A. This is without a shadow of a doubt the biggest challenge of the job. As an NQT it’s tempting and an admirable trait, for you to want to get everything perfect straight off. But be warned: this is the route to stress induced burn-out. Recent research has indicated that some teachers are regularly putting in 70 hour weeks in order to stay on top of the job. You owe it to the children you teach and to yourself not to go down that road. There is no magic cure for this one, but there are lots of small changes that you can make to help you regain your work-life balance. It may sound like yet another piece of admin, but keeping a work diary is a must. Make a note of all your important deadlines, like parents’ evening, end of term reports, school productions and then make a weekly plan, so that you don’t have to pack in all the effort at the last moment. Try to keep fit, eat healthily and get plenty of sleep, a real basic this one, but it’s easy to become run down and then everything becomes more difficult. Schedule time for rest and relaxation at weekends – if you know you have a heavy week, keep social events to a minimum. And lastly, be kind to yourself!  You don’t have to spend every evening creating resource sheets and cutting-out. Teaching Trends has a huge variety of well-priced, good-value items that will save you a great deal of time and trouble. Teaching Trends wishes you every success in your teaching career.

F. Armstrong,  Havant, Hants.

A. Despite its importance in everyday life Maths has a pretty poor profile in terms of fun and is definitely not among  the favourite subjects to study at university, so anything you can do to encourage the idea that Maths is exciting will be of great  and long lasting benefit to the children you teach.

Don’t try to over explain a Maths topic in the classroom; instead look for less traditional ways of teaching the subject. I’m sure you have a bulging folder of worksheets in your resource file and are already using Maths games that the children can do in small groups around the classroom, but if you’re ‘blessed’ with a particularly active class, you might want to consider combining Maths with some physical activity, so their brains and their bodies are stretched at the same time. Teaching Trends Number Cubes Inflatables are a good value, fun way of encouraging children to think about numbers as they move. You mentioned that you are a supply teacher and the number cubes pack small, are light to carry and priced so that you can include several packs among your resources. The kind of games you can initiate with the cubes are limitless. They can be used outdoors on mild days to give the children more space, or in a sitting circle in the classroom. The cubes range from basic number to multiplication quizzes, so you can pitch them at the right level for different groups. Good luck with teaching Maths!

Most adults recall learning at least some of the multiplication tables by rote and many are also keen to forget doing that, because it brings back the boredom of chanting 6 times 7 en masse, or being tested by a class teacher. Teaching methods have more or less left behind the concept of rote learning in an effort to make learning stimulating and meaningful, but that still leaves the timestables and they still have to be acquired somehow, because some GSCSE Maths exams have to be taken without a calculator and because it would be extremely difficult to progress to higher maths without the step up that the timestables provide.

Most class teachers introduce timestables to children at around the age of 7 or 8 and they are often taught in the form of games and rhymes and supported with a bit of ‘old fashioned’ class chanting. It helps to think of the timestables as a life skill, rather in the way that teaching your child to ride a bike or swim is giving the a life skill and, while you shouldn’t be looking to push your child to learn their tables in advance of what’s happening in school, this is one area where you can support their class learning.

Dos and Don’ts

• Do tackle times  table learning gently, a little at a time and preferably when your child is not overtired or keen to watch their favourite TV programme.
• Don’t show irritation if progress is slow or use the learning time as a punishment.
• Do start with the tables that have an easily acquired pattern, like 2s and 10s and save the harder ones for later on.
• Don’t put your child off Maths for life, by telling her that if she doesn’t learn she won’t understand Maths ever.
• Do look for ways to make the tables fun. Teaching Trends has around 20 timestables aids (or 2 x 10 if your prefer) from a times table chart (priced just £1.99) to a sing & learn CD (£7.19).

The most exciting thing you can do to help children appreciate a foreign language is to take them the country so they can hear it spoken by native speakers. However, it’s unlikely that the school trip budget will stretch to this, so the next best thing is to provide as much of a flavour of where the language comes from as you possibly can. Taped music and simple storytelling, travel films and books can all compliment language teaching and will help give the children some idea of what the language is all about.

A linked project is another way of saturating the children in the culture, geography and cuisine of the country where the language comes from and will add value to learning the language itself. If you know of someone who is a native speaker, then it would be a good idea to persuade them to come into the class one day to chat to the children and to let your pupils hear the language spoken conversationally.

Many people have memories of being made to learn long lists of French vocabulary by rote, but language teaching has moved on from there and there are plenty of games and projects that can help the acquisition of a foreign language in a more rounded and stimulating way. One easy way of heling children to build on their foreign language vocabulary is to attachpost-it notes with the relevant words written on to classroom objects for your language sessions, or by using more permanent labels if you prefer.

Dos and Don’ts

• Encourage children to find out as much as they can about the country’s language, culture and society.
• Don’t let children detect any lack of enthusiasm or confidence on your part with respect to the language.
• Do use as many props and games as you can to teach the language.
• Don’t pick on individuals’ pronunciation in the class or introduce long memory tests.
• Do keep things low key  – so many children are turned off of learning a foreign language, because they find the early stages difficult.

And when you feel like you’re making progress you can say ‘bon’ or ‘buen trabajo’  according to what you’re teaching at the time of course, with Teaching Trends French and Spanish language stickers.

When good manners are taught at home it can make life in the classroom a lot easier all round, but it’s important to reinforce good manners wherever they are, so that children acquire a habit which will help them in all kinds of ways as they go through life. Financial rewards aside, Julie Taylor, headteacher of Neville Lovett Community School has proved, that even with older age groups, good old fashioned motivational displays and reward stamps and stickers can work manners magic. And Julie Taylor’s insistence on good manners at all times in her school, which includes standing up when a teacher comes into the room, learning to shake hands and showing consideration for others, is backed up by an OFSTED report which details improved pupil performance and attendance – pointing to the fact that good manners are not something to be disregarded as old fashioned or irrelevant.

If you have a top tip for growing good manners why not share it with us? We’ll send a Good Manners Bulletin Board Set, worth £13.26 to the sender of the best suggestion.

The shortest and  best tip for toilet training a child is not to worry about it. It’s tempting, when the cost of nappies adds a substantial amount to the weekly shopping bill, or you’re just plain sick of the grind of changing nappies, to want to hurry things along. But if you try to train your child to use the toilet too early you’ll end up feeling more than a bit frustrated and it’s likely to make no difference whatsoever to the time it takes for your child to grasp hold of what’s required.

Most children will start to show an interest in cause and effect by the time they reach 18 months to two years old. Your child may tug at his nappy when he wants to go or stop playing and take on a look of studied concentration as he wees in his nappy. If he’s showing signs of knowing when it’s about to happen then you can introduce him to the potty in a low-key way by placing it in the bathroom and encouraging him to sit on it before bathtime or when you’re using the toilet yourself.

Before you embark on full-on toilet training you should let your child know what he’s in for – telling him that he’s a big boy now and doesn’t need nappies, without putting any pressure on him.  Another reason why it’s not a good idea to be in a rush is that once you decide to begin potty training you need  to stick with the routine. This means that you’ll leave the nappies off your child and keep an eye on him at likely times. Trying not to become obsessive about it, you should get him to sit on the pot after meals and whenever you think some action looks likely. Bladder control comes after bowel control, as does being ‘dry’ at night, which often doesn’t happen until around three years old, so you need to accept that you’re in this for the long haul. Never force your child to sit on the pot or make an issue of it when mistakes happen, as they inevitably will.

Some children do not like sitting on a potty and this could be for a variety of reasons. Keeping the potty close to the toilet and allowing your child to accompany you to the toilet when you go, should help him get the general idea, but  If the potty still holds no appeal you could try a removable child seat for the toilet, which is useful for slightly older children as well and a plastic step to support his feet.

Giving your child plenty of praise when he gets it right will help things along nicely and you could keep an assortment of his favourite board books or smaller toys near the pot, to encourage him to remain on it for the necessary time. Make sure you keep a sense of balance with the way you praise your child for this particular achievement, otherwise he might get it into his head that it’s a good idea to display the contents of the pot to everyone who comes into your house, in the hope of receiving a big pat on the back. A clear-cut record and reward system provides a sensible means of encouragement and praise. The Teaching Trends Potty Chart does this in a lighthearted and cheerful way. The laminated chart (priced £2.56) allows you to write in wipe-off marker or use stickers to record your child’s little triumphs and build up to a reward. The potty chart can become a positive part of your whole toilet training routine and will help your child to focus on the task in hand.  Once your child is dry during the day you can use the chart for night time.

Teaching Trends Top Toilet Training Tips:

• Do choose a time to begin training when your child is in good health and you have no extra family worries.
• Don’t let your child see that you find any accidents disgusting or see  them as a failure on his or her part.
• Do praise your child every time he gets it right and every time he almost gets it right.
• Don’t push your child back in nappies the moment he blows it.
• Do carry a supply of extra clothes with you when you go out and try to stay home for the first few days of toilet training.
• Don’t listen to friends who say their child was toilet trained at eight months or whatever.
• Do make sure your child has some easy to get on and off clothes while you’re potty training him (no fussy fasteners or dungarees) and invest in some snazzy pants that he’ll enjoy wearing.

