What’s the best thing about teaching?
There are many great things about teaching, it’s hard to pick just one. However, an important and unique ‘best thing’ about teaching is that every day you’re making a difference to someone else’s life. You can see the direct impact you’re having on your pupils, which is intrinsically rewarding. It’s so special when a pupil has created something for you, whether that’s a drawing or poem, to show you how much certain lessons or classroom experiences have meant to them.
Why did you decide to enter teaching?
I graduated during 2020, which was a strange and unusual time. I knew I wanted to apply my psychology degree in my graduate job and wanted to work with children. Therefore, I began to explore a career in teaching. To get as much practical experience as possible, I decided to apply for the School Direct option via Tes Institute. Now, as a full time Year 5 teacher, I’m so happy I trained to be a teacher directly out of university and feel as though it’s the right career for me.
What's been your proudest moment in teaching?
Just like the ‘best thing’ about teaching, there are so many instances where I feel rewarded just by doing my job. For example, when a student draws you a picture or says that a lesson you taught was the ‘best lesson’ ever. However, I think my standout proudest moment so far was meeting my class for the very first time on class swap day. After being a student teacher, and not having my ‘own’ class, it was an amazing feeling finally getting the responsibility of being the sole class teacher.
What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your teaching career?
As a teacher entering the classroom during a pandemic which has created unknown challenges for even the most experienced of teachers. For me personally, I've found self-doubt to be one of my own greatest challenges professionally. Teaching, I've learnt, is a profession where we are constantly learning from others – other teachers, our pupils, parents, educational research… thus, it can feel overwhelming. Being an ECT, I suppose I feel this pressure more intensely because I’m still learning and will make mistakes.
What do you use Tes for?
I did the Schools Direct PGCE with QTS with Tes Institute, which was a great course and I’d really recommend if you’re thinking coming into teaching to consider this course. So, I use and have used TES regularly for a wide range of purposes. Back when I was a student teacher, TES was really helpful when I was looking for jobs. I was able to see a range of jobs and filter my search. Now, I really like using the teaching resources part of the TES website.
What has using Tes helped/enabled/encouraged you to do?
Being a new teacher, it can sometimes be daunting when planning lessons from scratch. The teaching resources area of the Tes website helps me search for resources on topics I’m planning and can give me direction and ideas for my own lessons.
Importantly, this section of the website doesn’t just have lesson plans. For instance, I often find curriculum maps and knowledge organisers via Tes which help me situate the lesson I’m planning into the wider curriculum context, or organise my own series of lessons. Moreover, there are great display packs for a range of topics which I like to use parts of for my own working walls.
If you were telling a friend about Tes, what would you say?
Tes is an online platform instrumental and valuable to those working in education. I have used Tes as a student teacher, and now as an ECT. However, it’s not just ‘newer’ members of the teaching profession that use Tes, but my more experienced colleagues often use the Tes website for their own planning as well. The website has sections for everything – from current vacancies to lesson resources.
What’s the biggest thing you’d like Tes to help teachers with more?
It would be great if Tes could help foster more of a community between teachers. When training via Tes Institute, we could interact with other trainees through group chats set up by the course, but also on the Tes Institute platform when completing our online modules.
It would be nice if a forum could be reopened or started via Tes. As an ECT, training during the pandemic, I feel like I've missed a lot of opportunities to meet colleagues from other schools and would really appreciate a way to network with more teachers.
You/your school gets a million pounds. What do you spend it on?
Boringly, I would start by replacing and updating all the basic resources – perhaps ensuring there is a lifetime supply of whiteboard pens! We are definitely running low on them in my school…Then, I would love to spend the money creating amazing learning opportunities for the children – planning the best school trips and visits. I also think schools thrive when teachers are happy, so perhaps I would invest in unlimited coffee as well…
One piece of advice or top tip you’d give someone just entering teaching today?
Seek out opportunities to become friends with other teachers, or trainees, because having a strong support network is so important. Teaching is a job where you will always be learning, and encouraged to keep learning, so building connections with other teachers who you can learn from is incredibly valuable.
