"Had there not been a pandemic, I probably wouldn't have ever learned how to do online teaching."
Newly qualified teachers talk about starting their careers during a global pandemic.
Newly qualified teachers discuss the challenges and triumphs of starting their teaching careers during the global pandemic.
Greg is a 42-year-old science NQT with a specialism in biology.
He teaches Years 7-10 in Sheffield. He had to learn how to deliver online classes and says workload is much higher for NQTs than it would usually be because of the pandemic.
Sancha is an English NQT teaching Years 7-10 in Croydon.
She felt anxious about how well her training had prepared her because she missed out on most of her second placement due to lockdown. As a result, she was very nervous when she started teaching in September.
She thinks if it had not been for the pandemic, she would not have learned how to teach online.
Emily is a 23-year-old Year 1 teacher in London.
She is originally from Middlesbrough and like Sancha felt anxious about only being able to complete one placement, for a single year group, due to lockdown.
Having an NQT mentor has helped her to settle into teaching life.
More from this series
The career changer. video
Greg decided to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a teacher when he was made redundant after 20 years in the print industry. What did he take from his previous career into his new one?
Starting out. video
From dealing with impostor syndrome to going through the wrong gates - newly qualified teachers tell us what it was like to literally be the new person at school.
What no one tells you. video
Our newly qualified teachers share their secrets on discipline, planning and building rapport with pupils.
