Making a good start - an ALL webinar for NQTs …...Making a good start - an ALL webinar for NQTs about to start their career 25 August 2020 Steven Fawkes and Helen Myers, supported

Making a good start - an ALL webinar for NQTs about to start their career

25 August 2020

Steven Fawkes and Helen Myers, supported by members of ALL Council and ITET forum, welcomed

some 130+ MFL NQTs (and other teachers) to the ALL ‘Making a Good Start’ webinar – with main input

from Verónica González Otero, a teacher from Newcastle, on thinking ahead, organisation, practical tips

and ideas, and of course stationary ! There was also major sharing from participants ! The event took

place in the ALL London Zoom room and produced an idea for potential future events for NQTs, of which

news will follow.

The recording is here : http://www.all-london.org.uk/site/index.php/making-a-good-start-an-all-

august-webinar-for-nqts/ along with links to resources and extracts of the Chat.

Previous webinars are archived here : http://www.all-london.org.uk/site/index.php/webinars/

This is the ALL NQT page : https://www.all-languages.org.uk/student/starting-out/

where you will find, along with blogs and other resources, a document called ‘ ALL as your Language

teaching career begins’ which lists some resources ALL hosts that may well be of particular interest.

This is the ALL Joining page: https://www.all-languages.org.uk/join/

Thanks to all who joined in !

Some extracts from the Chat

From Verónica González-Otero to Everyone: 07:56 PM

Welcome to everyone!

From David Shanks to Everyone: 07:56 PM

If you are on twitter for teaching, please do follow @All4Language, @ALLLondon007 and get involved

with the #mfltwitterati :)

From Inés Molina to Everyone: 08:03 PM

Hello! I'm Inés :) I will start a PGCE (Spanish and French) in September this year, but I am here to know

more about what to expect from my NQT year

http://www.all-london.org.uk/site/index.php/making-a-good-start-an-all-august-webinar-for-nqts/

http://www.all-london.org.uk/site/index.php/making-a-good-start-an-all-august-webinar-for-nqts/

http://www.all-london.org.uk/site/index.php/webinars/

https://www.all-languages.org.uk/student/starting-out/

https://www.all-languages.org.uk/join/


For those who aren’t yet members, the join ALL link is https://www.all-languages.org.uk/join/ There

you can see a list of all the many benefits of joining ALL and your discount code is WEBINAR10

From Me to Everyone: 08:09 PM


Looking forward to:

Meeting my pupils

Coloured pens clearly

contact with pupils

meeting my classes

Having my own classes and building relationships with students

Teaching again

Being back in front of a class and getting to know the pupils

Being back in school and teach students in person

going back to teach in person

Going back to work

Rapport with pupils

My own classes

knowing what day it is again

Having my own classes and autonomy

working and escaping the house

Meeting ‘my’ classes (and not being observed all the time)

Doing a couple of relaxing activities

building relationships with the students from the very beginning

teaching face to face

getting outside of the house

Meeting everyone and using my stationery

Teaching face-to-face and shiny new stationery :)


meeting everyone: students and new colleagues

Having more of those moments that make you smile!

making new work friends

Also - time to prioritise teaching and little/no(!) summer data analysis

From Judith Rifeser to Everyone: 08:17 PM

Such an important point, Verónica, to never be afraid to ask questions, to ask for help, and to check

things.


Routines are so important

From Helen Myers to Everyone: 08:23 PM

Good idea not to make a fuss about not having a book - just give out paper!

From Mercedes Antrobus to Everyone: 08:23 PM

My school gave us a planner with parents evenings and training days already noted in them


Even well-intentioned questions can be disruptive - “3B Before Me” can work nicely to develop

independence - students must first use BRAIN, BOOK, BUDDY - BEFORE asking the teacher a question

From Charlotte G to Everyone: 08:23 PM

I didn't think we were allowed to give out stationery - is that right?


That's what we've been told, but we can use whiteboards as long as we wipe them down

From Karin Jaschke to Everyone: 08:24 PM

We’ll have a very strict ‘materials’ regime - nothing to be kept on window sills or desks, cupboards. No

sharing between years of equipment.

From Fran Taylor to Everyone: 08:24 PM

Elephant in the room - social distancing! We can't have a bunch of kids coming up to grab various

resources all at the same time, can we?


