Diary of an NQT
LANGUAGE TEACHING LANGUAGE TEACHING
Making yourself more sellable
My first placement on my PGCE was a bit of a cooking. Therefore I have started making use of a
drama. Well not the actual placement itself, but the free period each week to actively observe a food
initial task of finding a school proved dramatic. technology class. It’s great. Because it’s such a
The day before I was supposed to visit my different environment, I get to see a whole different
placement school, my tutor informed me that ball game in the dynamics of teaching.
the institution had pulled out. I have started to think that ideally The language of success
Now you would think that this I would like to teach 50 per cent
should not have been much of an social sciences and 50 per cent food
issue, as there are plenty of schools technology in the future.
willing to assist in the training It’s something to aim for and
process for many reasons, not least planning ahead in your career is
that it is a great recruitment tool and always important, although obviously
some extra cash. getting the NQT year out of the way
But I felt it was an issue because has to be the priority.
every school approaches citizenship The other opportunity that is
differently. Therefore it can be hard presenting itself to me has come
to predict where a student teacher indirectly from Ed Balls, the schools
of citizenship will be placed within a chief, with his recently-announced
placement school. ambition that every teacher over time
I ended up being placed within a should have a new Master’s in
great humanities department, but teaching and learning.
obviously the initial disappointment My school (in collaboration
for me was that I was only teaching with a university) is offering
a medley of humanities subjects, a Postgraduate Certificate in
while my peers were getting the Professional Studies CPD. It
full citizenship treatment. offers to explore some of my
I felt left out and concerned that “institution’s” development
I was going to fall behind in the priorities. It looks a tempting offer
citizenship pedagogy skills that I and indeed a great opportunity. For
should have been acquiring. a reason unbeknown to me, the fees are
However, in reality, the fact was that being waived and I can get 60 Master’s
I was adding “more stings to my bow” and points.
making myself more sellable for the inevitable Now it’s niggling on my mind what to do
scramble for jobs that was looming at the end of – go for the course or not. Will it make myself
the year. more sellable in future? Would the Tories be singing
I sense that this is an ongoing issue in teaching from the same sheet? I have some thinking to do,
and with this in mind, two more avenues have but right now I am off to cook. Have a great week.
recently presented themselves to me.
The first one is by choice. In my younger years, • This year, our weekly NQT diarist is Charles
I worked a lot in the catering industry, in particular Aubeeluck, a qualified citizenship teacher who
on the kitchen side. The unsocial hours and pay teaches sociology and health and social care at
were downers, but it did leave with me a love of Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls in west London.
Moral support
Spare a thought for Snow White
IT SEEMED just seconds after the arrival of nativity seems to me alive and well in the beloved
November that supermarket managers across the panto performances in theatres across the country.
country began to deck the aisles with boughs of holly One tale in particular from the Noel storybook
in preparation for the eight week nationwide shop-off appeals to me as rather pertinent. Driven into the
that signifies the Yuletide period. forest by the murderous jealously of a diabolical
Once again, ‘tis the season to push trollies. It queen, a future princess is saved from a life of
was as if they were being held back behind those arboricultural vagrancy by the compassion of seven
mysterious double doors near the meat counter; diminutive bachelors, who share with her their pad
lurking with giant plastic santas and reams of in the woods. It is, of course, the story of Snow
tinsel under each arm, poised for the stroke White and it struck me recently how similar Foreign languages are a vital skill in an increasingly involved with menu planning, front-of-house role-plays,
of midnight. At this moment, head office’s her experiences are to those of teachers. diverse society and competitive economy. For the UK to reservation enquiries, wedding booking enquiries, and
“don’t overdo it” directive would expire Bear with me. continue to compete effectively in a global market and guest relations – all using French.
and they could cavort through till Our most-recent Quarterly Report to foster an increasingly multicultural society, England For Novotel, the project represented a clear
morning, spraying fake snow across demonstrated again that managing needs to increase the pool of language skills within the opportunity to engage with the local community and
the cigarette counter and whacking relationships with other adults is one of population and this needs to start with young people. give young people an insight into local job opportunities
on Wizzard at full volume. the main areas with which we support A key challenge for today’s teachers is therefore to where languages are valuable. Although French was the
Although I’d hate to imply that teachers. While there may be few motivate, encourage and engage secondary students target language, and is the corporate language of the
I’m due a visit from the Ghost of common rooms populated with to select and learn a language, continually proving Accor Group, other languages are of use in dealing with
Christmas past, I for one will be caricatures that correlate directly the professional and personal benefits of languages to the exceptionally international array of guests passing
avoiding any outlet encouraging with the personalities of Bashful, young people. through Heathrow. As a result of this project, Novotel
the unspoken maxim that the more Doc, Sneezy et al, one of our most Below, two headteachers outline their approaches Heathrow won the top community award in the UK for
you spend on gold-encrusted tat at popular factsheets available to view to engaging young people in learning languages and all Accor hotels.
