Panicing And Getting Depressed About Teaching

[Guest]

hi im new to this discussion and thought id say hello.

 

iv just started a new job in reception in the spring term, iv only got 10 children which is nice, but as an NQT im panicing about everything.

 

iv got to hand in my medium term planning of literacy and numeracy this friday and all iv ever done in the past is print of the plans from the lit and num website. if anyone goes into more detail in thei medium term plannign for literacy and numeracy could they please post them on the site for me to just get the idea from.

 

and with the each work from the objectives and for example for lit each week i would look at the objectives and find books (which at the min i dont know what iv got available to me) each week and plan around these medium term objectives each week.

 

i feel so under pressure and feel i need more support and help with planning frommy tutor

 

am i as an NQT allowed to ask my tutor to help with a weeks planning make to make sure im doing it properly?

 

ive had to sort out my classroom as well which has been interesting, (it was a store room) which has taken me ages im just feelign like im way out of my depth. thank you

 

gemma

[Guest]

Hello Gemma, welcome to the forum.

 

Sorry to hear you are so stressed, I am sure someone who works in reception will be along very soon to help ( I'm preschool ).

 

I find that Just writing it all done alleviates the burdon a little.

 

You sound like you've done very well so far transforming a store cupboard into a classroom.

 

The last thing you should feel is to be on your own out there, that is why this is such a good forum, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

try and take a deep breath and tackle one thing at a time.

 

Good luck, I am sure you will be enjoying your job quite soon, when you have had time to settle and make your mark.

 

I look forward to hearing how it all goes.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Hey Gemma, first of all, please don't panic. Everyone goes through this and the site is very supportive - I know coz I have had to go through many issues recently too.

 

What I'll do with this message is attach the MTP that I've used this half term. I got it from a website where there is a bank of them available but I can't find it at the minute, but tweeked it slightly for me - I promise to send it as soon as I can. The MTP covers the ELGs I aim to focus on this half term - taking into account that most things are covered all the time anyway! It's best to show you are focusing in on them. Some schools want links to the NLS and NNS and expect MTPs from them, but I'm lucky enough to have a head who very much supports working away from those and being more concerned with where my children are.

 

Check out www.literacymatters.com (or co.uk) to find STPs and MTPs on specific books - they also link directly to the NLS so you could hypothetically download them and print them off - obviously making them your own in the process - gives you a framework to work on. I prefer the MTP format that I'm sending you as it is more Early Years focused rather than strategy. It also breaks the Lit and Num into the smaller areas found in the CLL and MD areas for learning - this is something you could argue in your school i.e. the areas of learning that are broken down into ELGs are better catered for if they are worked through on your MTPs rather than working towards a different set of objectives. Hope this helps.

 

Don't be afraid to ask for help - I'm around a lot - you could even email or send me a PM if you need to - am in Reception too so wouldn't mind guiding you through bits and bats where possible!!!

 

Good luck for Friday - and try not to worry - leave that to when you have a full class of 30

Spring_1.doc

[Guest]

Hi Gemma,

 

Sorry to hear you're feeling so pressurised. I'm sure things will get easier.

 

My daughter qualified as a teacher not so long ago so I saw her go through it! When you say tutor, do you mean mentor or the person who assesses your NQT year? Because I would advise you to develop your relationship with the mentor if possible.You should have a mentor for your NQT year, I think? I'm sure you can run things like this past your mentor, and if they're a good one you should get support there. Don't be afraid to ask if you need help - it sounds like you're still in your induction stage so can't be expected to know how it's all done yet.

 

And as Peggy & Gater have said, you'll get loads of support on here!

[Sue R]

Gemma,

 

Welcome and thanks for posting. I have nothing useful to add, being a Nursery Nurse, but want to let you know I'll be thinking about you - there's a wealth of wisdom and friendly folk here, so don't suffer alone!! You'll soon be posting your own support for others, I'm sure!

 

Take care and let us know how you go on,

 

Sue

[Susan]

Hi Gemma and welcome!

i am sorry that you are finding the planning so overwhelming but I thinbk that you should be being supported in school by your mentor and/or your foundation coordinator.

