ABSTRACT
The job of teaching is complex and difficult. Like peeling off the layers of an onion, the more that you experience and understand, the more there remains to be experienced and understood! Teaching requires a lot of effort and perseverance, grappling with mistakes and errors, times of joy and moments of anguish, determination, release of self-confidence and an understanding of children and learning. Mastery of all these elements cannot take place in a hurry. Try not to compare yourself with the class teacher who is probably a seasoned professional and has already trodden the path that you now follow.Do your best to give a positive impression in school, maintain an open dialogue with teachers and tutors, show that you are determined to succeed and want to help children to do the same, and press forward boldly. Don't worry if you do not match all the high expectations described throughout this book. They present an ideal and need to be treated as such. Effective teaching involves more than complying with a set of individual criteria. It draws from intellectual and managerial skills, creativity, innovation, commitment and sheer energy (DfEE 1998b). You will not go far wrong if these descriptors are true of you.
