Current Position:
As a final year psychology undergraduate student at the University of Liverpool, I have undertaken the necessary steps required in order to become a primary school teacher, by applying to undertake a PGDE next year.
About Me:
I would describe myself as a friendly, confident and patient person who works well both independently and as part of a team. I am reliable and professional, and have the ability to communicate effectively with people of all ages. I also like to think of myself as an approachable person who is kind towards others. I am very dedicated and take pride in the work I do; always completing tasks to the highest standard of my ability.
Why Teaching?
Below is a link to a website run by the Department for Education, detailing some of the rewards of becoming a teacher:
https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/life-as-a-teacher/rewards-of-teaching
Previous Experience:
Whilst working as a swimming teacher, I interacted closely with children aged 4 to 11 years old and witnessed the visible impact of my teaching. It was imperative that I communicated with the children in a manner that they understood, as well as interacted with parents; giving feedback on the development of their child. To be an effective swimming teacher it was paramount that I gained the respect of the swim students whilst building trust and a rapport; this I feel gave me valuable experience to help me in my future career as a primary school teacher.
In previous years, I have participated in work experience in multiple different primary schools; allowing me to learn different teaching techniques and classroom management skills, as well as interacting with children of a range of different ages, backgrounds and abilities. During secondary school, I undertook a plethora of roles which required me to work with younger children in a position of leadership, including assisting at sports competitions and dance shows held for local primary schools. Previously, I have also participated in a multitude of extra-curricular activities including netball, swimming, horse riding, drama and clarinet lessons, which may enable me to hold extra-curricular classes for students in the future.
More recently, my sales assistant role at Clarks allowed me to interact with both adults and children, working in an extremely busy environment which required strong communication skills and the ability to flexibly adapt to different roles depending on the situation. I am actively seeking to advance my skills by undertaking further work experience in local primary schools during the upcoming months.
Applying My Degree:
Throughout studying for my Psychology degree, I have gained valuable skills which I believe will benefit me in my further study. Studying for a degree has improved my ICT skills, communication skills (i.e. through group work and presentations), as well as organisation and time management skills. Through studying the mind and behaviour, I have gained knowledge which I will be able to apply to my teaching, including theories of learning, how personality, equality and diversity issues may impact learning, and studied factors such as attention and aggression, which will improve my behaviour management skills. I have also studied a module based on child language acquisition, which has enabled me to develop an in-depth knowledge on a subject relevant to primary school teaching.
Possible Challenges:
Although being a teacher is very rewarding, I am aware it can also be challenging; engaging children with tasks (especially those which appear difficult to the child) requires strategies that make the task look more fun and appealing, whilst building the child’s self-confidence. I have worked with children with a variety of behavioural issues and also lead sessions for students with learning difficulties – sessions which present different challenges, but at the same time are also extremely rewarding. As a swimming teacher, I have developed the ability to plan lessons based around a scheme of work, and also adapt my lessons if the outcome is not as expected.
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