I understand the handing out of resources like paper are okay, but no pen sharing. The biggest challenge

is I think most of us won't have our own classrooms

From Glennis Pye to Everyone: 08:26 PM

As far as I can tell from speaking to colleagues from a range of schools, there will be differences from

school to school in terms of what’s allowed and what isn’t.

From Lissa Cook to Everyone: 08:26 PM

I can’t cope with a paper planner. I’ve created an Excel spreadsheet so I can see the whole half-term on

one sheet. I then just use my planner for notes. Happy to show the spreadsheet at the end if that’s

helpful.

From Charlotte G to Everyone: 08:27 PM

I like this idea - I am a spreadsheet nerd

From Céleste Robillard to Everyone: 08:27 PM

Oh Mr Wonderful I love this

From Ricardo Lampérez to Everyone: 08:28 PM

Haha I'm Spanish too and Mr wonderful planners are just the best!


Mr Wonderful is a revelation to me tonight

From jen parque to Everyone: 08:28 PM

post it in the planner, what a great idea!


The good thing with Mr Wonderful is that they do stuff in French as well


Important people in school - not just pupils and teachers. Make friends with the caretakers, cleaners and

cooks!

From Jennifer Eddy to Everyone: 08:31 PM

YES! Please make friends with all offices...especially anyone that keeps the keys! You never know if you

need equipment and something important your need is behind a locked door! They have saved me

many times!


Fully agree. Say hello and introduce yourself to everyone in your school. It will put a smile on your face

and theirs.


What an amazing job Verónica


I am a stamp addict. It’s amazing how even Year 10 will love it if you go round and put a smily dinosaur

on their books when they’re working well. (Obviously this will depend on social distancing as this may

not be possible in all schools this year but you don’t need to touch their books to do it so I’m hoping I

can still use them)


Pimp your planner ! A good activity in the Target Language !


Great idea Steven!


I think it’s still really important and useful also to think about the things we can do when we’re not in

times of social distancing. And the funny moments too!

From me to everyone : Whatever format you choose, create a place to keep your Golden Moments –

things that people say or do that make you feel good – and keep it up-to-date. Then you a look in thee

on the days when you are not feeling so great!


Golden moments - a lovely idea!

From Hannah Daisy Joy to Everyone: 08:34 PM

Great idea!


Yes! Totally agree Steven. One of the best pieces advice I ever got - have a positive feedback folder in my

email and also the teachers drawer


Nice to have a school 'good news box'


That is so true, Steven. I have a special folder for "nice words". I also keep a "treasure box" with post-its

and feedback given, cards from students and pupils etc.


Fabulous idea. Lovely. Everyone has amazing days and not so terrific. Those golden moments keep you

focused and moving forward! :)


One thing to consider whatever your system - it can be useful to have parts of it visible to students e.g.

you are visibly seen to be recording homework, merits, sanctions, lates - students SEEING you keeping a

track can be powerful


Here’s a download link to the excel spreadsheet planner: https://tytheringtonsch-

my.sharepoint.com/:x:/g/personal/lcook_tytheringtonschool_co_uk/ETGN_bFqhpdHtW5FnWPfuCoBsaI

dOfxKJ7sRGre5cPkqqQ?e=a2oCA9


The slide template is available here: https://www.slidescarnival.com/ely-free-presentation-

template/4761#preview


Other top tips: Have a 4-way Bic Biro that you can hang off your lanyard so you always have your own

pen (as Veronica says so you don’t have to use spit covered student ones!)


Lanyard pens are a standard freebie at Conferences!


Another top tip: Buy a clicker so you can walk around the classroom and still move your Powerpoint. The

laserpointer is also really helpful. It’s great to be able to move near a student who’s misbehaving and

teach while standing right next to them

From George Johnstone to Everyone: 08:51 PM

I agree. Having a clicker to move on powerpoint slides was a big help.


Good point Verónica. A clear seating plan organizational system is very useful when first meeting a class!


My 'bible' for classroom management back in 1982 (!) was Michael Marland's 'Craft of the Classroom' ..

seating plans key to show whose room it is and avoid complaints if ever you move students (as the

original was not the seat they chose)

From Ann-Gaëlle Cox to Everyone: 08:57 PM

Craft of the Classroom is still available (2nd hand)!


I agree - regular ringing of parents is really important. And it’s a lovely thing to do for positive praise. It

really lifts your day when you ring and you have something lovely to say it makes you feel brilliant.


