4. Prioritise
Although there are many jokes about the laziness of students these days, you must understand that you're within a certain percentage of the population because you are deemed to have the capability to achieve something they're offering you. Do everything within your power to reduce the prevalence of such stereotypes. Choose the right time to knuckle down, and tell people you've done so. We know that an embarrassing club story is usually more entertaining, but don't put yourself down by pretending that's all you do. Celebrate the library too!

5. Laugh
Even if you go on to further study, you're only going to do this for the first time once! Make the most of it, both professionally and personally. Make close friends from all walks of life and create memories that you'll laugh about forever. Enjoy yourself and tell people all about it. It'll be difficult at times, because I firmly believe, if you're doing it right, your university days will actually be the busiest time of your life. For now at least...

The fourth year of teachmrn.com is upon us, so it's time to show you my classroom! Due to some back end programming, last year's post never reached you, but you can catch the previous years here and here.

• I usually have a base colour, because I believe you can change the colour scheme by what you add over the top (plus it means you only back the boards once and the focus is on the work).
• There is usually some kind of colour coding. This year, I have borders that match the colour of the respective exercise book.
• I have tried lots of different ways of organising the books. After keeping them on a shelf in my first ever room, falling all over the place, I quickly sought different storage options. This year, I'm going for my favourite; magazine files split into their teams. I've always found this makes distribution more efficient. It also means that different tables can work on different things more easily, and it breaks marking workload down if they're in easily countable segments - you can fetch a quick slice of books at break time without losing track of where you got to.
• I have ALWAYS, regardless of age group, had a carpet area. I don't understand how teachers cope without one. Yes, I understand they grow, but I believe you need different kinds of spaces without moving furniture constantly. Sometimes you need them close, sometimes you need them far away. Sometimes you need to pause them, and that carpet area increases the likelihood of them paying attention instead of being too distant. Equally, sometimes you need them there in front of you; that emotional connection and eye contact is paramount. Inputs, specific groups for misconceptions, reading together, etc.
• I've always got a mixture of working walls and display walls. While a lot of this is often policy driven, I do think you need clear space for the prompts, models and interactivity, alongside area for the finished products, the celebration and so on.
• I've never really started with lots on the walls already. I believe that whatever the room looks like on Day One, is forgotten by Day Two; it's the changes that they notice. For this reason, I've always started very plain, and built the room up as we go, especially for the working walls. This way, there is a point of specific reference for everything we do. I understand the counterargument that 'I don't like blank walls', but I just don't understand how you expect people to pinpoint something easily if it's already amongst a chaotic puzzle of, so far unlearnt, information - even the 'reminders' need re-teaching.  

The finished product (although is a classroom EVER really complete?) is below. But one question remains, how long will the desk stay tidy?

Where do you go for personal and professional support or advice? 
I was lucky enough to make a great friend at work. We were both NQTs and we started on the same day at the same school in adjacent classrooms. We used to have a daily debrief where essentially we would have a massive moan about everything – from photocopier woes to difficult students. Although it wasn’t, perhaps, a productive use of our time (we could have been marking), it was really important to be able to offload to someone who knew exactly who and what you were talking about. Once a problem was off my chest, I was less likely to think about it when I got home. A huge asset to my professional life this year has been @Team_English1 on Twitter. It was recommended by a friend and it has, honestly, changed my life. The generosity of teachers in this network has amazed me. The resources I have gained have saved me hours and hours of planning time and I am a better teacher for it.
In my opinion, the worst part of the profession is lack of time. There simply is not enough time to do the job during normal working hours. I don’t work long hours because I am put under pressure by management or Ofsted or because I am a perfectionist (believe me… I am the very definition of ‘winging it’). I work long hours simply to get the job done.
There are teachers who manage to avoid working at home (and I believe that some subjects are more labour intensive than others) but the hours we work are unsustainable. There are small adjustments that managers and school leaders can make to reduce workload but I believe the issue is primarily financial. Teaching and learning would improve exponentially if teachers’ contact time was reduced and we were able to spend more time planning and preparing feedback. Unfortunately, schools are so financially stretched that this is impossible. 

