Tell us about you, why you opted for a career in education, and why you chose to study with Tes Institute
My name is Andrew Hawley and I'm a science teacher. I'm from the UK but have been living abroad since 2009. I started teaching ESL in Thailand and have been working as a science teacher in Laos for nine years. More recently I've worked as head of department which encouraged me to complete the iPGCE course in 2022. I've taught science in both Key Stage 3 and 4 and wanted to develop my practice to support the diverse students in my school.
Were you familiar with Tes before you applied? If so, what did you use Tes for before? If not, what was it about Tes Institute that stood out for you?
I chose to study with Tes based on recommendations from colleagues and online. I knew that teachers in the UK and abroad held Tes in high regard and I'd used resources from the website before. The reason I chose Tes over other institutions was the flexibility of the part-time course so that I could balance family, work and study. Also the opportunities to receive regular feedback and face-to-face mentoring with another teacher in my school was appealing as I felt it would be very beneficial in achieving my goal of improving as a teacher.
How did you find the application process?
The application process was very straightforward as my school facilitated many of the requirements. The amount of documentation and form filling was minimal.
What did you enjoy about how the course is delivered?
For me, the part time, online delivery of the course was ideal because I have a lot of responsibilities in work and at home with a 4-year-old son. The flexibility of the programme as well as the support and understanding shown by the Tes team was really encouraging and helped me keep up with the tasks.
The structure of the units really helped me to focus my attention on specific areas at different stages of the course. The regular submissions of learning diaries felt like a risk-free way of sharing my experiences and ideas while also receiving valuable feedback from the course mentor.
What did you enjoy most about the course?
I found the assignments difficult at first but once I'd decided on a focus, and with all the support offered, it became much easier because it opened my eyes to teaching theories I hadn't really explored before. After each unit and certainly by the end of the course I felt that I had improved as a teacher and accomplished a great deal.
There were a lot of tasks to complete but the level of detail for each section was flexible. Being able to go into depth on areas that intrigued me most then having a framework to complete the tasks that weren't as inspiring for me, was excellent. It made me feel like I was really doing the work for me to improve not just to pass the course. As I always tell my students when I set them a task, they're not doing it for the teacher they're doing it to improve.
What types of support did you receive as a Tes Institute learner and how has this helped you progress?
I think what benefitted me most on the course was working closely with my in-school mentor. The observations, meetings and conversations were so valuable for me – it was great to have an experienced teacher in the same subject who could support my learning.
The tutor I was assigned was also really proactive and gave me excellent feedback and advice whenever I needed it. I would have really struggled with the assignments without the support of both and I'm really proud of the work I submitted thanks to their support.
The support I was offered on reading journals and research was so important. This wasn't something I was familiar with after completing my BSc in 2007. The UEL library and suggested resources were very clear and easy to navigate.
What would you tell another person who is thinking of applying for this course?
If you're willing to put the effort in to this course, then the benefits are well worth it. The delivery provides a well-rounded journey to support even experienced teachers to find gaps in their practices and develop new ideas about how they can improve their methods for helping students to learn. The support and understanding from the Tes team is really encouraging and it's clear they want the participants to succeed and gain as much from the course as possible.
