One of the most common questions newly qualified teachers ask is “what do I teach in the first weeks of term?”

Being in the classroom on your own for the first time can feel as though the stabilisers have been nicked from your bike.

So here’s what to do in these all-important first weeks of teaching.

1. Just teach

The kids have all made a flag before, or a shield that depicts who they are, or filled in the dreaded “all about me” worksheet. Avoid generic activities that do nothing but fill time. They will not help you get to know your children and they will fill your shiny new classroom with pretty pointless paper.

Teaching real lessons will give you much more of an opportunity to get to know your pupils and their abilities.  

Avoid all temptation to take it easy; set the bar high from the outset. You may have students who are struggling to get back into a routine and although you need to be aware of that, it’s important to set expectations early.

2. Ask questions

You may feel that now you’re actually teaching for real, you should know everything. Ditch that feeling right away. Remember when you tell your pupils that no question is silly? That applies to you, too. If you get lost in a corridor looking for the loo, ask a pupil - they’ll feel great that they’ve helped you.  

Colleagues may look frazzled by new-term madness - but they should make time to answer questions. Remember, each and every one of them was new to teaching once.

If possible, book in some really short catch-ups with your mentor every few days throughout the first few weeks. These might be five minutes during lunch or even arranging to have your break duties together - it’ll mean you aren’t far away from an opportunity to ask anything you need to know.

3. Create connections

Getting to know your colleagues is vitally important in your first couple of weeks, so spend some time in the staffroom. While it can feel daunting to walk in as the fledgling, you’ll quickly get used to which mug belongs to whom and what happens with the washing up.

The same goes with your children. Take the time to talk to pupils on your break duties and plan to eat lunch with them at least once a week. Letting children see that you care about them will go a long way in building indispensable classroom relationships.

Now is also a brilliant time to get to know the other members of staff that help to make a school tick. Meet your caretaker and office staff - they’re always hugely knowledgeable and important members of the school community.

4. Avoid being an edu-tainer

You probably know to avoid the poppycock advice that is “don’t smile before Christmas”, but do remember not to go too far the other way. You are not a children’s entertainer, and showing them how many keep-ups you can do with a football at the front of a classroom will not do anything to help you establish yourself.

Create a classroom in which you can all be excited about learning and where children get to see the real you. Your enthusiasm is often your fuel as an NQT - use it and enjoy it.

Sarah Wright is senior lecturer of primary education at Edge Hill University. She tweets @Sarah__wright1