At a time when schools face increasing pressure and teacher retention is a national concern, investing properly in training isn’t a luxury - it’s essential.
“Teaching comes home with you,” says Tamar Tatz, a mentor on the LSJS teacher training programme who is also Assistant Director of Learning (ADOL) for Jewish Studies, and Training, Induction and ECT coordinator, at Hasmonean High School (Girls). “It follows you into the weekend and the holidays. Even when you’re not physically working, it occupies your mind. It can weigh on you mentally and emotionally.”
It’s a side of the profession few people see. Behind every good lesson are hours of planning. Behind every assessment, careful marking and feedback. Add behaviour management, parent communication, wall displays, reports, meetings, extra-curricular activities and an ever-growing list of administrative tasks, and the workload quickly becomes intense.
Which is exactly why mentoring matters.
Because teaching is demanding and all-consuming, new teachers don’t just need theory or qualifications — they need someone in their corner.
“I remember what it felt like to be a new teacher,” says Tamar. “Having the right support can make a huge difference. A strong start is vital.”
Now an experienced educator, she has chosen to mentor trainees herself, determined to provide the kind of guidance that shaped her own career.
“At the beginning, it took me a year or two to really master behaviour management,” she reflects. “People don’t realise how time-consuming it is to prepare good quality lessons. Schools can be stressful environments. You have to learn how to manage that.”
For new teachers especially, the learning curve can feel steep. Workload and behaviour management consistently top the list of challenges. Resilience becomes as important as subject knowledge. Progress often comes slowly. Success requires patience, perseverance and the ability to reflect honestly on what isn’t working yet.
As a mentor, Tamar’s approach is deliberately personal and practical. Weekly meetings are protected time which is never cancelled. Lessons are observed regularly. Trainees are encouraged to watch other teachers and learn from different styles. Feedback is built around questions rather than instructions, helping them develop the most important skill of all: becoming reflective practitioners.
“The goal isn’t to tell them what to do,” she explains. “It’s to help them think, reflect and grow. That’s what makes a teacher successful long term.”
Just as importantly, she checks in on wellbeing.
“I talk about work-life balance very early on. Teaching can consume you if you let it. You need healthy habits from the start.”
This kind of structured, consistent support doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built into the design of the LSJS teacher training route.
“In my experience, some of our strongest and most successful teachers are the ones who trained with LSJS,” she says. “The course is thorough, and the support is strong. You can see it in the classroom - their professionalism, their confidence, their practice.”
In the current reality, where teacher recruitment nationally is declining, our Jewish community is somewhat shielded from the problem by our common commitment to education. As a community, we must continue to value teachers and give them the support, training and resources they require to thrive and create thriving classrooms. And when new educators are given the right foundations, the impact reaches far beyond a single classroom - shaping schools, communities and a generation of pupils.
-
LSJS is a thriving hub of teaching and learning at the heart of the community, recruiting, training and supporting new and experienced teachers throughout their careers. If you think teaching might be for you, or you’re a teacher looking for extra support and guidance, visit lsjs.ac.uk/teach and discover how we can help you, whether you’re a school leaver, graduate or experienced teacher.
