Reflecting on my first year in the classroom

My motivations for becoming a teacher after a successful career in industry were numerous. Like most professionals entering the world of teaching, I wanted to make a difference to my students and inspire more of them to grow through my subject. However, once I got into the classroom during my first ITE placement, I remember thinking that teachers were like circus performers – they were seemingly able to juggle many things at once, all whilst walking through fire. I observed this and thought, ‘How am I ever going to manage to do all of this?’ Fast-forward three years and when I look back to where I started, the pace of progress I have experienced is staggering. When reflecting on that first year and what advice I would give to myself right at the start, a few experiences – from which I started to learn how to juggle and walk through the fire without getting (too badly) burnt – instantly leap to mind. 1. Lead by example One of the key memories etched into my mind from so