Slightly useless trainee...advice needed

[The Char]

This week I have taken on a temporary trainee in my place of work. This person will be working with me for 2 more weeks and next week will be actually doing some of my job with guidance. (teaching as it happens)

However, for someone training since Sept they are a bit useless to be honest, very little initiative/interest in the children and 2 hours spent trying to help them plan today- it was like blood from a stone with them seeming to have no ideas or confidence.

I feel it's a mix of them being really laid back and lacking in passion for the job...and maybe low self esteem?
For example, they've not taken on my advice re: working with focus groups during "carpet" session teaching and are often yawning away...this afternoon while my T.A. was covering they sat at a table on their laptop! Not the best way to get to know the kids they are supposed to be teaching in the next 2 weeks.

I am new to the job myself, and wondering how I can word a polite kick up the arse without sounding arrogant/rude. They have a mentor in school who should handle this but that person is extremely busy and mostly unavailable.

Maybe I just expect everyone to have much enthusiasm for the job as I do? I am observing them next week, perhaps I should see how that goes then give mix my advice in with the feedback?

Never had to do anything like this before in any job, any advice accepted gratefully.

[Terminator X]

Have a word, tell the truth, ask them to buck ideas up. If still slacking get shot of them.

TX.

[scdan4]

Bottom set yr 10, their lesson plan, obs only no help with an immediate (if poss) lengthy dissection afterwards.


If that won't wake them up, nothing will.

[nosubstitute]

In what capacity are they training? Are they training towards a BA or P.G.C.E?

[The Char]

Primary, and my lovely (though a bit soft) class of 7/8 year olds.

[The Char]

and GTP. 1 year course.

[rog007]

Giving feedback is a real skill, especially in the circumstances you describe. Whilst the initial reaction is to say it how it is, I wonder if that was said to most of us at some stage in our early careers, how would we have reacted?

There could be a whole host of reasons for the behaviour and attitude, including personal reasons. So unless you have had time to get to know the individual fully, then this issue cannot be ruled out. Additionally, we all learn at different rates and have different levels of maturity. Unless your colleague was displaying negative behaviours in contradiction to the Every Child Matters mantra, where I would then pull them up at once, I would provide feedback at the appropriate time and in a manner that lets them know how they could improve their outputs rather than being overly negative in my feedback. Good luck!