Emily L.
About me
| Emily L. | |
| Mathematics | |
| Mathematics | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Goodricke | |
| 2017 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Maths Teacher | |
| Secondary School | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Education |
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A day in the life of a Maths Teacher in the United Kingdom
I always wanted to be a teacher, but experiences within university of volunteering in both primary and secondary schools gave me the insight to make the decision to train in secondary.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
I currently work for an 11-18 school in the Midlands of England, which is part of an academy trust.
What do you do?
I teach mathematics to key stages 3-5.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
I always wanted to be a teacher, but experiences within university of volunteering in both primary and secondary schools gave me the insight to make the decision to train in secondary. After I graduated I completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE, very similar to PGCE) at the University of Sheffield. Whilst in my first year of teaching as an NQT (Newly Qualified Teacher) I also undertook a part-time Masters degree in Education which involved researching the gender gap in mathematics in secondary schools, including research in my own school.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
I knew that I wanted to enter the education sector when I graduated from York nd had already applied for my next course.
Describe your most memorable day at work
One of my most memorable days was the last day before we left due to Coronavirus. It was unexpected for all of us as we had only found out a few days before, but potentially this was the last day at the school for many of our Year 11 students. The part that makes it memorable is how emotional myself and all the other teachers were at the thought of not seeing our pupils again, who had worked so hard over the last two years of GCSE work, we felt so sad that this was how it had ended for them and that they were so lost about what might happen next, we were doing our best to reassure them.
As well as this, this was my first proper year 11 group who were leaving and I was holding back the tears when one of them came to hunt me down during my year 8 lesson. I was remembering all the little in-jokes and stories we had created as a class over the last two years and even now, it doesn't seem real that when I go back to work properly, they won't be there! They were a class who warned me at the beginning of year 10 they would not do any maths for me, and yet at the end of year 10 were loving trigonometry!
It really highlighted to me how much I had invested in these students and how much I really want them to succeed in life. I also saw in their faces and emotions how much of an impact I had made (not that they'll admit it), which is all I can hope for!
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
There are many challenges associated with teaching and they change from day to day, but that's what makes it such a fulfilling and exciting job (it would be boring if it was really easy!). Time management and workload can be difficult at times as well as dealing with behaviour in your lessons. However, these challenges highlight the importance of networking with other teachers to find amazing tips and tricks (or stealing their resources!).
What’s your work environment and culture like?
Once again, this can be different from day to day, in terms of lessons, you largely create the environment you want the children to learn in, sometimes pupils have their own ideas though (i.e. when its snowing!). I have found that working in a school is one of the most supportive environments I have experienced in terms of staff lifting each other and helping each other out and I think that's one of the most important things, particularly as you begin your career. Staff wellbeing is a big focus in most schools at the moment as it has been an issue in the past, but this can be a change from school to school.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
As mentioned earlier, I was part of the York Students in Schools scheme, where I undertook 3 different voluntary placements in York schools. Obviously, this was very applicable to my current work as I was able to get into a classroom, see how it was done, but also get to know children and learn how to effectively communicate with them. I also became a Student manager for YSIS which gave me an insight into the process of assigning placements, but also allowed me to meet lots of different people, all doing the same volunteering.
As well as this, I also had a part time job in a supermarket which improved my communication skills with the public and helped me with time-management and organisation skills.
What would you like to do next with your career?
I want to remain as a maths teacher, however I am now looking to increase my responsibilities within school. In particular, I would like more of a role working with student teachers and newly qualified teachers, to help coach them and support them.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
If you are planning to go into the education sector, I would advise to get as much experience as you possibly can! This will help you to decide what sort of education you want to go into, what role you want to take and possibly what sort of school you would like to work in. When you're volunteering in a school, take as active of a role as possible, get involved in planning and running lessons if possible.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
I'm happy to help with any questions about the expectations and responsibilities of a teacher. I'm also happy to answer questions about the application processes or any other aspect of teacher training.
Next steps...
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