 

As an ex FS co-ord, I did not expect any of my team to be planning on their own. You should also have been given some guidelines by your school as how to approach this. Please do not be afraid to ask for help in school and a time extension to get this paperwork completed. You sound as if you have been very busy getting your classroom set up and however small your class you will be exhausted at the end of the day. You must pace yourself if you are not to burn out.

 

You need guidance and support from the literacy coordinator and FS coord to choose your big books, there may even be a dedicated reception selection? These could be chosen in the week prior to you using them to spread the load.

 

Please dont try and do everything at once and dont despair. Planning can be a daunting task for even the experienced! And dont forget to keep asking questions here!

 

Good luck.

[Guest]

Hi Gemma

 

I'm been an NQT mentor for the past 3 years. For the first year, and this year, I've worked in the same FS unit as the NQT, which worked brilliantly because I was always on hand when she needed some advice and we planned together as a matter of course.

 

However, on the year I wasn't in the same room as the NQT it was much more difficult because you're so busy with your own planning and class (we were in different year groups) etc and you know what it's like - you often just meet in corridoors. BUT!!! Although I often worried I wasn't giving the NQT as much time as she needed, I would ALWAYS have made more time fro her if she asked for some help with something in particular.

 

I'm sure your mentor's the same - so just ask. If not, you can always reply on people on here!

 

Kelly

[Guest]

Welcome to the forum Gemma - as everyone else has said, although it's difficult, try not to panic and become too bogged down. I would agree that you need to develop a good relationship with your mentor. Mentors are there to support and most are only too willing to talk things through and clarify things for you. My mtp follows the same format as Gater's, though I also put in the NNS grid which sets out week by week the area to be covered for each week (taken straight from the strategy - Section 3 ps. 3-5) but I don't add any more detail - this is covered in my weekly planning. I find the grid helps me break things down into a specific focus, though more things are going on during topic type work.

 

Good luck - and don't worry about asking for any help here. The ideas and support you'll find here is FANTASTIC

 

Harricroft

[Guest]

Hi Gemma,

 

Just wanted to let you know that you are not alone in how you feel. Just a year ago I was in your position and felt as if I was floundering and failing- I couldn't see any light at the end. It was the planning side that really stressed me too as I had no formal foundation planning input on my PGCE. Just know that in just a few months it will all become clear and now, a year on, I am still learning, but I feel happier and more confident about the planning I do.

Much the same as the other posts, I do a MTP topic planner covering the ELG's, also a MTP literacy anf numeracy plan linking to the strategies (only because it is expected in my specific school)

So keep going and good luck. Things WILL get better..This forum was my sanity and saviour!!

take care

A x

[Guest]

hi gemma her.

just want to say thank you all very much i subscribed to theis forum just before i started and its been such a help, with resources and to just see that everyone has problems.

 

iv calmed down a lot since i posted this, got my head round it which i think you need to do, i had a bit of support from my mentor its all a bit confusing for me as i have a (main) mentor (year one teacher) the head as a tutor and the deputy head is something too. bit confusing.

 

just slowing and down and taking one strp at a time is helping

 

my fella, unfortunately has no idea, you always get that why are you moaning about a job you love? . . . well true, but im just so stressed and tired i just need someone to tell me im doing ok. also making comments like youve only got 10 i hate that, i still am responsible for the childrens learning. and still have to make sure they cover everything.

 

anyway thanks for everything

 

gemma

[Guest]

Hi Gemma,

 

I was an NQT myself last year in reception and found myself in the same dilema as you - not sure what the school would expect from me for a medium term plan. Luckily for me my mentor was the head of foundation stage and nursery teacher and very helpful and approachable so she helped me to develop my planning and we worked together to find a format that suited both of us and our children. Like a previous reply said (sorry can't remember names!) we plan for all the areas of learning in our medium term plan and don't complete seperate literacy and numeracy medioum term plans. Last year, however I did complete weekly literacy and numeracy plans if they will be any help to you?

 

This year we have just begun using Jolly Phonics which I would highly recommend - in our class the children learn approximately 2-3 sounds a week (depending upon difficulty) and learn an action and rhyme to accompany the sounds. we have found this to be very sucessful and the children are remembering the sounds and are able to write them also. We are currently working on long vowel sounds and blends (something we didn't do till summer term last year). I have a medium term pacer for phonics which contains phonics 'inputs' there are two per day as my nursery nurse takes a group out for a seperate input - we found this helped the children to focus more and enabled differentiation. The activities that arent focusing on learning a jolly phonics sound are taken from 'Playing with sounds - a suppliment to progression in phonics' - very good resource (order from dfes website i think) You could copy cut and paste these into your weekly plans for your word level work?

