Teacher
The placements are arranged in a great way that enabled you to experience different schools and a range of age groups. They gradually build on your teaching time, so that you feel comfortable.
Why I chose to study at Leeds Trinity
I had heard that Leeds Trinity was a good university for teaching courses through previous students so I decided to attend an open day. I liked that the campus had a separate building specifically for student teachers and each of the rooms were set out like an actual classroom environment.
My best student memories
On the provider-led course we had a five-week block where we stayed at university. I really enjoyed this time as we learnt new and exciting ideas on ways we could teach our lessons. We often participated in the lessons ourselves. My favourite lesson was a science lesson where we tested out the best biscuit for dunking in a cup of tea! We talked about ways in which we could keep the experiment as a fair test and overall how we could work scientifically.
The skills I left with
On the course we were taught skills to enable us to teach a range of subjects, including core and non-core subjects which I found really useful. I also gained a qualification in teaching PE, which was the ‘Primary School Teacher’s award’ accredited by the FA. I really enjoyed this course and it taught me new exciting ideas that I still use in my PE lessons today.
The value of placements
The placements were, for me, the best way of training to become a teacher. You are constantly developing your learning, not just in the classroom but in areas you don’t think about as a student such as parent’s evenings, home time and meeting parents, interacting with other staff members and joining staff meetings.
The placements are arranged in a great way that enabled you to experience different schools and a range of age groups. They gradually build on your teaching time, so that you feel comfortable. Having been a student at the school I now teach at, I already knew how the school ran in terms of leadership team, marking schemes and school policies. I had also built positive relationships with other staff members and had already met some of my class by observing other teachers during my CPD time.
Inspiring others
For me, an inspiring teacher is a teacher that has a love of learning, and wants to share this with the children they teach in the hope that they also develop a love of learning.
My advice to anyone thinking about a teaching course at Leeds Trinity
Treat all placements like they are an actual job and like you work in that school. Form positive relationships with everybody who works in the school including your mentor, the Head Teacher, other class teachers, caretakers and cleaners, as this makes your placement so enjoyable when you have friendships that have built. Also don’t be afraid to try new and different things whilst teaching, even if you haven’t observed it. You can almost ‘test’ out your own ideas and learn from these in the future.