SATs can be an anxious time of year. Teaching staff have a responsibility to make test preparation as stress-free as possible for their children. However, this can also add to the pressure on teachers. So we’ve asked Pobble to put together some of their top tips to help teachers feel calm and confident.
Reflect to motivate – Take some time to reflect and celebrate your teaching strengths. You’ll build confidence, self-worth and belief, and improve your practice in the process.
Team work – You’re in it together! Within your teaching team, introduce SATs buddies. You don’t always take care of yourself, but if it’s your responsibility to oversee the wellbeing of a colleague then you’re likely to put in the effort. Ahead of SATs week, find out your buddy’s favourite snack and how they take their tea. During the week itself, make sure they’re taking sufficient breaks and lighten the load where you can. Can you cover their playground duty or make them a cuppa?
Parent support – Host a parent meeting ahead of the SATs to provide reassurance and advice. You can find lots of support on the SATs webpage on Oxford Owl for Home.
Tools to succeed – To flourish and achieve during the SATs, your team will need the right tools at the ready. Make a plan of staff availability to ensure realistic student-to-teacher ratios, and ensure schools supplies are well stocked. The children will need resources that can appeal to tactile, auditory and visual learners, and your time to evaluate and work with each of them. As you go along, you’ll gain a clear overview of where you need to focus additional time and energy.
SATs supplies – It’s obvious you’re going to need things such as spare pencils, pencil sharpeners and notepaper for the SATs. Also think of other supplies that will give you a boost like biscuits, chocolate, sweets, tea and coffee.
Look after your class – In the weeks before the tests train up your children to be SATs superstars! Advise your pupils (and yourself) to look after themselves in the run up: sleep, take time to relax, and exercise to release those much-needed endorphins. Plan in regular brain breaks and plan for time outside to let off steam. And exude confidence: they’ll follow your lead!
Celebrate – Plan a celebration for the end of the week. Perhaps a post SATs party, a movie afternoon with your class, a night out for the teaching staff, or a nice bottle of something chilling for when you’re home at the end of the long week…or all of them! It makes a huge difference to have something to look forward to at the end.
Acceptance – Sometimes you just have to accept that there are going to be tough times. SATs are one of them. They’re happening and your class have to take part. You can only accept that the best preparation is the excellent teaching you have been doing all year long.
About Anna Whiteley @AnnaPobble
Anna is Pobble’s voice on the internet. She spends her days connecting with teachers, schools and parents, advocating Pobble’s mission to make writing ridiculously exciting. She’s the proud mother of two, and has previously worked to support the teaching team in a school in North Yorkshire.
About Pobble
Pobble makes writing ridiculously exciting! Teachers use the Pobble platform to find the best teaching resources, give pupils a global audience for their work and to assess and moderate writing.
The literacy platform was started in 2013 by a group of teachers based in North Yorkshire, England. Since then, Pobble has gained the support of prominent education leaders and has received praise from bestselling authors such as Anthony Horowitz and Michael Morpurgo.
Today, Pobble showcases over 100,000 pieces of writing, published by tens of thousands of proud teachers from all over the world. And this is just the beginning…
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