To provide the best outcomes for your students, it is important to establish positive professional relationships with parents, colleagues and the wider community.
Meeting people for the first time
Your first visit to school is an ideal opportunity to meet staff and to familiarise yourself with the school's surrounds and resources. While you may have a mentor to help you settle in, the best way to learn what you don't know is by talking to current staff.
Get to know the support staff - they often have great experience and wisdom to share, and can prove to be a great source of help and guidance.
Your school will probably have key teaching positions such as heads of departments (HODs), heads of curriculum (HOCs), subject-specialist teachers, teacher-librarians and advisory visiting teachers (AVTs). Discovering your colleagues' areas of expertise may provide you with an easy way to get support when needed.
Mentoring
If you are a beginning teacher, the department will support your transition into teaching and help match you with an experienced mentor who can guide your personal and professional development.
Getting involved
Get involved in your school community - it's a great way to meet and work with staff and students you may not normally work with in your day-to-day teaching.
Extracurricular activities
Sports, clubs, music ensembles, drama productions and musicals will allow you to immerse yourself in the school culture and show your commitment to your students and school. Some schools may have a social club for staff - the events will provide opportunities for you to build on your professional relationships.
Staffroom interactions
Your staffroom can be a place of sharing and support. Staffroom conversations will help you build rapport with your colleagues and can lead to new ideas and perspectives to help you solve problems. Your ideas are valuable, but be mindful of confidentiality around the personal information of students.