As a previous post stated 'Literacy Matters' is a very good site - I found this invaluable during teaching practise but like you said it is very difficult to complete a medium term plan when you don't know what books the school has!!

 

Sorry this reply was so long! if you want me to email you my weekly lit and numeracy plans I would be very happy to and good luck! Im sure your mentor will help you plan if you ask. Hope the attachment works

Foundation_Stage_Medium_Term_Pacer_Phonics_2006_2.doc

[Guest]

Sorry incase you read the plans and think who is Mesha it is our class puppet of a little girl - the children named her and some actually believe she is real!!

[Guest]

Sorry incase you read the plans and think who is Mesha it is our class puppet of a little girl - the children named her and some actually believe she is real!! 

45643[/snapback]

 

Kat

 

Those plans are fantastic. I was so inspired when I saw them. Any chance of you sharing last terms too ?(and next when it comes to it!!!). Sorry for being cheeky but they are so clear and show such good progression. I do think thoughthat my class may be a bit behind yours so was wondering what you did the term before this?

 

How does it all fit into the rest of your week? You must have to spend ages planning if there are plans as good as this for text work, and then the other curriculum areas???

 

Once again, thanks for sharing them!

[Guest]

Hi Karenb124, thanks for compliment on plans but really the activities are just taken from progression in phonics and I follow the jolly phonics order of learning new sounds. I just find it easier to plan like this before each term then can just copy and paste these activities into my weekly plan alongside planning for other areas of learning. I do adapt them sometimes depending on what has gone on during previous weeks. I will attach my plans from autumn term and of course will post my plans for after half term and summer when i do them - not a problem. Hope this is a help

Phonics_autumn_1a_2005.doc

phonics_autumn_1b_2005.doc

[Guest]

Kat, just wanted to say your plans are really good, thanks for sharing.

[Guest]

Phonics planning is fantastic Kat - well done. Very detailed and easy for anyone to pick up and follow. You're a star - thanks sooooooo much for sharing all your hard work.

 

Harricroft

[Tigger]

Thanks from me too. I like Mesha's involvement she is a very busy puppet!

[Guest]

Kat - great plans and ideas, very easy to follow.

 

Thanks for sharing them,

 

Viki

[Guest]

Hope you do not think i am being too cheeky but I am just starting my planning for the summer term (Easter holidays is it.............., aren't teachers lucky to get so muchholiday!). Am trying to plan the phonics bit and suddenly remembered the excellent help you offered before! Any chance of the updtae you pomised for the 2nd half of last term, and the summer term if/ when they are ready!

I wish I could plan like you! Not trying to get myself out of work just so impressed by yours I want to be inspired!

Thank you (I hope!)

[Guest]

Glad someone else is SO cheeky - I thought the planning was fantastic too and would have asked earlier if I'd had the nerve - Shame on you Karenb for asking

 

Hope you can share Kat - and don't mind us pinching your ideas.

If we can help you I'm sure we'd all be more than willing.

Harricroft

[Guest tinkerbell]

Thanks Kat for your plans on teaching the progression in phonics

Tinkerbellx

[Guest]

Gater those medium term plans look fantastic. The bits which are highlighted in pink and are keyed term 1 build upon does this mean they are objectives whihc you have focused upon before and are just continuing to build upon?

[Guest]

My cheekiness must come from the bluntness of the age group I work with rubbing of on me! Here's hoping Kat sees the message and replies, and / or we can all develop her skills!

[Guest]

Have I pushed my luck too far this time??!!

[Guest]

Im desperate to hear more of Kat's plans too Karen i thought they were fantastic!!

[Guest]

She might not have read these recent posts. It's not clear from the post title what they're about. Anyone brave enough to start a new post??

[Guest]

I have just started a new post on the topic of the plans in question.

Eeek hope she doesn't think im really cheeky!!

 

Lola.

[Guest]

Nice one Lola

[Guest]

Great, lets all be cheeky together!