In September 2010 the government launched an independent review into music education, with Education Secretary Michael Gove commenting that ‘to experience and understand music is central to raising standards. It has long been acknowledged that good music education goes hand in hand with improved standards in attention, concentration and behaviour, as well as providing a boost to numeracy and language skills. If you are an accomplished musician yourself you may recognise the truth in all of this, but what if you’re not?  Sadly, many teachers have not had the experience of learning a musical instrument, or the opportunity to immerse themselves in music of all kinds and cultures, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t teach it successfully and broaden your own love of music at the same time.

Let’s start at the very beginning

Building a firm foundation for an education in music which, with your help will last a lifetime for those you teach, lies in an understanding and appreciation of a whole range of different kinds of music. Whether or not you appreciate classical music on a personal level, you should definitely seek to include a variety of sounds from across the centuries in your pupils’ listening repertoire. Teaching Trends Famous Composers chart (£4.07)  is a good place to start. If the children understand a little bit about the composer whose music you’re encouraging them to listen to and what kind of life they lived, it helps them to understand that the music comes from real people not unlike themselves. It’s also important to include music from different cultures in your repertoire and if at all possible, to find some parents/friends who would be willing to come and perform ‘live’ music for the children.

A very good place to start

It’s also part of the National Curriculum’s aims for teaching music that children should understand how music is produced with different instruments and  again, you can reinforce this information with the Teaching Trends Musical Instruments chart (£1.99)  which illustrates woodwind, percussion, brass, strings and guitars. If you have a music shop locally you may be able to persuade them to let you take the children for a guided tour or get staff to bring some instruments into class. The Museum of Musical Instruments at the Royal College of Music in London is also well worth a visit and there are also free events open to the public (www.rcm.ac.uk). Check your nearest music college or university department for events in your area.

When you read you begin with

As children become accustomed to the ‘language’ of music you can introduce them to the ‘alphabet’.  The Teaching Trends Music Symbols bulletin board set, (£12.98)  shows the basic symbols and terminology and also includes two wipe-off staffs for children to practise simple composition or record notes they hear. The pack includes 20 pieces. If you have access to a portable keyboard or piano you can have unlimited fun with this.

When you sing you begin with

If music and especially performance is not your thing it can be a test of your teaching confidence, more than with most subjects, for you to teach music. But remember that all your teaching involves performance and the children are likely to be your best audience.

The first three notes just happen to be

Whether you’re teaching the children the most basic stages of percussion music-making or to harmonise singing in a choir they should be given the opportunity for performance. Performing music will increase their listening skills, aid their creativity and intuition and enhance their self-confidence and co-operation with others. Performing in school assemblies, before you move on to the big time, is ideal because it is relatively low-key, while incorporating an ‘audience’ that is likely to be both supportive and appreciative.

Coming Soon: Teaching Trends is currently exploring a whole range of musical instruments from across the world, with a view to introducing the best selection to our range. So watch this space.

Start them young

Under twos

Reading should be seen as something that is as enjoyable and normal, if not more so, as watching TV, so it’s a good idea to lead by example and be seen to be dipping in to the odd book and talking about books you like. In the same way, visits to bookshops and your local library help instil the idea that reading is an integral part of family life.

And whilst you should never put pressure on your child to read, it is a good idea to buy books for them as soon as you can. Second-hand books and well-priced board or picture books are preferable for young children to expensive hardbacks. Look for thick, durable books, wipe-clean plastic books and brightly coloured books. Don’t race ahead to complicated story lines in the hope your child will be reading Shakespeare or Dickens by the time she’s 7, stick instead to books with just a line or two on each page, which will help your child to begin to recognise simple words associated with the picture. If your little one is reluctant to sit still and ‘read’ with you, you could try putting together some family photos, with a simple text underneath to encourage your child to discuss story and turn the pages. Encourage the natural nosiness that all children have, which is a pre-reading skill, rather than making any attempt to teach the alphabet.

Two to five

Some children get hooked on a book series, which depicts a particular character, and if this is the case you should go with it. You’ll probably never want to see another picture of Thomas the Tank again, ever, but rest assured that eventually your child will move on. This is a good stage also to introduce rhyme and humour, rhyme in particular will help your child grasp hold of the rhythm of language. There are also a great many novelty books around for this age range and while it’s good to ring the changes, you should avoid buying too many, as they tend to stand less rough handling and you don’t want to deter your child from picking up a book.

School reading

Once your child is at school she will be sent home with books for you to look at together. This should not be treated as homework in the traditional sense and it’s important not to turn this into a chore. Reading is an organic development, so you don’t need to go over and over words with your child until she learns them, or force her to guess at words she may not know. She’s not in competition with other children. It’s much better to look at the books together in a relaxed way, maybe before you pick up one of her own favourite books at bedtime and away from distractions like the TV and computer.

