Gtp Help And Advice Needed

[Guest]

I am an unqualified teacher currently working towards the GTP route. I have my own class ® but have some team teaching time with my mentor and also non contact time which my mentor has filled with a programme for me to follow.

 

My mentor has drawn up a training plan which covers what I need to do each week. I am just wondering what other have in their plans. I really dont want time out of my class to work with other teachers esp in the nursery, I also have to keep a reflective diary, which is soo time consuming as well as the usual lesson plans and work on portfolio.

 

She has also asked me to match the points in hte plan against the standards and I really dont know where to begin.

 

I am feeling somewhat overwhelmed at the moment, is it always like this? How do you juggle full class repsonsibility with all these things? I really dont want any more confrontations with my mentor, we had a few last term, but Im not convinced she understands how difficult it all is.

 

Advice appreciated.

[Sue R]

While I can't say much on your actual training, not being a Teacher, I would strongly advise you to keep your Reflective Diary. I started one when I was training, and still use it today - obviously not the same physical thing!! -, they can be really helpful , allowing you to revisit your own learning journey, giving insights as to how you have approached things before...Invaluable, in my opinion.

 

Please try to remember, your Mentor probably only wants to bring out your strengths, so may feel this is well within your capabilities. After all, Mentors are usually chosen for their skills and experience. I'm sure that soon you will be fine - it's early days, after all

 

Sue

[Susan]

Hi Aquarius

Sorry to hear that you feel overwhelmed at the moment. Im sure there are many teachers out there who feel abit like that and that many of us will empathise with you too. The beginning of the Autumn term is always a difficult time as we learn to know the children in our classes and start from scratch with rules and routines etc.

 

I have no experience of the GTP and it is many years since I was a student but I do remember the difficulties and workoad that teaching experience brought. I also remember the difference when the class was mine and I was the teacher!! Teaching has changed dramatically over the years and we are no longer stuck within 4 walls as the only adult and every teacher needs to reflective and flexible within their practise. Every teacher has their own style and I am sure that team teaching will allow you to develop yours. What a wonderful position you are in to be able to watch someone else teach and draw on their skills with a group of children that you both know. Its very important especially in early years to have an understanding too of where the children have come from and where they are going to. Many of us would benefit from those experiences and have to fight to be released to visit another setting or another classroom. Make the most of the time that you are offered and the support that your mentor can give you. I am sure that she only wants what is best for you, after all the school are investing alot in you and in your training and you sound very lucky to have been taken on in advance too.

 

Good luck.

[Guest]

Dear Aquarius

I am so sorry for all of the problems you are having. I have been a mentor a couple of times for teachers with class responsibility. Your school should be receiving about £15000 for you this year, to be used for your training, and getting in a substitute etc. to give you non-contact time. They also receive about £2000 to free your mentor to spend about an hour a week helping you with all of this. If you need and don't get this try speaking to your external mentor from the consortium/ university .

The paper work is needed for evidence - its a bit like going to court and you have to provide evidence for all of the standards. The volume of work required is ridiculous but that is why you need extra time.

I hope you enjoy the course, learn a lot and find it worthwhile.

Ruthanne

[Guest]

Hi Aquarius

I totally agree with Susan. It sounds to me as if your mentor is actually doing a very thorough job. Teacher training is MUCH MUCH harder than the job itself because of the sheer volume of work needed to jump through all the hoops. If we worked like that all the time we would burn out!

Having said that, it's really important to try and manage your time carefully and to ensure you are not doubling up on things (for example, you may be able to cross-reference the same evidence to more than one standard). I take it you do have a copy of the standards?

I'm sure everything will work out fine. Keep us posted and keep smiling through!!!

[Guest]

Hello! Having done the GTP route the year before last, I can completely understand where you're coming from; the diary thing seems like such a waste of time when you already have a mountain of paperwork to contend with. However, I did get to almost enjoy my 'daily evaluations' and 'lesson evaluations' (are you doing both?), though the DEs did stop during the summer term. I often found them to be useful in really focusing my thoughts for a particular session; you often think you've got a handle on how everything & everyone is doing during the lesson, but by the next day or so it can have gone completely from your mind. I found doing the evaluations reguarly made me find the time to stop & think about everything.

 

What I used to do, regarding the standards, was to put a couple of objectives for me on the lesson plans (aswell as the ones for the children), then at the end of my evaluation I'd have a sub-heading: Learning Objectives, then list each one in turn explaining why I had or hadn't met the objective during this particular lesson. I hope this makes sense, & I hope it relates to what you were asking.

 

On a personal level, my experience was that I had a great Autumn term, then hit an all time low at half term during the Spring term. I somehow bounced back & had a great summer term, really enjoying my class. It is hard work, there is no getting away from it, but just remember that you can ease off the paperwork once you're qualified, &, depending on what your mentor suggests, perhaps even sooner - mine gave me much more slack during the summer term.

 

Feel free to contact me directly if you want to know anything else about my GTP experience!

[Guest]

thankyou everyone that has helped to put my mind at rest that its quite a normal workload for this course. My mentor is very thorough and she has spent a lot of time with me this week, and I do feel a bit better about managing it all.

 

It just seems so hard with a class of reception children to manage too.

[Guest]

me again.

I have had a somewhat rocky relationship with my mentor and at times Ive been frustrated at what she asked me to do when I cant see the point. We have, or so I thought, developed a better working relationship since I last posted and I thought things were going better.

