teacher and each week it gets a bit easier. I have had real school withdrawal and every time I go near a school, any school I feel like rushing into Foundation and shouting "I need to teach" The people at the centre are all very friendly and the other 5 new teachers in the LA are great and we have bonded well as a group. Still not sure if this is really the role for me but it is still very early days Bex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Oooh, I got so excited when my name was in the title for a thread! Well done on surviving your first few weeks! It really is a big change from "traditional" teaching isn't it? I know of several people who reacted in exactly the same way and actually in the end went back into teaching because they were missing having their own group of children. Another common feeling is one of considering that you're useless at managing your time and not achieving much as a result - I for one had that one! As you say, each week gets easier and it is a role that you really have to give yourself time to grow into. Don't underestimate how long it takes to develop effective working relationships with the other people in the Centre - those endless meetings that you're probably having are so importnat for that so don't feel disheartened if you come out of them with no concrete action plan for things - it's the process that is important, not the end product...where've I heard that before?? There is no blueprint - you might have gathered that already? Every Centre is managed differently, every Centre has different priorities and ways of working and every Centre has different "gaps" that an early years teacher might be able to lend their experience to in order to "plug". In my last CCT position I finally decided that the best approach for me was to identify projects that I felt I could make a useful input into and make a quality difference rather than jump in to lead every project that seemed to have an "educational" slant. Luckily the management supported that approach and invited me to be a part of a diverse range of projects. That enabled me to be hands-on quite a lot of the time. In my present job, my approach is different as I AM part of the management and I can see that I'm going to have to start from scratch again to carve out my role. The role is such a good opportunity for you to fully embrace the multi-disciplinary approach to meeting the needs of babies, children and families. I have learnt SOOOO much from the other professionals that I work with. But it does mean climbing right out of your "education" box in order to fully vlaue everyone else's opinions and contributions. Keep posting here - tell us some more about what you've done in the first few weeks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 I'm really interested in this thread because although we have Children's Centres in our Borough, none of them offer childcare. So our Centres have a very different raison d’être - would love to visit an 'all singing, all dancing' Children's Centre to see what goes on! Keep posting, Bex and let us know how you get on as you get used to your new role. Or you could start a blog if you haven't got one already! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 well done Bex hope it goes well for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 great to hear from you- have been thinking about you and wondering how it was going. I have 3 weeks left in school, but think my role might be smewhat different to yours- seem to be as many different roles as there are teachers in CCs!- as I will be part time in the attached Nursery school and so I will have my own class of morning children, certainly up until the summer, when it will be reviewed again. Early days as you say I suppose it takes ages to find your feet.Good luck and keep in touch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Hi All Thanks for all your wise words, our CC has not got daycare on site, i think I thought there would be and that was a real shock on my first week I kept thinking "Where are the children???" We run stay and play sessions and have great creche which is used for a variety of courses etc. I aim to go into most stay and play sessions and work with parents and children. I have been out into the neighbourhood to visit all the LA preschools in our catchment who I will be working with offering advice and support to staff. I have started to plan for my input with children who are in the creche (while parents on a course) for the next 10 weeks and I will, after Easter, be running early start for children who will be starting to school in September while a family learning tutor works with the parents then we all get together for lunch and more activities. I found out this week that I will be going into our 2 local schools to work with F2 children. So my diary is filling up and I am getting used to the shift or am I.... only time will tell! Bex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mrs Tiggy Winkle Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Hi Bex - I too have just started as a QT in a CC and ours doesn't have on site childcare either, although we do have a link setting. I am working with various groups too and still trying to get a handle on what I'm doing when, where , who with, and how!! I am really enjoying it - I like the variety and working with a range of other professionals - all coming from a different angle, but all working together for the good of the children. It is definitely a totally different experience to classroom teaching! I'm glad it's going well for you and I'm sure things will all become clear in the fullness of time... at least that's what I keep telling myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I have been out into the neighbourhood to visit all the LA preschools in our catchment who I will be working with offering advice and support to staff. That was on my "to do" list at my last CC - I was there for three years and didn't manage a single visit!! Just one example of how each role is different! The early start stuff sounds really good - we did some similar sessions in the summer but just for parents, there was no real input for the children. I think I might suggest that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts