Weeks of a Beginning Teacher – Week 9: Quiet Wake-Up Call

Takeaways in 10s

• Results reflect routines – Student outcomes are a mirror of what we consistently do (or don’t do) in class.

• Celebrating effort motivates growth – Publicly recognising improvement, not just high scores, builds momentum.

• Teaching study skills is teaching content – Strategies like active recall and information organisation deserve classroom time.

This Week in My Teaching Journey

I can’t quite believe I’ve reached Week 9—my last real teaching week before the end of my 1st term as a BT. This week felt a little like a quiet checkpoint to look back and ask, “How far have I come?”

And honestly? It's been messy. Some classes didn't perform well in their tests. It's tough to see that, but also necessary. Yes, topics were harder. Yes, different classes have different baselines. But ultimately, it’s also a wake-up call—especially in the area of classroom management and consistency. The truth is, how I structure my lessons directly affects how much my students take away from them.

Still, there were moments this week I’m proud of. I finally took the time to make simple slides celebrating student achievements—highlighting not just high scorers but also those who showed big improvements. It made a visible difference. Students lit up. That small act of recognition gave them something to feel proud of, and hopefully something to keep working toward.

The experience also nudged me to realise what I haven’t done enough of: teaching students how to learn. I’ve focused on content delivery, but less on things like study techniques, recall practices, and how to manage their revision resources. These skills are especially critical for my express classes, who are now more motivated—but need direction.

I’ve also seen how important regular diagnostics are—not just for them, but for me too. They act as both feedback and accountability. Experienced teachers do this all the time. I’m only just catching up.

There’s a lot I still need to do: prep my slides better, find ways to organise my thoughts so I can teach faster, and always, always reserve time for checking understanding.

If I Could Tell My Younger Self One Thing...

“Motivation needs a map. Give students both the reason and the route.”

Don’t just teach what—teach how. Study skills are part of your curriculum, whether you plan for them or not. Small celebrations matter. Highlight improvement, not just excellence. Be honest about what didn’t work. That’s the only way to grow.

Disclaimer: This blog post is a summary of my written takeaways by ChatGPT and the cover image is generated by using the takeaway as the prompt in ChatGPT.