The Positive Teacher Feature: meet Kate
When not dressed-up as Christmasaurus, Year 1/2 Teacher Kate Ramsden is busy inspiring children to learn and develop. She is a fan of reading stories every day (something close to my heart) and also having an occasional rant with a colleague over some gin (also close to my heart!). Over all, she oozes positivity which is precisely what The Positive Teacher Feature is all about! Take a bow, Kate!
Name: Kate Ramsden (@mrs_rs_mixed_class_journey)
Role:
I am currently in my 3rd year of teaching and I have a mixed year 1/2 class for the first time this year. I have worked in year 1 for the previous two years. I moved schools at the end of the last academy year to a small infant school that works with a more provision based approach to learning and I love it. I am also in my second year of being art and DT lead in school.
Why did you get into teaching?
Ever since I can remember I have always wanted to teach. Growing up I was always the one to offer to babysit for family, friends and neighbours. I used to offer to wait with younger friends at school until they were collected and picked up and then I’d walk home right back when I was in middle school aged about 10. I then left school and didn’t go down the traditional route of college and university but rather I was offered a position working in a holiday school club and after school club in a private school. From there, I was offered a nursery nurse position in the nursery than a teaching assistant position became available. I then decided later in life to go back to university and get my teaching degree and graduated at 29 and I have never looked back since. I truly love my job.
What are your top tips for positivity and excitement within your role?
My top tips for positivity are to have a colleague that you can have a rant to because, let’s face it, we all get overwhelmed some days but having someone to air it to really helps. It helps you regain perspective and get another insight to any situation. Usually over gin the best rants take place ;)
I’m a big lover of story-time and try my hardest to read to the children before they leave for the day. I like the thought of filling their minds with imagination just before they go so any kind of new story or book excites me. We have just had a big order of books within school and I swear I just looked through them for hours with no one in the classroom, lol!
Looking back, what advice would you give your NQT/Trainee self?
I would tell me trainee self to not worry if things don’t get finished. I spent so many hours prepping resources in my NQT year trying to think of absolutely everything but in the end I never got round to using some of them. It is ok to leave things unfinished and to build it up as you go. Even the marking of books, if they don’t get done there is always tomorrow to catch up!!
What's the best thing about being a teacher?
It’s hard to list one best thing about teaching, there are so many things I could say. One of the best things is seeing children make progress no matter how big or small is a great feeling. In my current class I have a year 2 boy who really struggles academically but I’ve worked really hard to build a relationship with him first and then give him routine before he even touched working at tables. He now works independently and has made so so much progress. He melts my heart daily.
Another favourite of mine is introducing something new to a child and then seeing them apply that themselves. It’s such a nice feeling to know I’ve had impact on that child’s development for the better. We’re currently reading the christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher. Not one of my children knew the story before but they have all asked for it for Christmas, some have gone out and bought it already to read with their families and others have gone to the local library asking for the author. What a feeling knowing you’re getting kids into reading and books especially in the modern technological world we live in.
One other favourite of mine is that it is daily laughs in the classroom especially working with the younger children like I do. They can brighten up the darkest of days with a simple off hand comment.
Would you rather do every single playground duty for a term or ten minutes into the next staff meeting, without warning, start 'twerking' for 10 seconds minimum, without even attempting to justify it afterwards?
I would definitely prefer to do every playtime duty for the next time as opposed to twerking in the staff room. For one I’m a terrible dancer and two I hate having any attention on myself in a group situation. I am only just dealing with class assemblies with being a trembling mess after 3 years, lol!
Do you love teaching? If you'd like to nominate yourself or another teacher who you think deserves to be featured, please email us at enquiries@thepositiveteachercompany.co.uk. We'd love to hear from you!
