I had a crisis around my 25th birthday. I was working in sales and wasn’t getting any job satisfaction. I wanted to do something worthwhile and working with young people seemed like a natural choice.
I’ve been working at Ark Putney Academy as a Teaching Assistant for a year. When I decided I wanted to work with young people, I approached Putney because it was my old school! I still knew some of the teachers and it was a setting I could relate to, it helped that I could picture myself in that school environment.
Being a TA at Putney has been great. I’ve been offered so much support and was always made to feel part of the team. When I first started, I was in awe of the teachers, but then as the year progressed I started to see the value I could add and began to think “I could do this.”
I’ve always loved learning and education. History has been my passion since I was very young, and I wanted the chance to not only be immersed in a subject I love every day, but also to encourage young people to enjoy it as much as I do.
The application process was fairly straightforward. You apply through UCAS using one of the assigned codes, depending on the route you want to take; you get essentially the same training regardless of which route you take, so it’s about choosing the route that best suits your needs.
Once my application was sent in, I was called for an interview day where I had to do a basic numeracy and literacy test and teach a 15-minute lesson to a small group of pupils, which was followed by a formal interview. It seemed daunting before I got there, but the staff involved were all very supportive. You also have to take an official literacy and numeracy test, which you have to pass to be accepted onto the course. You get three tries of each,...
So, what is Apply 2? Well, it’s an opportunity for you to add a new training programme if you’ve been unsuccessful or declined your original choices. You don’t need to pay another application fee, request new references, or change your personal statement (although you can create a separate version to send straight to the training provider).
In Apply 2, you can continue to add new choices, one at a time. You can even choose a programme you applied for unsuccessfully in Apply 1 – if you think that’s the right way to go. Or, you could try exploring an alternative route, training programme, or provider to increase your chances of starting your training in September. Last year, people who were more flexible about their choice of route or training programme were more likely to secure a place.
Don’t rush into adding the first training programme that looks appealing – research what it offers and whether it meets your expectations.
If you have a change of heart once you’ve added a new choice in Track, you can still apply elsewhere (but this will cancel your original choice).
As soon as you change your Apply 2 choice, the 40-day reply period will start again, so make sure it’s something you want to wait for.
It’s worth speaking to the training provider first to find out when they’re...
My journey applying for teacher training was a long and bumpy one. I had constant doubts in my confidence and the feeling that it was never the right time. I have two young children and the prospect of balancing my priorities at home and my personal life, alongside the consuming desire to teach, filled me with both fear and excitement. I was daunted and questioned how I would be able to cope.
I’m only three weeks in and I guess there are a lot of hurdles to come and the workload is going to increase, in addition with responsibility of starting to teach and be accountable for my lessons.
Teaching is not something to go into light heartily, despite the fact I sort of fell into it. I found myself completely mesmerisedby the way primary education works today; being only 22 years old I assumed things wouldn't be that different from when I was at school.
However, the passion and excitement that is weaved into the curriculum is a wonderful thing to witness but also to be a part of. For me, each class I've worked with (for a considerable amount of time that is) I have loved each and every child because there has been a moment or a spark that has showed me how I've made a difference to that child's life.
I suppose I could not really answer this question until the end of the course, but now I can confidently say, “Yes I am”.
Placement one was a whirlwind experience. You flit between university and school, week after week, however my key tip: remain organised, file everything, and take each day as it comes.
There are different types of training programmes, as well as numerous subjects and age groups to choose from. Then there’s understanding funding options and entry requirements – but don’t be overwhelmed! Head to www.ucas.com/teacher-training for easy-to-follow information about everything you need to know, broken down by each UK country where you can choose to train.
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Decided teaching is the perfect career for you? Great! Start your application today. You’ll need to answer questions about yourself,...
Completing teacher training is the first step. Will you be ready for what comes next? Here are my top five tips for surviving your NQT year:
1.Behaviour
I believe behaviour is the foundation of education. Without it, nothing else matters, i.e. resources, subject knowledge etc. Most of the advice you will be hearing includes phrases like, “Be firm but fair”, and, “Don’t smile until after Christmas”. Whilst I don’t agree with the latter, being consistent in your approach at this time of year will pay dividends. I was very firm and strict (not unreasonably) within the...
Enjoy it! Sure, it'll be nerve wracking and you'll probably make a mistake or two, but you only get to teach a lesson for the first time once. The kids will know you're a trainee so don't worry about trying to hide the fact that you're a rookie. Be yourself, the kids will know if you're pretending to be someone you're not and won't respect you.
2.Don't worry if the kids don't like you
You're not there to be their BFF, you're there to make sure they learn. That's not to say you can't get to know them, they'll respond much...