Diary of an NQT
ONE-TO-ONE TUITION ONE-TO-ONE TUITION
Two 6 o’clocks in every day?!
BANISHED TO the realms of memory are leisurely unsolved mysteries of the world and I am not going
breakfasts and lie-ins as this week I completed my to even hazard a theory as to why they are quite
first full week in teaching. unanimously top of most teachers’ “most hated” lists.
Wondering how many of you would still be All I know is that their incessant talking caused me
in a state of consciousness, I considered writing to keep them behind during lunch break (their
complete nonsense in this week’s article. moans in chorus with that of my hungry
After all, I have lost count of the stomach).
number of times I have fallen asleep I considered resolutely that I needed
Up to the challenge
prematurely after returning home to make a good start with a potentially
from school this week. For those difficult group and that to lose them
of you nodding their way into now and cower behind my desk, white
dreamland while reading this, I’ll flag in air, would be suicide. Whether
get the good bits out of the way I was right or not I’m sure will be Jude Hanner,
early. discussed next week!
Meeting the endless carousel On a one-to-one basis, I feel I
principal at Sir
of new classes is perhaps my am making headway. Only one boy
stand-out memory of the week. running out of my lesson in floods of
Charles Lucas
In what felt like a surreal take dripping tears – I would like to point
on the speed-dating pro-forma, I out that the child is a serial-blubber
greeted tentatively each new group and it has very little to do with me, so
Arts College,
to sit down in front of my desk I am told.
and announce themselves into my I feel that teachers always seek solace which is currently on the
life. Although armed with the fool- by talking about the negative aspects of
proof idea of learning names by seating their day, so I would again like to end on a
government’s controversial
plans, I quickly noticed that either by positive. I have some seriously delightful
idiocy or adolescent transgression, classes who always seem to turn up just
most pairs were sitting in the wrong as I am swaying precariously close to
National Challenge
seats (cue frequent arrow drawing the cliff-face of despair. Yet again this
on plans). week I have had my idealism buoyed by
programme, discusses some
I must admit I surprised myself the emergence of some creatively gifted
by doing really rather well, both at children and that, for me, makes it all
of the fantastic work taking
learning and pronouncing these often worthwhile.
inconceivable names. (Maverick; Congratulations if you’ve made it to the
place at the school, including
really?) end of this article still awake, and more to the
It’s surprising how quickly you can point, congratulations at completing your first
slip back into teacher-mode and as I began full week. Now I’m going to bed, it all starts
the progress being achieved
working my way through lesson ones on again on Monday!
the fresh, shiny, new schemes of work I considered with the new One-to-One
that perhaps, actually, I can do this after all. That was • Matt Connett is a newly qualified teacher of
until year nine. English at Shenfield High, a training school in
Tuition programme
Now it appears that year nine is one of the last Brentwood in Essex. He returns next week.
N MY five years at Sir Charles Lucas Arts
Teach it like Torno!
Every Child is Matter
I
College, I have seen many changes and when
I look around the school, I am struck by how
different it is now to the one I walked into all
those years ago.
We are a large school, with the 1,000-
strong student population coming largely
from the surrounding estate. As such, one of the many
issues we have had to face over the years stems from
“DO NOT worry about your problems with Having to get people to constantly repeat things the low educational aspirations of our students’ parents,
mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater.” and feeling excluded from social environments is not a large percentage of whom did not progress into higher
Albert Einstein. nice and certainly does little for one’s self-esteem. It or further education themselves and, as such, often do
Two weeks ago, I woke up to find I had lost the makes me sympathise even more with individuals not view education as a priority.
hearing in my left ear. I went to the doctor’s and was who have these problems every day. Our key challenge is breaking this cycle by
told that it was due to hardened wax. As a result, I was In a previous article, I referred to Henry Winkler engendering a sense of value in education among our
advised to apply olive oil to my ear once a day and (The Fonz), who is dyslexic. He said that he revised students and we work hard to get them to a stage where
then make a return appointment to get it syringed. for every test, he learnt all of his spellings and he they view education as a good thing and actively want
So for the last two weeks I have been partially knew them, but when he got to the classroom he fell to learn.
deaf. Not only has this had a significant apart and could not translate his ideas to paper. When I joined the school, attendance was low,
impact on conversations I have had, as He said he failed every test he took. How exclusion rates were high, and overall behaviour was
well as my ability to keep up with must youngsters who face this every poor – all of which belie a lack of desire to learn among
INSET training, but it has given me day feel, especially when we have an our students. At the same time, we had issues with our
a much deeper understanding of examination system and government staff, with high turnover and low morale.
