Positive Teacher Feature 2: meet Emily!
We're proud to be featuring and celebrating those who bring positivity to the world of teaching and Emily Weston appears to fit that criteria in abundance! One look at her twitter feed demonstrates her desire to share and give back to her teacher followers and also that she is clearly a highly accomplished baker! Emily offers some fantastic advice below, so without further ado... meet Emily!
Name: Emily Weston (@primaryteachew)
Role:
Year 6 Teacher, Reading and Writing Project Leader and PGCE Student Mentor
Why did you get into teaching?
I've wanted to be a teacher since I can remember. Even before I started school I use to take registers, beg my parents to buy me 'test books' and want to read and write. When I started school, I LOVED it and as they say, the rest is history.
What are your top tips for positivity and excitement within your role?
If you're not feeling positive in your role, every little thing will become a struggle (believe me, I've been there). My best tips for staying positive and excited are:
- Find time every day to think of something that's gone well... even if that one thing is you didn't spill the tea on your white shirt. The dark times are easier if you find some light. I write 'New Academic Year Resolutions' each year and this is one of mine for 2019/2020.
- Accept support from your colleagues! It's so easy to muddle along on your own, but we tell the children to share their worries and so should we. If you can't do something, ask. If you need support, find someone. If there's none in school, go elsewhere. Instagram and Twitter were invaluable to me last year.
- Teach the way you'd want to be taught to stay excited! I always try to think of how I would want to see something taught to me and incorporate that into my lessons. Not only will the children find it interesting, but it's so exciting to teach too!
Looking back, what advice would you give to your NQT/Trainee self?
To make sure I still find time for myself! I love baking and during my NQT year, I barely had time to make cupcakes, let alone anything else because I was so focused on work. It's so easy for the work/life balance scale to tip toward your career but if you're not at your best, you won't be giving your best in class!
What's the best thing about being a teacher?
Literally too many things.
- Getting to be creative and do displays
- To keep learning more.
- Seeing the excitement of children understanding something new and feeling like you're making a difference in their lives.
- Having a class bookshelf that I can store all my children's books so they don't take over my house.
Would you rather sing in front of the whole school in assembly or dance at the next governors' meeting?
I would definitely dance in front of the governors'! All of our governors' are really nice and would be polite enough to clap when I've finished my routine. I can just about hold a tune but I wouldn't want to inflict that on the whole school!
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!