Christmas, the more your family on our online InfoCentre is entitled ensuring today’s young people have the skills required Not only this, but the project generated an enormous
will enter the festive spirit. Seven Types of Difficult People. to succeed in the 21st century. amount of enthusiasm among the students. Many young
Baah humbug maybe, but for me The factsheet outlines seven broad people decided to continue with languages beyond
there’s plenty about the forthcoming categories of personality, and makes
Julie Tomkins
GCSE as a result, and for some the experience also
two months that still manage to suggestions on how to manage or deal sparked interest in careers in the hospitality industry.
inspire excitement. Mulled wine, with their typical behavioural traits.
Brentford School for Girls, Hounslow
In fact, two participating students subsequently gained
for example, and being forced Its continual popularity is interesting Like all schools in England, Brentford has had to adapt a two-week work experience at the Novotel London
by tradition to polish off an because it’s an aspect of teaching to the changing nature of foreign languages at GCSE. Heathrow.
extra sherry and minced pie that is frequently disregarded by With languages no longer a compulsory element of the With the success of the first year behind us, we
on Christmas Eve. many commentators. GCSE curriculum, the big challenge is to illustrate the decided to build on the partnership in 2007, but this
As many of you with While those who working benefits of having a language and to motivate pupils to time with the aim of motivating year 9 students to
children will know, the the classroom are obviously not select languages in a shrinking world. take up French at GCSE. The goal of this adapted
winter months also signify the only people who experience To excite young people about the long-term benefits programme was to give students an insight into how
the start of pantomime the ever-changing difficulties of of languages in the workplace, the Hounslow Education languages are used in the hospitality industry, as well
season and, just like every being part of a disparate team, the Business Partnership set up a link between the Brentford as to provide valuable language practice in the foreign
year, I simply can’t wait for tensions of teaching can exacerbate School for Girls languages department and the Novotel language.
our visit. Although I’d like the problems of teamwork to levels Heathrow, part of the Accor group of hotels, to develop The key here was to adjust the scheme to a level
to think of myself as a man of unseen by people in other professions. a bespoke project to engage pupils in French, the core appropriate for the year group involved, and to take into
culture (and I have three months of the Knife crime and Ofsted tend to attract language of the Accor group. account the larger numbers and greater mix of students
National Theatre e-newsletters unread in the headlines, but constant, wearisome and With the support of native French speakers pre-key stage 4.
my inbox to prove it), there’s something often overlooked problems such as difficulties employed by the hotel, our students undertook a As a result, in 2008 around 90 year 9 students visited
about panto that brings out the child in me, with colleagues and excessive workload have range of recruitment-focused activities with the aim the hotel in small groups, with the task of researching
as I’m sure it does in many. a much more widespread and detrimental affect of getting a French “job”, which took the form of a the hotel facilities for a 14th birthday party. Students
The awe-struck enthusiasm exhibited on the profession. As ever, we’re here to help, group project. These activities ranged from writing prepared for the visit in class with their teachers and
by the audience – both young and old – is simply a through the InfoCentre or via our coaches on email French job applications to developing their own the foreign language assistant for a variety of role-play
joy to experience, and the overarching morality of or telephone. While we can’t promise to clear your French CV, learning to prepare answers to interview scenarios – checking in and out of the hotel, exploring
each play warms the coldest of hearts. For a couple school of Grumpies, Dopies and Sleepies we can at questions, as well as being interviewed by members the hotel facilities during a tour of the hotel, and
of hours it’s delightful to inhabit a world in which least try to increase the number of Happies. of the hotel staff, giving students the opportunity ordering food and drink in the bar and restaurant. The
those who remain obedient to their consciences are to use their language skills in a “real” recruitment aim was to build speaking and listening confidence and
rewarded, while the plots of the wicked are foiled and • Patrick Nash is chief executive of the Teacher process. show pupils how they might use French when abroad
the malevolent receive their just desserts. Support Network. Visit www.teachersupport.info or Each group was then allocated a particular project and at work in this country.
However stale Christmas may seem on Saturday call 08000 562 261 (England), 08000 855088 (Wales). on which to work on during a one-day visit at the Before each visit, the students also researched the
saunters around the shopping centre, the magic of the Moral Support returns in a fortnight. Novotel, which included a tour of the hotel and a hotel facilities on the internet, booked a room and a
quiz in French. The students had the chance to get tour of the hotel through email, and afterwards emailed
8 SecEd • November 13 2008
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