Troubleshooting

It’s natural to want your child to succeed at school and reading is integral to that, but it’s equally vital that your child is not put off of reading by being placed under pressure. If you feel there is something wrong with your child’s reading development, that she may be dyslexic for instance, then you should talk to her class teacher at a parent evening when your child is not around.

Useful contacts

literacytrust.org.uk

bbc.co.uk/schools/parents

Overall marks out of Ten: 8.5

These games come in three boxed sets. Each set contains three wallets and each wallet has 24 cards. The game is intended for two to four players, but you can also use the cards for whole class learning.

Class packs are also available and these contain four individual box sets with enough games for 36 children and a teacher’s guide. Available for KS1,2 and 3, priced £xx.

How it works: A bit like ‘Kim’s game’ – with all the cards placed face down on the table a player picks two. If they’re identical he gets to keep them, if not he still has to read the sum on the cards correctly and place them back as they were.

‘I tried Hoo Ha! with Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 children in two 20-minute sessions. The children really enjoyed themselves with it and asked me if we could play it again as soon as possible – praise indeed!  From a teaching point of view Hoo Ha! appeals to the visual, verbal, aural and kinaesthetic learner. The format for the game is one that the children are familiar with and engage with immediately. I found it an idea resource to use with small groups learning times tables and multiplication facts. Small groups of children could also use the cards an independent group activity.’

Margaret Edwards, supply teacher

A drop-in arts and crafts session

The organisation and pre-session preparation is minimal. Sell tickets for the session in advance and make it clear that a parent must stay with each child and that refreshments will be served while their child takes part – it’s always worthwhile combining events with the sale of coffee and cakes to encourage parents to stick around and socialise, as well as to make more money.

Set up enough tables for everyone who’s taking part, with plenty of protection for school furniture and flooring and provide overalls for children or ask parents to bring their own. Obviously, the school will need to give permission for the activity to take place, as with all out-of-hours sessions. Rather than opting for activities that you know the children regularly take part in during school hours, such as painting and model making it’s a good idea to decide upon three or four activities that they will enjoy, but might not have tried before.

If you’re dealing with slightly older children then Teaching Trends Shaped Wood Craft Sticks (£7.13 for 36 boy and girl natural wood figures) are extremely popular. You can use paint, markers, paste and crayons on the craft sticks and children really enjoy creating different ‘people’. You could also easily extend this activity into creating designs for a ‘fashion show’ to be presented at the end of the session or in making up a ‘football team’ – the possibilities are endless, while the expense and energy it takes are minimal.

All ages will find fun in using Teaching Trends Safari Tissue Assortment, priced just £3.98 for 24 exotic sheets and again you could direct the session by encouraging children to create new animals, or use the paper in conjunction with other craft materials from the Teaching Trends range to make greetings cards or bookmarks, or simply allow them free rein to create whatever they wish.

Children’s Bingo

You can do this as a supplement to an adult bingo evening or to complement a bigger fundraising event. It always proves to be very popular, so make sure you have enough helpers on hand, other than that there’s virtually no preparation needed and very little expense. Teaching Trends Numbers Bingo has a unique six-way format to allow you to adapt play to the age group playing and includes 36 cards, more than 200 chips, plus a caller’s mat and card. The trick with this activity is to sell the cards to the players (or their parents) at a pound a game (or whatever your market will allow!) and to provide some inexpensive prizes for the winners. You may need to organise your ‘eyes down’ for several different sessions for separate age groups, but the games are reasonably quick to play. Be warned: children find this game addictive – especially when there are prizes involved.

Hands in Harmony

This is a fundraiser which almost works itself. All you need to do to get started is buy a Teaching Trends Hands in Harmony Learning Tree Bulletin Board Set (priced £13.26). The set includes 6 pairs of large hands and 18 pairs of small hands, plus a tree that is over 122 cm tall when assembled. Ask your head teacher if you can position the tree in a prominent place in the school where children and parents can check on it easily. Send out an email or letter to parents informing them that you are doing a ‘Hands in Harmony’ fundraiser. Suggest ways that children can earn their place around the ‘tree’, such as helping their parents with a chore for a week, or tidying their room. In return for the help they receive the parents purchase a hand which their child can then decorate, write their name on and place around the tree. The large hands can be ‘earned’ by teachers and parents!

Why not share your fundraising ideas with other parents and teachers? A Teaching Trends Bingo set will wing its way to those of you who come up with the best suggestions. Email learning@teachingtrends.co.uk