What strategies do you use to manage workload and protect your wellbeing? 
In my fourth year of teaching, I was completely burnt out. I was exhausted and it was affecting my health. I was working every weekend and also in the evenings. My solution was to search for other jobs because I just couldn’t sustain the hours. The problem was, I didn’t really want another job. As I’ve already preached – I love teaching.
So, I decided to go part time. This was not an easy decision. First of all, I was worried about money. I did some rudimentary maths and worked out that if I went to a 0.8 contract, in my fifth year of teaching I’d be earning roughly the same as I’d earned in my first year of teaching. If I’d managed on that salary then, I thought I could manage on that now. Another concern was, well, embarrassment. In fact, I was so embarrassed that when I put in my part-time request, I made up a lie – that I was going part time to support my partner’s business. Looking back, I should have been more honest. I would recommend anyone in a similar position to talk to your school’s management about how you’re feeling so that they can support you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, then others will be too and management need to know this.
Despite my concerns, reducing my hours has changed my life.
The question everyone always asks, is ‘do you work on your day off’? Of course I do. In fact, that’s when I do all my school work. What do I get in return? My evenings and weekends back. I know there will be teachers shouting at the screen as they read this. I agree with you. The fact that I had to go part time in order to do my job is ridiculous. I’ve been told that part time teachers should do nothing on their day(s) off – that by working on these days, part-time workers are actually responsible for the pressures put on full time teachers. My response? If that's the case, then full time teachers should do nothing at evenings and weekends. It’s unfair to blame part-time teachers for unfair expectations placed on all teaching staff. We're all in this together.

What advice would you give anyone who felt like giving up? 
I know that reducing hours isn’t for everyone. I agree that teachers and school leaders should come together collectively to address the problems of workload. In the meantime, if anyone would like to chat about going part time, feel free to DM me on Twitter (@HannahHGO). 

Sum up our profession in 5 words. 
I wouldn’t do anything else. 

Perhaps it's a rite of passage, most often a series of bad moods catching each other on the wrong day, during what is most likely the least comfortable period of your life. Choosing to take offence because we believe the world owes us something. Either way, it certainly builds a thicker skin, rather than playing victim to the basic, eventual life-limiting, ignorance of others. But out of the many experiences you often hear of, my secondary school was the best place to be. We were well cared for by everyone around us. Very much a community.

It was here that I made my best choices up to that point. For A-Levels I chose subjects that practically ignored all academia. I went for creative, personality building subjects. I went for subjects that would force me to speak in front of people. I went for subjects that encouraged group work and portfolios, the clear building of progress over time. McLuckie, Brown (who became Beecham), Hobbs and Collins. In many ways I owe you the most. 

Primary is the basics, the essentials that we all need. When those are down correctly, secondary builds on that and helps you focus on a direction. You most definitely, alongside my beloved friends - whether we have remained in touch since then or not - taught me to be comfortable with myself, to live without limits. And when that bit was right, academic success and my future were set.

My response is purely my opinion, and you're welcome to comment below with changes you would make. But this is what I'd advise personally:

A specific 'ice-breaker' isn't going to be necessary, especially as you're the new one, not them. Even when you have a class full-time, my advice would still be to get into the learning as soon as possible, setting the long-term standards, and learn about each other along the way. I'm sure there are many teachers that give out a neatly compartmentalised grid with the children's hopes, food dislikes and favourite subjects scrawled across, but I doubt they do anything of any value with it; I'm pleased you're ambitious, I won't be cooking for you anyway, and you can love or hate every subject, it's still going to be taught to you!

You must keep in mind that, at some point, you're going to be responsible for the progress of these children (whether it's a placement or an employed post), so while you obviously want to get to know everyone, and for them to know you, you must ensure that you keep control of your image. By this, I mean that we are so keen to tell everyone our quirkiest talents, best adventures and funniest stories in an understandable bid to be liked, and all these episodes build the picture someone has of us.

With this in mind, consider the picture you want (and ultimately NEED) the children to have of you. Eventually, you're going to need them to feel safe with you, listen to you, in order to create the best outcomes with regards to learning. My advice would be, everything in moderation:

• During your serial days, ask them about themselves, but not in the middle of the assembly line - otherwise they'll associate you with chatting. Maybe pop to the playground during lunchtime for a few minutes each day instead.
• By all means, tell them about your own pets, but not when you're supposed to be supporting the group - or they'll not pay attention in your lessons either. Chat during those random transition moments as an alternative.
• Use humour as often as you can, but let them know you'll be looking out for those who can have a good time, but also stay on task.
• Show them that you value students who are keen to contribute in a positive way, who are resilient, and can manage themselves in different situations. Use simple but meaningful praise, and compliment the one listening well, working hard, being a good friend. Then, once they follow suit, you can start to share some of the laughs we all crave, so that you become their 'best teacher ever'.
• What is it you actually want them to know about you? You're never going to know everything about everyone. Focus on what needs to be known, and then leave yourself open to surprise when the most quiet child turns out to be a martial arts genius, so-and-so keeps pet dragons, or the football mad kid also took centre stage in a musical at the weekend.

Being their friend first, and teacher second is never going to work. They're going to fall in love with you regardless. They want someone who is going to work hard for them, and they'll work just as hard for you. Best of luck!