‘Prepare your students before they arrive’

Fiona Ingram is head of education programmes at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC).

How did you come to work in this role?
I started off directing youth theatre before leading education departments at regional theatres and then coming to work at the RSC.

What do you do in a typical day at work?
There is no typical day, which is the joy of my job. I might be in our learning centre with a school group that has come to do one of our workshops or producing a broadcast that students all over the country will watch in their classrooms.

What can teachers do in class to prepare their students for a visit and to follow up afterwards?
It is useful for all students to have an overview of the play they will be looking at and ideally have a little understanding of the language, characters and plot beforehand. Afterwards, we would suggest discussing interpretive choices and exploring themes, language and character in more depth. We provide resources to help with all of this.

What is your favourite thing about your job?
Sometimes a school will arrive here in Stratford-upon-Avon and you can tell that the students have already decided that Shakespeare isn‘t for them. It’s particularly rewarding to watch that same group of students taking part in one of our workshops or watching a live performance and seeing how it transforms their attitude.

What one thing do you wish more teachers knew about the work you do?
That Shakespeare really is for everyone, regardless of background, ability or where you live. For information, go to rsc.org.uk/education

‘Make students aware of the bigger picture’

Alex Maws is head of education at the Holocaust Educational Trust.

How did you come to work in this role?
I used to teach sociology at a sixth-form college in East London, so I am endlessly fascinated by debates around identity and the role of the individual in society. These sorts of big questions are what sparked my interest in Holocaust education.

What do you do in a typical day at work?
We run the Lessons from Auschwitz project, a course for 16- to 18-year-olds that centres on a visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. It takes place 17 times per year, but I lead only a few of the visits. The rest of my job focuses on ensuring that lots of other things are in place for the project to succeed.

What can teachers do in class to prepare their students for a visit and to follow up afterwards?
Ensure that students understand the context of Auschwitz-Birkenau before visiting. They need to know that Nazi camps were just one component of a much wider story. It’s also critical that students learn about Jewish life before the Holocaust, so their understanding of Jews goes beyond the methods by which millions were killed and dehumanised. Visiting a death camp can be emotionally challenging and so students need to have an opportunity afterwards to debrief and share their reactions.

What is your favourite thing about your job?
Leading our teacher study visits, which are designed to prepare teachers to lead their own trips to Holocaust sites. I’ve had the opportunity to travel with some brilliant and highly committed teachers.

What one thing do you wish more teachers knew about the work you do?
Teaching about the Holocaust can seem daunting but the support is out there to make it easier. For information, go to het.org.uk/education

‘Make it personal’

Deborah Riding is programme manager for children and young people at Tate Liverpool.

How did you come to work in this role?
I have an MA in the history of visual culture and always wanted to work in galleries. For the past 20 years I have worked on various learning programmes across a number of organisations.

What do you do in a typical day at work?
As well as working directly with schools and teachers, I also manage our early years and family programmes and our youth programme. I can have a day that includes anything from budget meetings to discussions with curators. My job sometimes involves attending glamorous events but, more often than not, it means setting up chairs and making the tea.

What can teachers do in class to prepare their students for a visit to Tate Liverpool and to follow up afterwards?
We provide resources to help you introduce students to the pieces we have on display and the artists who created them. It is useful to prepare young people to respond personally to works of art and to look for connections between different pieces.

What is your favourite thing about your job?
Working with a range of people to explore new and innovative ways of engaging with and learning about modern and contemporary art: there are always different ways of looking at something.

What one thing do you wish more teachers knew about the work you do?
There are plenty of familiar names in our galleries but the most interesting conversations with students often happen around works that the teacher knows nothing about. For information, go to tate.org.uk/learn

‘Do a pre-visit’

Cate Kelly is an explainer at The Science Museum.

How did you come to work in this role?
I have a degree in science and a theatrical background so, for me, this job is the perfect mix of using scientific knowledge and engaging with the public.

What do you do in a typical day at work?
Much of the day is spent in our interactive galleries talking to visitors and school groups, and encouraging them to experiment with the exhibits. We also perform shows and demonstrations throughout the day on various science topics for all ages.

What can teachers do in class to prepare their students for a visit to the Science Museum and to follow up afterwards?
The best way that teachers can prepare for a visit is to actually come and see the museum beforehand and talk to an explainer in person. This will give them an idea about the exhibits they want to prioritise and any gaps in students’ knowledge that it would be useful to address beforehand. To help with laying the groundwork, we have plenty of online resources that can be used before, during and after visits.

What is your favourite thing about your job?
Getting children excited about science by showing them that learning is about doing - being hands-on and seeing them relate to what initially may have felt complex or boring.

What one thing do you wish more teachers knew about the work you do?
There is more to science than just learning the facts. For information, go to sciencemuseum.org.uk/educators

‘Create a memorable learning experience’

Lizzie Buckley is learning officer at the National Centre for Citizenship and Law (NCCL).

How did you come to work in this role?
I trained as a teacher and worked in a primary school before completing a MA in heritage education. I then worked in different roles in a variety of heritage organisations before coming to work for NCCL.

What do you do in a typical day at work?
A typical day involves delivering sessions at the Royal Courts of Justice. During a session, students enact their own mock trial in a real courtroom. We work with groups from primary schools through to universities and adult education groups, teaching them about the law and helping them to develop an understanding of legal careers and how they can be accessed.

What can teachers do in class to prepare their students for a visit and to follow up afterwards?
In preparation for a visit, teachers can run through the pre-visit resources we send out, which include an introduction to the court system. As a follow-up activity, students who are over 14 years old can visit a local court, as this allows them to experience a different type of court.

What is your favourite thing about your job?
Being able to provide students with a unique and memorable learning experience. Students love the fact that their trial is being enacted in a real courtroom and this is always really enjoyable to see.

What one thing do you wish more teachers knew about the work you do?
The National Justice Museum is an independent charity that also delivers education programmes at legal and heritage sites in Nottingham and the North West. You don’t have to be in London to access our work. For information, go to nccl.org.uk

‘Help students to draw on skills developed on the trip’

Tim Harrsion is senior instructor at The Outward Bound Trust.

How did you come to work in this role?
I’ve been working on outdoor projects since 2003. The Outward Bound Trust attracted me because it offered the ability to keep expanding and updating the pedagogical side of my work, while also having the flexibility to match the expeditions I lead with the individuals in front of me.

What do you do in a typical day at work?
I head out into the wilds of Cumbria with groups of young people and help them to explore and discover things. Days might involve gorge scrambling or rock climbing to develop confidence, trust and communication skills and then reflecting on the experience over a cup of hot chocolate. We will talk about what students learned and explore how they can apply this in other situations back at school.

What can teachers do in class to prepare their students for a visit and to follow up afterwards?
It helps when teachers mentally prepare students for their visit, highlighting that our courses are challenging experiences that will push students physically, mentally and emotionally. After the course, we would suggest that teachers highlight the situations where students might be able to draw on the skills they developed in the outdoors.

What is your favourite thing about your job?
Seeing the evidence of how capable young people are. This is priceless.

What one thing do you wish more teachers knew about the work you do?
How transferable the learning is. Getting students to undertake real challenges with tangible outcomes in the wild can create behavioural change and have a lasting impact. For information, go to outwardbound.org.uk