...'To Do' Lists

To do lists don't work. I certainly don't recall ever getting everything on a to do list actually done.  This is because they don't help us to be more productive, or more efficient in what we do and when we do it.  Instead they serve to stoke anxiety levels by reminding us of how many things we haven't done.  In fact, I'm going to refer to them as haven't done lists from now on.

But they're not what this post it about.  Several years ago I stopped using to do lists for good, in favour of a new way of organising my time, which was as quick, and more effective.  And here it is...

...Managing Pressure

Every year, since I began teaching, I've found the approaching winter break brings as much pressure as it does festivity. In fact, I've not once experienced a 'winding down' toward the end of a term. Instead, I tend to feel particularly wound up. Well, this post is concerned with professional pressure, whenever it occurs - and how to manage it.

...Interview Strategy

We held UEL's Recruitment Fair yesterday. The day was organised to provide trainee teachers with all the information they needed to secure an ECT post by the end of their PGCE/School Direct programme. Having interviewed many candidates for training places and teaching posts, I was asked to contribute to a session entitled 'Answering Interview Questions'. This post shares a summary of the guidance I gave, a copy of the presentation I displayed (using Prezi), and a video I used to emphasize the need for decent preparation.

Rather than just dwelling on the questions that potential employers were likely to ask, I decided to discuss the interview process in broader terms and to provide trainees with a strategy for success. Apologies if some of the advice seems fairly obvious, but I've seen first hand the effect that a lack of forward planning can have on interview day... Get to work!

...Beating Stress

Photograph: Alamy

It's the nature of the job, isn't it? Inspections, ever-increasing expectations, and so many tasks to juggle, including planning, assessment, reporting and resourcing... The pressures on teachers, which seem relentless at times, amount to a genuine occupational hazard.

The pressures of the PGCE in particular are widely recognised. The learning curve is very steep for most trainees. The regular observations of your teaching practice, and the need for getting to grips with the necessary theory, subject knowledge, tasks and assignments make for a highly demanding 11 months. Current fee arrangements serve to add an unfortunate level of jeopardy for many.

It is with this in mind that Nane Steinhoff's blog in The Guardian caught my eye. Now, I know that dealing with stress is far from simple, and that a handy list of prompts is unlikely to be of any help for sufferers with acute symptoms. But, I shared the blog with a small group of trainees and it seemed to resonate. So, here it is - reblogged: