It is completely normal to feel sick with fear before facing your first class.
It is completely normal to feel like you are bluffing at being a teacher, and that eventually someone will find you out.
It is completely normal to feel weirdly over excited about having your ‘own’ class and your ‘own’ classroom.
It is completely normal to pitch some lessons at completely the wrong level and only realise when you are actually teaching them.
It is completely normal to be so tired that you can barely drag yourself into school, let alone teach a great lesson.
It is completely normal, therefore, to sometimes give yourself a ‘lesson off’.
It is completely normal to shout at your class when they have really wound you up (even though you know you’re not meant to do it).
It is completely normal not to be able to keep up with your marking.
It is completely normal to have a massive ‘to do’ pile and not be able to figure out when you are going to ‘do it’.
It is completely normal to really like some kids, and to find that others really get your back up.
It is completely normal for some of your children or some of your classes to behave really badly.
It is completely normal not to understand the acronyms used in education until someone tells you what they actually mean.
It is completely normal to feel like you have ‘lost’ a class.
It is completely normal to wonder why in hell you came into teaching.
It is completely normal to shed a quiet tear when a child first says to you:
“You made a difference in my life.”
Freeing the Angel 
…ten years later it will still feel completely normal to experience all of the above. And it is probably a good thing that it still matters so much!
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Thanks Sue – I start next week.
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Pleasure. Good luck and remember to enjoy it!
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Thank you so much. I start my Primary PGCE in two weeks. I really need this post 🙂
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I’ve shown my husband this so he can remind me when things get tough! After just completing my GTP I have my ‘very own class’ next week. I am so excited but just hope I can remember some of the things that I learnt during my training and put them in to practice.
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Reblogged this on goodmorningmrse's Blog and commented:
Great advice to all those newbies out there!
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Pingback: It is Completely Normal | andreawhelloworld1982
Thanks Sue 🙂
I was feeling nervous and very very excited and I found this reassuring! My ‘own’class and classroom on Wednesday.
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Reblogged this on Diary of an NQT and commented:
Glad to know that these worries are completely normal!
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Reblogged this on mr church blogs and commented:
GREAT advice on the eve of starting my NQT year!
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and when it stops feeling normal it may be time to think about leaving teaching – Great post Sue
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Thanks to everyone for the lovely comments on here. Good luck to you all 🙂
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Pingback: Survival Tips for NQTs – The Album | Avais Qureshi
Reblogged this on Primary Blogging.
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Nicely put Sue. Although a lot of those apply throughout teaching.
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Pingback: It is Completely Normal | N-gauge
Loved this. And OH so familiar, after 18 years of teaching… 😉
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You have described my (almost) first year in teaching. With half a term to go before finishing my NQT year I have experienced all of those feelings. Cried on my last day with last year’s class when they all said they didn’t want to leave me. Now I’m ready to start with a new class and have all of those new class worries – if this year is half as good as last year it will be a fantastic year!
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Assistant Head in a secondary school with thirteen years experience and all of the above still apply!
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