Agree Helen - tacitly establishes “my room my rules”. I’ve found Bill Rogers great for behaviour,

routines, expectations etc


@David I agree Bill Rogers is my bible. I reread the book and re-watch the videos. They are like teacher

meditation!


Bill Roger's videos are great. Also, I was once given the advice to ring each parent from my form class to

introduce myself and say something positive about their child. It was amazing to hear their responses.

They were so surprised to receive a positive call. I feel it helped me have the parents on my side for

further down the line when issues arose.


BIll Rogers Playlist on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF1FBp_bi4gbXAvyDu1oO5o_LaJ6PufZm

From Grace Bentham to Everyone: 08:58 PM

What would be your advice on how to seat students? Expecting it to be trial and error but any insights

into how you do this for classes for the first time, where you don’t know the students at all yet?


Alphabetical boy/girl .. but those who ar emore likey to be distracted / distracting strategically placed

[ask colleagues about pupils. show HOD your plan an dthey can suggest changes)


For seating, I have a Powerpoint seating plan. I have a hidden sheet with their SEN and Target grades

and other needs so I can remind myself of who is Pupil Premium, ADHD, anxious etc. I have a sheet per

class so I can have it on the board. Each student’s name is in a little box so I can shuffle them round as I

get to know them and work out the best seating plan over the year.


Here’s my Powerpoint seating planner: https://tytheringtonsch-

my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/lcook_tytheringtonschool_co_uk/ESCd62wdk6NDpwkY3HXQY-

kB6bVKLDtr4ozGC6-6AUBymw?e=XyhJvc


Top tip for name remembering: I have a reward sheet on the board with all their names in alphabetical

order. Tick for each contribution. 3 ticks is HP. Then I can add it to SIMS (our behaviour management

system). It really helps me a) to remember their names and b) to keep an eye on who is contributing. My

students know I start asking questions to students who don’t put their hand up (this of course depends

on anxiety levels & I don’t pick on people in a nasty way)

From mariana hood to Everyone: 09:03 PM

veronica is amazing! thank you

From Crista Hazell (ALL) to Everyone: 09:05 PM

So many brilliant ideas here Verónica et al - a fab webinar that will help so many teachers, not just NQTs

and RQTs either! Thank you for this evening.


I fully second that, Crista. Thank you ever so much, Verónica. So many useful and creative ideas and tips.

Thanks so much.


Agreed Crista! And reminding me of things I used to do and have forgotten to do! Page numbering a

really good idea


Nice feedback is important to everyone :)


Thank you also so much to each and everyone who shared invaluable ideas and advice here.


Such an attractive presentation .. Veronica will share her source with us!


SlidesCarnival– templates for PowerPoint Presentations

From Luisa Fernanda Pinzon Garzon to Everyone: 08:46 PM

Thank you very much!


Yes and I love your Bitmoji too Veronica!


ALL is also collating something on COVID Awareness - look at Home Page of website - all contributions

welcome!


https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00UTADHO2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&

psc=1 my clicker


My clicker is Knorvay and it’s very good - also pretty cheap I seem to remember! Def one of my favourite

pieces of equipment!


Tip for the clicker: always have a spare battery with it in your bag


This clicker has never failed on me and yes always have spare batteries for everything!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01ESL4Q0Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc

=1


I enjoy meeting the students at the door as well. It is important to think about is your position as it is

good to be able to see what is going on both inside and outside the classroom during this process.

From Bracken Brown to Everyone: 09:10 PM

My mentor had a tree stamp with light green ink and would stamp any gaps in books, then students

knew to go back and use the ‘green tree spaces’ for DIRT etc.


Love the green tree stamp idea


They don't expect you to remember their names when you meet them 20 years later either :)


Very important to keep yourself motivated


Yes - sooooo important to remember your wellbeing too and that of your students too!


Thanks so much Veronica:) Here is a little blog post of some alternative back-to-school ideas you might

find interesting https://educationblog.oup.com/secondary/mfl/an-alternative-back-to-school-list-for-

mfl-teachers-7-ideas-by-david-shanks


Could you not perhaps run a ‘lightly’ themed session every week, like a drop in meeting where we can

exchange experiences and ask questions?

