Over the coming weeks we will be doing a series showcasing the incredible impact our Graduates are having in schools as part of our Step into Teaching programme. First up is Lucy!
Lucy is a hardworking graduate who started looking for a role through i-teachers last year. She wanted to find a role in which she could gain teaching experience in a Primary School before delving into teacher training. i-teachers found Lucy an amazing role as a Partner Teacher/Teaching Assistant at a fantastic Primary School in September 2020! We recently got in touch with Lucy to have a chat and see how she was getting on in her placement.
What does your day-to-day role involve?
In terms of her day-to-day role, Lucy works full time in the classroom providing close support to children who require extra help and attention during lessons. Lucy’s responsibilities include working with Primary aged students with a wide range of academic abilities, assisting teachers with lesson preparation and supporting children’s personal progression. During lockdown, Lucy even had the opportunity to plan and deliver her own lessons to small groups of students – ‘an incredible experience to gain ahead of teacher training!’
How is your role preparing you for your future career?
In terms of preparing for the future, Lucy believes that her role has ‘fully prepared her for training to teach’. Having now been accepted onto a PGCE course in September 2021, she feels that having a direct support role in a school has heavily assisted in preparing her for a career in teaching. ‘Although attending lectures and learning teaching theory is great, it doesn’t have the same effect as the hands-on experience that I have gained in my Partner Teacher role’.
How was your experience working with i-teachers?
The main phrase that Lucy uses to describe her experience with i-teachers is ‘personal’ – ‘From the beginning of the i-teachers journey I felt that Joe was really focused on how I felt about the individual schools and roles available. i-teachers provided me with the opportunity to choose the perfect role for me in the ideal location! Joe has also kept in touch before and even during my placement which has been great support!’.
What advice would you give to someone looking for or starting a role like yours?
To any graduates looking for or starting a role in a school, Lucy’s biggest advice would be to make the most of working alongside qualified and experienced colleagues. ‘In the classroom I work in, I support two experienced teaching colleagues. The skills and teaching methods that I have picked up from them are fantastic – I would advise anyone in the same position to really make the most of working alongside experienced teaching staff. Ask as many questions as possible and observe their techniques!’
Lucy’s testimonial is a fantastic demonstration of what our ‘step into teaching’ programme is all about. There are so many options when it comes to teacher training that it can be confusing choosing which path to take. You may not want to commit to a teaching career when you have never experienced life as a teacher. This is where our ‘step into teaching’ programme comes in. Our experienced consultants place graduates in a paid teaching assistant position perfectly suited to your skill set, in a school that suits your personality. i-teachers’ friendly consultants are always with you every step of the way!