students with learning difficulties which only recognise A* to C In a relatively short space of time, we have made
and the battles they must face on a grades as successful? great progress – we are starting to see a real change
day-to-day basis. What about the student in students’ attitudes towards learning. The external
I have constantly had to ask who is predicted an indicators also show that we are heading in the right
people to repeat things or to speak F, but gets a D? What direction, as we have just achieved our best ever exam
louder, and at times it has been about the student who is results.
embarrassing. One example of this not gifted academically At the same time, we have worked hard to overhaul
was during one of our lunch breaks but is fantastic with their our workforce and now have a highly qualified, stable
when the history department visited hands? At what point will and motivated team embedded in the school.
the local Pizza Hut. Someone at the the culture shift to really It is not a quick fix and we are constantly striving to
front of the queue said “it looks like ensure that every child improve, but there are a number of key initiatives that and provide the students with consistent boundaries
it’s full”, but I thought they said “it’s matters? we have implemented that have helped us get to where and expectations.
been booked by another school”. I was also inspired today we are today. At the same time, we worked with all of our staff to
I was halfway up the road when by our gifted and talented co- One of the strategies we introduced early on was a ensure that lessons were properly planned and executed
I realised what had actually been ordinator, who reminded us of code of conduct to tackle issues with poor behaviour. in order to ensure the students are engaged in learning
said and went back! the necessity to stretch the more This includes a consequences system to ensure that all from the outset.
The point is that while as able and to do justice to those from staff follow the same practice for handling behaviour This feeds into our ongoing CPD programme,
teachers, we always seek to all backgrounds who needed more
cater for those with learning stimulation. At times I feel I have done
difficulties and this takes up a lot my best to extend the learning of this
One-to-One Tuition programme
of our time, how much access to group of students and genuinely do not
The new One-to-One Tutition programme is a government-funded initiative to help
the curriculum are these students know what to do next.
children gain more confidence and understanding in English and maths. Designed for the
really getting? This brings up the importance of
Even now, after 13 years collaboration and bouncing ideas off other
estimated 600,000 pupils who would benefit the most, it complements classroom teaching
of teaching, one of my greatest colleagues. As teachers, we need to observe
by “addressing barriers to learning that are personal and particular to each child”. It is
weaknesses is catering for those with more and create a culture of trust and support aimed at key stage 2, 3 and 4 pupils and the government is currently looking for teachers
SEN, particularly if they have severe in each other’s practice. Observation should be
to become involved in the programme.
learning difficulties. This is not because used as a positive vehicle, but so often is used for
Tutors on the programme will get paid a typical rate of £25 per hour for 12 hours per
I don’t want to do it, but purely because inspection purposes.
of the amount of time it takes to ensure I am quite determined to ensure that the
pupil – 10 hours’ tuition and two hours’ planning and liaison time with the pupil’s teacher.
that every child genuinely has access to the learning experience for all, particularly those with
Tuition training will be offered.
curriculum. I never feel as if I have fully done them SEN, is as rich as it can be this year. This will mean The programme is open to newly qualified, current, former, and retired teachers, as
justice. more work on my part, but hopefully my ear problem
well as overseas teachers qualified to teach in schools in England, trainee teachers in the
However, as a direct result of this hearing problem will be over soon. For many of our youngsters, their
summer before they gain qualified teacher status, or those with teaching and subject-
and because of some fantastic INSET delivered by lives have only just begun but their difficulties will
the SEN team, my views and commitment to SEN remain with them always.
specific qualifications from the higher or further education sectors.
provision have profoundly changed.
A spokesman for the Training and Development Agency for Schools said: “There are
I have always known the importance of • David Torn is professional tutor and an advanced many benefits to becoming a tutor on the One-to-One Tuition programme. It is highly
differentiation and, in my own way, have done my best skills teacher at St Edward’s Comprehensive School
flexible: the tutor decides how many pupils to tutor, and when and where to give tuition
to prepare differing materials. The exception is that I in Essex. He is the London Secondary School Teacher
(it can take place at the child’s school or in a town centre location such as a library).”
have been fortunate enough to experience good health of the Year 2007 and is passionate that the purpose of
and have not experienced barriers to my learning. education is to change lives. He returns in two weeks.
For more information, visit www.tda.gov.uk/teachers/onetoonetuition.aspx
8 SecEd • September 17 2009
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