 

However I do appreciate her expertise, but Im getting into a panic because she is off work at the moment. I have been told that when she returns to work she wants to give up mentoring me, and I am devastated. There isnt anyone else at the school who can take on this job and I don't undertsand why she is doing this. My headteacher has given me strict instructions not to phone her at home and discuss this but I feel I need to know why? Would it be unprofessional for me to call her? I think Im entitled to an explanation. I am very worried that this will jeopardise my course.

 

What should I do?

thanks

[Susan]

hi,

if your headteacher has told you not to phone your mentor then you must not do so or you could find yourself facing disciplinary proceedings. The person to talk to is your head.

 

I am sure that if your mentor has come to this decision it will be for very good reasons and could be due to things beyond her control. However as you have admitted things have not always been easy, could it be that your mentor does not share your opinion that things have improved between you?

You say that you can not always see the point in what you asked to do but I am sure that she would not be asking you to do pointless things. She will be wanting to make you the best teacher that you can be, it is I believe, quite an investment training a teacher on the route that you have taken and you should be learning from her. Your school will want you to be successful to validate their choices and will not have asked anyone to mentor you who does not know what they are about. Perhaps your mentor feels that you have both walked as far as you can together if you are not amenable to her help?

 

I understand how disappointed and frustrated you must feel at the moment and I hope that you can get this sorted to everyones satisfaction.

[Guest]

Hi Susan, I do agree that perhaps phoning isnt a good idea, so i thought I might send her an email instead. I need to know why as I feel very unjustly treated and my Head isnt really saying much.

 

 

However, I dont agree when you say Im not amenable to her help. I have tried to do everything she has asked of me even though I often dont agree with it, and am not afraid to say so.

My argument has alwasy been that the head decided I was good enough to be employed in the classroom as unqualified, why do Ihave to jump through all these hoops just because my mentor say so. And she had the heads backing 100% so cant even go to the Head about that and say its unfair what she is asking me to do. Now she is dropping me just like that and leaving me in the lurch I dont know where I stand. I am really fed up with it beacuse I am a good teacher and I feel like Im always having to prove myself when I think its actually the other way round, and I have questioned my mentors competance on more than one occaion. What can I do?

[Susan]

Hi toothfairy,

I dont know whether you are amenable or not, it was a suggestion that occurred to me from reading your posts if you are having problems. Not an accusation!

 

It is hard being a student on TP so I imagine it is hard for you too but I am sure your mentor is not incompetent. IF she is off work, she is presumably sick at the moment and perhaps she has not been feeling 100% for a while. Teaching is a very demanding job and can be 1000 times worse when you are ill, as I know from experience.

 

I am sure your mentor would appreciate a friendly email wishing her well but please be careful if you have been told not to phone her about this.

No doubt you will get more explanation with time.

 

I hope this sorts out for you. Good luck.

[Guest]

yes Susan I apreciate it wasnt an accusation!

 

Im just very upset that I seem to be singled out here as the one who is in the wrong. I dont understand why my mentor has let me down, al I think I have a right to know at least what I am supposed to have done.

 

Yes I know my mentor is having a tough time following a long illness and now a family tragedy but I also know that the fact she has been asked to step down as FSCo also convinces me that Im not the only one who is questioning her ability to do her job. Perhaps she was in the past but she is obviously past it now and Im the one suffering because of it. Its time people stopped pussy footing around and just told her!

 

I dont mean to sound harsh but I do have to get through my training and if the school cant identify anyone else to do it, I dont know where I stand.

[Steve]

toothfairy - I think you're right to be worried about your course, but I don't think there is any point in concentrating on your mentor. If she is ill and off work and if she has asked to be relieved of the responsibility of mentoring you, you would be better off spending your time talking to your college.

 

What timescales are involved in your course, and are you in contact with the course organisers?

[Helen]

Hi Toothfairy,

A very difficult situation for you, I can see that.

I have lots of questions, largely because I don't understand how the program you're on works. If you have time to answer them, maybe more members might be able to help you....

* How can an unqualified person be given their own class? Is it because they will be very closely supervised and helped to develop their expertise, or is this cheap labour?! In other words, is the class getting one qualified teacher and one unqualified?

* What current support do you get from your college? Any seminars/workshops/visits to your school from tutors, etc?

* Have you had a staff appraisal, completed by your line manager or head? What were the outcomes in terms of your strengths and areas for improvement?

* If the school made an agreement to you and to your college to provide you with a mentor, then they are surely obliged to find an alternative if your present one is unable to continue, for whatever reason? Have you made a good professional relationship with another member of staff in your school whom you could approach?

 

Do get back to us, and we'll try to help you work things out.

 

oooh, one more thing. When you mentioned earlier about having to jump through hoops.....what sort of hoops did you mean?

[Jester]

My argument has alwasy been that the head decided I was good enough to be employed in the classroom as unqualified, why do Ihave to jump through all these hoops just because my mentor say so. And she had the heads backing 100% so cant even go to the Head about that and say its unfair what she is asking me to do. Now she is dropping me just like that and leaving me in the lurch I dont know where I stand. I am really fed up with it beacuse I am a good teacher and I feel like Im always having to prove myself when I think its actually the other way round, and I have questioned my mentors competance on more than one occaion. What can I do?

 

Unfortunately we all have to jump through these hoops. Your mentor has hoops to jump through re your training and your head has hoops to jump through for being a head.

 

Really it doesnt seem to end!

 

I do think you need to chat with your head about your concerns and what can you do to make things better.