Alice Downs

Why did you decide to become a teacher and use Tes’ Straight to Teaching programme?

When I started my childminding business, I realised that I had a passion for helping children reach their milestones and full potential. This was reinforced when I started working in a school and I found myself constantly looking for ways that I could inspire children in their learning by making it fun and engaging. 

This passion has continued throughout all the time I have been studying and I realised this was what I was supposed to be doing. Having spent so long achieving my degree, I was looking for a route into teaching that would consider all the experience I already had, which is when I found the Tes Straight to Teaching programme. 

What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced during your programme?

The biggest challenge has been to continue my position as an HLTA as well as completing the course in two terms. I have a strong sense of pride in the work that I do and while I wanted to make sure I was teaching and learning to the best of my ability, I didn’t want to let my TA responsibilities slip either. 

It was a challenge as I had to be more organised than I usually am (my family wasn’t sure that was possible!) but I’ve been supported by amazing colleagues throughout this programme, and had the endless support of my husband and children, who have seen me through every part of my ambition.

What has Tes helped/enabled/encouraged you to do?

Tes has shown me that I can be the teacher I thought I could be and that this has not all just been a pipe dream. The programme has allowed me to unlock my potential and take on areas of work that I had not been involved in, in the past. This is from planning and delivering whole units of work to understanding and assessing data from assessments, to recognising the difference I’ve made in a child’s academic progressions. 

My tutor Sue has been one of my biggest cheerleaders and supporters, she has shown me that I don’t always have to look for all the things that I did wrong and that focussing on the positive outcomes is just as important.

What’s the best thing about working within a school?

Lightbulb moments! That moment when a child who has been struggling with a concept suddenly gets it, retains it and has an amazing sense of pride in their own achievements. This is one of the reasons I love my job. It can be so rewarding. 

I also value every member of staff that I work with as the team is vital. The team that I work with across the whole school has every child’s best interest at heart, regardless of what class they are in. We are all there for the common goal and there is not one person who would not go above and beyond for any child.

What’s been your proudest moment during your training / teaching so far?

I have had a few proud moments during my training, but I think the proudest was the literacy lesson during my second school experience. My pathway tutor was observing me, as was my mentor from my school and the mentor from my second school.  I was teaching a poetry lesson and I was very much out of my comfort zone.  However, the lesson went better than I could have hoped.

The most rewarding part was the turnaround of a couple of students. The lesson used props but needed the children to imagine they were different things (for example, the pendent on a necklace was ‘the crackling embers of a sand fire captured for eternity’). At the beginning of the lesson, a couple of the boys were struggling to use their imagination and continued to say it was just a necklace. By having physical props they could touch and see and by pulling some amazing vocabulary from the rest of the class, these boys ended up writing some amazing poetry.

What celebrity best represents you as a teacher in the classroom and why?

This is a tough one, my daughter thinks I’m a bit like Miranda Hart, but I’m not as clumsy!  However, I am happy with being a bit silly if it inspires and engages the class.

Do you use any other parts of Tes in your teaching life?

I use Tes to download resources and use them fairly regularly, I have also looked at jobs in the past. I like the resources from Tes as they are from teachers for teachers.

If you were telling a friend about Tes, what would you say?

They are supportive and understanding.

What’s the biggest thing you’d like Tes to help teachers with more?

Understanding the best way to manage workload and work life balance.

You/your school gets a million pounds. What do you spend it on?

Wow, so many ideas. I would certainly want an outdoor classroom for all year groups, an up to date ICT suite, and enhanced learning spaces such as a sensory room, around all areas of the school to enrich the children throughout their day. I would also like a breakout area for staff to be able to switch off for a few minutes at lunch or the end of the day. 

One piece of advice or top tip you’d give someone just entering teaching today?

It’s going to be tough, but it’s going to be worth it – keep going!