Mindfulness for NQTs: Beginner's Mind

You may feel like a beginner and in many ways you are and I encourage you to maintain those feelings and thoughts and all that goes with it. I remember near the start of my teaching career, watching older and more experienced teachers arriving to work, getting out of the car and walking into school with nothing. That's right, nothing. There I was struggling with piles of books I'd managed to decide I would be marking on the same evening from many classes, resources for the lessons, my bag, laptop and more.

I have to admit there was a moment of jealousy of those teachers who got to walk in with nothing. However, I did also come to realise that some of those teachers had become jaded and were teaching the same lessons each year whenever it came around in the curriculum without changing any part of the lesson or checking on their resources to see if they were still relevant. They weren't teaching the individuals in front of them but simply teaching the content.

The beauty of a beginner's mind in all areas of our lives is to see the opportunities in front of and around us. We get to experience everything about the experience which we may not get again unless we maintain a beginners mind in how we approach our lessons and students. Each student which teach us something new and we simply have to remain open to it and to them as well as ourselves.

Once we lose the beginner's mind, we can become complacent which stops us learning or being open to seeing things differently and there are always many ways to teach something rather than just your own. So, keep those beginner's minds and bring them to experiences whenever you can.

These tips will be shared all through August to prepare NQTs for this coming year. They can also be found across social media on my accounts.

Book your place on one of the 30 minute workshop every Wednesday through August through www.beingthebestyoucanbe.org only for £5.

Facebook: Being the Best You Can Be

Facebook group: Mindfulness and Compassion for Teachers, Educators and School Staff

Twitter: @alisonlaycock23