NPPTI Primary Strand

Featured School
St. Patrick's N.S.
Slane, Co. Meath

The NQTs' Perspective

Sarah McCabe NQT

Sarah McCabe (NQT 2010-2011)

As a newly qualified teacher I found being part of the Induction Programme highly informative and beneficial to my first year of teaching. Overall it was a positive experience. I have first class with 28 pupils. My first experiences in the classroom were eye opening and interesting! You have to be so organised and on top of every situation! I loved making different displays every week and in turn this enhanced the children’s learning. My first experience in a school is a very positive one. The staff are great; they made me feel so welcome and were always willing to help out if I had any problems.

The mentor in the school was fantastic. She offered lots of help and support. I knew if I ever needed anything all you had to do was ask her. The mentor also set up a time when I could go and observe another teacher teaching a lesson. This was interesting and I got a lot of new ideas and I found that this in turn improved my approach towards teaching.

I attended all the NQT professional development workshops which were organised at our local Education Centre as part of the Induction Programme. They were highly informative and made me assess every area of my teaching. The courses were highly useful as they touched on every area that an NQT needed to look at for the probation year; planning, assessment, parent teacher meetings, differentiation, behavior management and lots more. I picked up a lot of ideas in these sessions, some of which I now use with my class. They also gave me the opportunity to talk to other NQTs and share certain experiences and learn from each other.

I now consider myself an organised teacher after taking part in the Induction Programme. I now know all that has to be done to stay on top of things. I have a routine around getting plans and work ready for the children while also having time for myself. This year was not as stressful as I thought it would be and the reason for this is that I never felt like I was on my own. The induction programme, along with the staff in the school were a major help in making my first year of teaching a positive one!

NQT Siobhan Fanning
Siobhán Fanning (NQT 2010-2011)

I found my first few weeks with my class quite daunting. However, I received great support, tips and ideas from not only my mentor but also the other teachers in the school. I experienced some difficulty with the layout of my folder and my principal was of great help in this area. Our mentor arranged for us to watch a lesson taught by one of the teachers in the junior class which was extremely beneficial in terms of showing classroom management skills. Our mentor also observed us teaching a lesson and provided helpful feedback on areas which could be improved on. The NQT workshops provided great ideas for planning, differentiation and assessment and for general classroom management. The workshops also gave us a chance to speak with other NQTs about their experiences and concerns in the classroom.

In conclusion, I feel that the Induction Programme was an excellent way to help me transition from student to NQT. The support from our mentor, principal and teachers in the school meant that we never felt alone and there was always someone there to lend a hand.

Ruth Collins (NQT 2010-2011)

The Induction Programme is an excellent support system for NQTs in any school. In my school not only did I receive great support and encouragement from my mentor, but the principal and other staff members were always close by to provide a helping hand and share their experiences with me.

Being observed in the classroom by my mentor provided helpful feedback. The chance to observe another teacher teaching was also hugely beneficial in relation to classroom management.

The NQT professional development workshops provided many ideas in the areas of planning, assessment, differentiation and classroom management. This mentoring programme not only allowed me to prepare for my inspector, but it also highlighted many simple and effective strategies and ideas that I can use for the future. This programme provides a fantastic support network within the school and I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this programme and would definitely recommend having it in every school.

Further information on Slane N.S. below

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