Key policy
The Teachers’ Standards state that teachers must:
establish a safe and stimulating environment for pupils, rooted in mutual respect
set goals that stretch and challenge pupils of all backgrounds, abilities and dispositions
demonstrate consistently the positive attitudes, values and behaviour which are expected of pupils.
(DfE, 2011)
Being a role model
Being a role model places a responsibility on you to consistently demonstrate the highest standards of professional behaviour. You should treat children with respect and kindness, even when they do not replicate this towards you. If children are rude, defiant or aggressive, this is rarely personal. There may be complex reasons that underpin their behaviour, and it is important that you respond to challenging behaviour in a calm, controlled and professional manner. Some children will be continually exposed to models of aggression at home and it is critical that they are exposed to alternative responses from adults who are positive role models.
As a role model to children, you should also:
be punctual at school and lessons;
listen to children when they communicate with you;
address negative behaviour firmly but calmly;
demonstrate professional dress and use of language;
maintain professional boundaries while being friendly;
apologise when you get things wrong;
believe that they can achieve and communicate this belief to them;
believe that they can improve their behaviour and communicate this belief to them;
maintain good attendance;
ensure that lessons are planned, organised and ready to run when children enter the room;
encourage children to take ownership of their learning environment;
refrain from any form of substance use in front of children – for example, smoking cigarettes outside of school.
Learning to be a professional
Some of the aspects of learning to be a professional have been outlined in the section above. Your experience of being a pupil in school is likely to be relatively recent. The moment you begin a course of initial teacher education you need to adopt a professional persona. You should recognise that you are learning to be a professional and you should understand what this process entails. You should be willing to listen to advice and act on feedback. This is essential to your success as a trainee teacher. You should also be willing to reflect frequently on your own strengths and weaknesses, and be proactive in continually improving your teaching. No one will expect you to be perfect, but everyone will expect you to be willing to learn. You should be prepared to ask questions to further your own understanding, and you should be prepared to participate fully in training sessions and other forms of professional learning to fully benefit from your teacher education course.
You should review your social media profiles to ensure that they do not include content that might potentially bring your schools or teacher education provider into disrepute. In addition, you should adjust your behaviour outside of school in your personal life to ensure that this does not lead others to question your suitability as a teacher.
Make the most of your time in school. Take opportunities to observe a range of experienced teachers in the classroom. Ask questions, particularly if you need clarification. Research into the subject content that you are required to teach and establish links with other professionals on social media. This is a useful way of seeking support and for sharing resources. Accept that you will never be the finished product. Learning to be a teacher is a lifelong process. It does not end when you complete your teacher education course. One of the joys of teaching is that you will be continually learning and continually improving your practice. Recognise that you can learn different things from different people and be open-minded. Accept that your previous academic success does not guarantee you success in the teaching profession. You will make mistakes, and you will have strengths and weaknesses, and your performance can change as you move between different school contexts and year groups.
How teachers affect pupil well-being, motivation and behaviour
Teachers play a crucial role in fostering good well-being, motivation and behaviour in their pupils. If your own well-being is poor, this can impact on the well-being of your pupils. As professionals, we recognise that life is not always easy. There may be circumstances in your personal or professional lives which impact on your well-being. Looking after yourself is important, not only for you but also for your pupils. Many children experience adverse circumstances at home. School should be a place where they can consistently enjoy learning, be happy, feel safe and experience a sense of belonging. If your own well-being is poor, it might be more appropriate to take some time out and get support rather than attempt to continue teaching when you are not well. Your teacher education provider has a responsibility to support your well-being.
Research suggests that there appears to be a causal relationship between teacher and pupil mental health (Harding et al., 2019). Positive teacher–pupil relationships support children and young people to be mentally healthy (Kidger et al., 2012; Plenty et al., 2014). These relationships help children to feel more connected to their school (Harding et al., 2019) and improve their well-being (Aldridge and McChesney, 2018) through fostering a sense of belonging. Research demonstrates that teachers with poor mental health may find it more difficult to develop and model positive relationships with their pupils (Kidger et al., 2010; Jennings and Greenberg, 2009).
School is also a place where pupils can be exposed to high expectation in relation to their behaviour. Some pupils will experience inconsistent boundaries from parents, and they will need time to adjust their behaviour to the expectations of the school context. Supporting pupils to recognise their emotions and regulate them is one of your responsibilities as a teacher. Addressing the consequences of poor behaviour is rarely enough. Children’s behaviour is often a response to an unmet need. You should therefore aim to understand what the child is trying to communicate through their behaviour rather than interpreting poor behaviour as a sign of weakness. Demonstrating empathy and patience will serve you well in teaching.
You will naturally seek to provide lessons that motivate and inspire your learners. Planning tasks that are stimulating and provide opportunities for learning through collaboration and investigation will help you to foster motivation. In addition, planning opportunities for pupils to engage with a broad curriculum will ensure that they can develop interests in a range of subjects.
Setting goals that stretch and challenge pupils
During your lessons you are responsible for ensuring that all children are appropriately challenged so that they make good or better progress. In particular, you will need to ensure that children who are operating at lower stages of cognitive development are not given lower level tasks that result in widening