ALL volunteers are exploring this possibility

Lots of thank yous followed , of which a sample here – there is more discussion in the post-event chat

below

From Judith Rifeser 09:10 PM

Just a brief note to say thank you so much for hosting such a great webinar. It is not only useful for those

here but also as a great resource for those who couldn't join today. Lovely to see you, as always.


So helpful and reassuring - thank you Verónica and everyone for your advice :)

From Carolina Mondéjar to Everyone: 09:13 PM

Thank you so much, Verónica! :) Amazing ideas!

From Justine Gilberte to Everyone: 09:13 PM

Thank you so much for your presentation Veronica!

From Gili Berman to Everyone: 09:13 PM

Thank you so much! Wonderful!


Thank you, that was brilliant :)

From Manon Atangana to Everyone: 09:13 PM

Thank you so much, that was so useful!!

From Anwen Roys to Everyone: 09:13 PM

Thank you so much, this was amazing

From Oria Zehouane to Everyone: 09:13 PM

thank you, it was a brilliant presentation

From Kelly Stuck to Everyone: 09:13 PM

Thank you - really useful!


Brilliant presentation Veronica, many thanks :)


Thanks so much Veronica.. so many ideas for teachers at any stage

From Christine De Oliveira to Everyone: 09:13 PM

it was great! many many thanks!

From StephB to Everyone: 09:13 PM

Thank you so much and well done on this very useful presentation! You smashed it Veronica!!

From Caroline Martel to Everyone: 09:13 PM

Thank you so much!it was amazing


That was great - it is a brilliant job!

From isabelle hems to Everyone: 09:14 PM

Thanks Veronica for sharing your approach and your great suggestions! Great presentation! And thanks

to ALL for organising the webinar

From Elina Flochon to Everyone: 09:14 PM

Thank you Veronica for sharing your ideas, very useful!

From Alice to Everyone: 09:14 PM

This has been so nice to get back thinking of school again, and reduced my anxiety so much! Great

presentation Veronica, thank you

From Ann-Gaëlle Cox to Everyone: 09:14 PM

Thank you Veronica, very helpful!

From Beth Keegan to Everyone: 09:14 PM

That was great - thank you :)

From Ruby Smith to Everyone: 09:14 PM

Thank you so much, it’s been brilliant

From Marion Leroux to Everyone: 09:14 PM

Thank you so much for this, I've learnt a lot !!

From Danielle Fawcett-Walsh to Everyone: 09:14 PM

SO many great tips, thank you!!

From Marc Guffick to Everyone: 09:14 PM

Great presentation. Thanks so much!

From Émilie Gillet to Everyone: 09:14 PM

It was an amazing presentation, ¡muchas gracias Veronica!

From Inés Molina to Everyone: 09:14 PM

Muchas gracias, Verónica!! Me ha encantado :)

From samia saci to Everyone: 09:14 PM

it has been very informative


Thank you so much, Verónica. What a brilliant and positive webinar packed with lots and lots ideas.

From Martin Bever to Everyone: 09:14 PM

Thank you very much. Really useful.


Keep up the amazing work.


Great stuff Veronica!

From Ruta Dulbinska to Everyone: 09:15 PM

Excellent! It was a pleasure listening to you!

Post-event


Thanks so much Veronica:) Here is a little blog post of some alternative back-to-school ideas you might

find interesting https://educationblog.oup.com/secondary/mfl/an-alternative-back-to-school-list-for-

mfl-teachers-7-ideas-by-david-shanks


Thank you so much for this, it's really reassuring !

From Hannah to Everyone: 09:17 PM

I love your positivity!


Brilliant, yes they remember cultural pieces. They make the learning so meaningful and relevant to

them.


We've done this training year to be here, so hang on and live it to the fullest!

From Christine De Oliveira to Everyone: 09:24 PM

thank you to all participants and speakers


I reminder: for those who aren’t yet members, the join ALL link is https://www.all-

languages.org.uk/join/ There you can see a list of all the many benefits of joining ALL and your discount

code is WEBINAR10 :)


Let's continue to celebrate and promote languages, language learning, language teaching and all the

languages we all speak, in school, at home, wherever we go (physically and virtually)


I have a question for Veronica if possible


I am a French native speaker, and I've learnt Spanish before, and I was asked to teach only Spanish, so I

was wondering of you had some advice


Watching boxsets in TL on Netflix is great to help maintaining your languages


I've been learning Spanish for like 10 years, is that enough ?


