Starting Out Guide For Newly Qualified and Trainee Teachers

Your first steps into teaching

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Essay writing tips

Training to teach involves a great deal of coursework, therefore you might find the hints below useful for tackling essays.

  • Time management – plan enough time to research, write and evaluate your essay.
  • If possible, discuss the title and content with fellow students to better understand the purpose of the essay. This should make it more manageable.
  • If you find yourself staring at a blank screen, make a start by getting everything that you know on the subject down on paper. You don’t always have to begin with the introduction and actually getting some content down will give you the confidence to go on to other sections.
  • Check the marking criteria before you start so that you know where to spend your time and where to place emphasis.
  • Bear in mind who will be reading your work. Use relevant terminology but don’t overdo the jargon. The main priority is that your research and subsequent argument can be clearly understood.
  • Write the bibliography as you go along so that you don’t have to face this huge and time-consuming task at the end, when you may be in a rush to complete.
  • Always support your argument with appropriate, reliable facts and research – properly referenced. Find out what is the preferred style for references.
  • Make sure the essay is structured and objective, but don’t forget to define and develop your argument or discussion clearly.
  • Finally, after you have proof, read it; see if anyone is willing to take a look. It can be difficult to see your own mistakes.

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  1. Jan 6th, 2009

    kirsty said:

    I felt my mentor – also my head of department – was over-critical, always trying to pick holes in me. I’d often go home in tears. After yet another lesson observation where she’d torn my teaching apart, I decided I’d had enough. I requested a meeting with her and asked for a senior colleague to sit in, as a neutral party. I told her how her behaviour was making me feel, how it was affecting my confidence. She looked horrified. I don’t think she even realised what she was doing. Things were a bit frosty for a while but she definitely made the effort to be more positive after that.



  2. Jan 6th, 2009

    will said:

    When I first started teaching, my mentor was one of the senior management team. She was overloaded with work and seemed far too busy to give me much time. I tried to tackle her, but she couldn’t seem to even spare the time to discuss it. Eventually, I had a confidential chat with another senior teacher.

    She had a tactful talk with my mentor and offered to take over the mentoring, which meant I finally got the support I needed.

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