By Noah Kim
EDITION #1 – How do I get started?
Published – 20th February 2019
Noah Kim is beginning the 2nd year of teaching after graduating from RMIT Brunswick in 2017
My career has started as a Year 1 teacher at Featherbrook P-9 College in Point Cook. Throughout all 12 editions, I will be sharing my experiences as a graduate teacher and also unpacking the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model and how I have used it.
It’s your first year of teaching, you’ve landed a job, you’re energised and ready to join the workforce. Great…! But where do you begin? Do you decorate the classroom? Do you start collating resources? Do you begin planning lessons?
Get organised with the graduate checklist
In our post-university minds, the entry points are endless and there can be an overload of information, leading to stress, anxiousness and nervousness. In order to support graduates throughout our first year, the Department of Education and Training has created a simple and efficient Graduate Teacher induction Guide to ensure a structured method of progressing through the year.
In the checklist, some stand out must-do’s are:
- Review the Code of Conduct and Ethics and familiarise yourself with the Department’s values, policies and procedures. This is something that all teachers should ensure they have completed as this underpins how we maintain ourselves and our responsibility as professionals working with children.
- Review your school’s procedures for Roll taking, behaviour management and curriculum assessment policies. Every school is different! Make sure you understand how you will manage student behaviour.
Make the most of your induction
After getting your head around the relevant Department and school documents, you will have an understanding of your role and what is expected of you in the workplace. During your induction to the school, you will have the chance to meet other graduates, and existing staff. You will be introduced to a range of school policies, including Occupational Health and Safety (OHS). This will give you a feel for the school culture. This is a great time to initiate a conversation with your Principal about setting up your learning space for the year. This might look different for some of you, depending on your environment. My school has flexible learning spaces, which meant that we had to plan each space as a team.