Yes - seriously, I started learning Spanish in 2018 and did my A-level last year.


I’m sure you will be fine Marion, I have the same experience as you and I am fine teaching Spanish


I also believe that in some ways teaching a language which is not your native language is easier!


You will always know more than them


A few years back I did Spanish GCSE alongside my GCSE French class, modelled my exam prep, sat it in

the hall with the students :)


Wordreference.com


Fine someone in your department to practice with (or it might have to be someone outside of school).

Swap your French skills

From MICHAELA to Everyone: 09:29 PM

I use these https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Grade-9-1-GCSE-

Spanish/dp/178908458X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=cgp+aqa+flashcards+spanish&qid=159838733

9&sr=8-1


Thank you so much for all this !!!


So true to share your own language learning. You might also like to get pupils to teach you phrases in

their home languages. It helps them build confidence and shows them that you value the languages they

know. Include extra lines in knowledge organisers/glossaries etc. for their home languages as well.


You are awesome !!

From MICHAELA to Everyone: 09:29 PM

https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Grade-9-1-GCSE-

Spanish/dp/1789084571/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=cgp+aqa+flashcards+spanish&qid=159838738

0&sr=8-4

From Fran Taylor to Everyone: 09:30 PM

I'm learning Spanish and hope to teach it alongside Fr & Ger one day.

10 years is great!

From Pilar to Everyone: 09:30 PM

I do Spanish and German and been asked to teach Y7 French too. I am very nervous about it!


Thank you so much Veronica, this is excellent advice !


I have this quote stuck to my computer from a David Sedaris book: Teaching leaves you with a constant

feeling of deceiving people, that you know nothing they don’t or couldn’t learn on their own if they

cared to.”


Teachers are super lovely people and love helping and supporting. People with want to share lessons

and resources with you.


That’s reassuring, my degree is in German and Religion but I have a job teaching German and French,

which I hadn’t studied/ practised since A level, so thank you for the advice and reassurance :)

From samia saci to Everyone: 09:33 PM

Coffee Break Spanish podcasts are very useful I found


Try and have at least one night a week where you don’t do any work after the school day


Also join Twitter if you haven’t as a lot of people are sharing resources on there!


Thank you again Veronica and ALL and for this webinar and Best of luck to everyone! It's wonderful to

see so many new language teachers for our profession! Take care always, Dr. Jennifer Eddy, Queens

College, City University of New York. @WorldLanguageEd


I have trouble speaking Spanish as a "natural" language in the classroom (like small words or reactions I

only have in French, eg "ça suffit") do you have any advice?


@Marion - there’s no budget at my school so I pay for private lessons with our TA in Spanish


What a great evening! Good luck everyone as you begin your NQT posts!


Could you not perhaps run a ‘lightly’ themed session every week, like a drop in meeting where we can

exchange experiences and ask questions?


Thank you so much for this, its really helpful

From Charlie to Everyone: 09:38 PM

Thank you for all the advice and inspiration. Drop in sessions sounds great.


Thank you Verónica. Great advice!


It would be really helpful to have drop-in sessions!

From Paula Hevia to Everyone: 09:38 PM

Coping with planning?


Surviving the first few weeks….


Behaviour ideas that work


Whats working well?


Tracking progress and ideas post covid


Thanks to all of you

It has been a lovely experience

From mariana hood to Everyone: 09:39 PM

Many thanks Veronica and to Lissa for sharing the Excel planner ! amazing evening


Thank you everyone. NQTs, wishing you a fantastic start. Enjoy it and be patient with yourself and

your colleagues, like you are with your pupils.

From Paula Hevia to Everyone: 09:40 PM

Thank you Judith! :)


Thank you you've all reassured me regarding what I've learnt during my two trimesters training


Wonderful learning from all of you. This is a terrific space for sharing! Thank you :)

From Manon Atangana to Everyone: 09:40 PM

Thanks a lot for this Verónica - it was very reassuring and made me feel excited for September!

From Corinna Schuck to Everyone: 09:41 PM

Thank you so much, it's been great and very useful!

perfect, thanks Helen

From Amandine Briand to Everyone: 09:41 PM

Merci beaucoup :) Have a lovely evening!

Making a good start - an ALL webinar for NQTs …...Making a good start - an ALL webinar for NQTs about to start their career 25 August 2020 Steven Fawkes and Helen Myers, supported

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