I saw this question from one of my peers in the Beginning Teachers’ Lounge
I thought the TeachConnect community would be able to help! Thanks, everyone:
“I have been asked to teach a Year 9 English class (50’ session), as part of the recruiting process (passed the panel interview). Without knowing the cohort or where they’re at, curriculum & abilities wise, I think a short, creative writing lesson, kinda self/identity/social media themed?
Feeling a bit lost tbh, of course, I want to make the best impression and show a positive impact, get the students engaged etc. Any suggestions super appreciated!”
Practical job interviews are certainly becoming more popular in schools, so I’m not surprised to hear of your peer’s situation. They can actually be a really great opportunity to show what you’re good at as a teacher, instead of just talking about it in an interview.
Do not make your lesson too ‘sage on the stage’. The school is most likely looking for what you can bring out of their students. A passive, lecture-style lesson doesn’t show that.
Make the lesson fun and engaging. You want the students to engage with what you’re teaching ASAP, so really dense content will actually work against you in this situation.
Try and frame your lesson around a common pedagogical framework, e.g. gradual release of responsibility. This will legitimise your approach and give you something to talk about post-lesson.
Base the lesson around something creative, e.g. narrative writing techniques. This will make it easier to show that the students’ produced artefacts of their learning.
