Tell them your story

As I approach starting out with new classes for my 17^th academic year (crazy how time flies), I realise that things haven’t really changed in nearly two decades of teaching. I still need to quickly build professional relationships with my classes, motivate students to want to learn my subject and embed good routines and habits in terms of high expectations, behaviour and general classroom management. 

Anyone who has followed me on Instagram or watched some of my webinars on motivation and boosting uptake, will know that the one most impactful thing I think you can do as a teacher starting out with a new group of students (or even a group you already know) is to share your story.

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Sharing Your Story

⭐ Why are you stood in front of these students, teaching them your subject?

⭐ How have you got to where you are today?

⭐ What opportunities have you had along the way?

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As a Languages teacher, many students think that I am a native speaker of German (I wish my language skills were THAT good) or think that perhaps someone in my family is German, or that I have spent a long time living in Germany. They are pleasantly surprised when I share with them that I, like them, began learning German in Year 7.

I had never been to Germany before year 9, when I went on a school exchange, and at primary school I had only learnt a bit of French at an after-school club. I share with them how much I loved German at school - mainly because of an inspirational teacher - and how I went on to study the language at A-Level, then University (picking up Spanish) and how I spent a year abroad; living in Dortmund, watching BVB on the famous yellow wall ‘die Südtribune,’ experiencing Cologne carnival and the Oktoberfest, skiing in the Alps and experiencing the 2006 World Cup final in Berlin, not to mention the opportunity to become fluent in another language; a skill still very rare in the UK today.

I show them photographs and tell them all about the people I have met and the opportunities that I have had along the way. I do all of this before I talk to them about expectations or teach them anything. They are gripped and usually have so many follow up questions. I can’t think of a time when this activity has failed to in this way, regardless of the subject you are teaching. This will help students develop intrinsic motivation for your subject which will in term support behaviour management and engagement, student aspirations and ultimately achieve positive outcomes for the young people you are teaching.

For further research on motivation, I would highly recommend the work of Dr. Liam Printer, and in particular his podcast ‘The Motivated Classroom.’. Liam goes into a great deal of detail about intrinsic motivation and Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan) and shares practical ways of how this can be achieved in the classroom from day one! I particular like his idea of a ‘Classroom Constitution’; a set of rules and expectations that are “co-created” between students and teacher. According to Liam, this sets clear expectations, builds consistent routines and develops strong relationships.

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Setting Your Expectations

However you decide to do it, it is imperative that you set your expectations high in that very first lesson.

Based on your school policy, this should be how students should enter your classroom, engage in their learning, leave at the end and also your expectations in terms of homework, equipment etc. – make everything as explicit as possible!

Don’t forget to share how students will be rewarded for their efforts. This might be based on what happens across the school or you might also want to have your own system for rewarding and praising students. I like to have a ‘Star of the Lesson’ whereby I pick a student who has really impressed me through exceptional work or great participation, for example. I have various rewards written on lolly sticks (such as a sweet treat, a little language-related prize like a badge, or privileges such as getting to sit next to a friend next lesson or choose a game to play). This is always popular and students really compete to become the ‘star.’ 

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Setting Your Intentions

Aside from building those relationships and setting your expectations high in terms of classroom management, don’t forget to set out your own good intentions at the start of the year too to ensure that you set off to a good start.

Keep organised by getting a planner or diary (school should buy you these – please don’t spend your own money!) and if you are lucky enough to have your own classroom, get this set up how you would like it. Don’t forget to keep a good paper and digital filing system for resources. I personally use my Apple iCloud because I can download and save resources and lesson ideas from anywhere using my phone, ipad etc. Sharing good practice in schools is common, so don’t feel that you have to create everything from scratch – don’t reinvent the wheel when your department will already have many resources you can use and adapt. Social media is also a great place to magpie ideas and of course, if you're a This is School user, it's worth spending some time exploring their super useful administrative support functions and teacher resources section.

I always love the start of a new academic year – it’s a great time to get organised, start afresh and set some new intentions. For further reading on high expectations and behaviour management, I can highly recommend the work of Doug Lemov and Tom Bennett 

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Good luck with the new school year!

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Claire Wilson has been a teacher of German, Spanish and French for 16 years and has 12 years experience as a subject leader. She is currently Teacher Development Lead at a comprehensive school in the Midlands. Passionate about all things teaching and learning, Claire also works as an educational consultant, writer, speaker and lecturer. You can watch her webinars Speaking Stars in MFL and Low Effort, High Impact Ideas here on This is School!

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