Diving into the deep end on the Training Programme

Teach First science trainee Nicole discovered her love for teaching when travelling abroad. 

At university, inspired by our vision, Nicole took the leap and joined our Training Programme.This is her story.

Teaching English in Vietnam and Bali helped spark my passion for education.

I’ve always loved working with children, and when I stood in front of a class for the first time, the idea of teaching became a reality.

I decided that the traditional university route into teaching was not for me, and that I could learn more from being thrown straight in at the deep end.

Teach First came to my attention through the University of Bristol Careers Service . As part of the Bristol PLUS Award, I had a mock interview, and my interviewer was a Teach First recruiter. It was fate.

Hearing about Teach First’s mission was really inspiring and motivated me to apply for the Taster Programme, where I had the opportunity to listen to ambassadors’ experiences and hear more about the Training Programme.

The inequalities in education are vast, especially since the pandemic, and I really wanted to help make a difference. So, Teach First was the right choice for me.

I grew up in a predominantly white, middle-class area, with first generation immigrant parents that had a chippy business. I had always struggled with feeling a sense of belonging in school and was never taught by a teacher that looked like me. Until I studied science at university, I didn’t realise the extent of the inequalities in STEM, and just how under representative it is.

Summer Institute was really helpful at preparing me before entering the classroom. Everything is broken down simply, so the expectations and goals are very explicit.

I met some great people. We all felt that we were not alone, and we were in it together, through the highs and lows.

We were given lots of time to plan for practice lessons. I was quite nervous to deliver these, as I had never been in front of 20 to 30 teenagers teaching science before. To be honest, I think anyone would be nervous!

I received some amazing feedback from experienced teachers and Teach First mentors, which really helped me learn.

After my first lesson in September, I needed a minute to myself to decompress and process what had happened!

I had spent a great deal of time preparing to do a practical with Year 9, which we didn’t end up completing due to technical difficulties. At the end, I thought it had gone horribly and was fighting back tears.

Immediately afterwards, I had a feedback session, and my mentor described me as a ‘swan’ – from the surface it appears that they are gliding through the water, but underneath the water they are treading furiously!

It made me laugh and feel better about the situation. I’ve learnt that being able to adapt and deal with problems as they arise is something that a teacher does all the time. No matter how much planning goes into a lesson, there are hundreds of things that can never be accounted for.

My school is in one of the most deprived areas of Kensington and Chelsea. Over 60% of the pupils qualify for Pupil Premium, while others live in the more affluent areas of the borough.

Pupils receive amazing care, support and opportunities at the school. There are so many enrichments. I have just started a crochet club which has been a success so far. It has been so nice to get to know students outside of lesson time.

For me, the most rewarding part of teaching has been getting to know my pupils. Some really make me laugh! I’ve enjoyed seeing their scientific inquisitiveness and getting excited about practical lessons. Though they take more planning than normal lessons, they are definitely a highlight.

Every Friday I announce a Scientist of the Week in each class, and I make a praise phone call home for these pupils. This puts a smile on my face and reminds me why I’m doing this programme.

The first week of teaching was the hardest, as the pupils were definitely testing boundaries and I experienced some challenging behaviour. I’ve realised that teaching is only part of the Teach First experience – you are also a disciplinarian, mentor, professional multitasker, and many things in between!

My school mentor has been fantastic, and I am so grateful to have her support. Honesty and open communication have been vital for me. I found the early days in school very hard, and my mentor really supported me when I shared how I was feeling. She did the Training Programme, so having someone who knows what it’s like has been helpful.

I’ve also felt really supported by my Development Leads, and I know I can be honest with them.

Since beginning the Training Programme, I have become better at prioritising tasks. All teachers have a never-ending ‘To Do’ list, and I was quite overwhelmed by this at first. I’ve learned that prioritising is the only way to not feel like you’re drowning in tasks.

I’m also someone who likes to be very organised, but I’ve learned that there are some things that you can never plan for and that’s okay.

Most importantly, I’m learning to be less self-critical. It’s easy to look at what went badly, but during observation feedback my mentor and senior leadership team always ask me to start by saying the things I thought went well and to not just focus on the negatives.

This has helped me avoid having a narrow, negative mindset about my practice and to realise that the whole point of this programme is to learn.

My biggest piece of advice to anyone considering teaching is to take the time to prepare mentally and organisationally.

The programme throws you straight into the deep end, and you need to remember why you are doing it. You choose to do Teach First because of the mission, and you should always have that in the back of your mind, especially when you have a bad day.

You also need things outside of the programme to help you unwind and make you happy. I crochet to relax and have even crocheted decorations for my desk to make the space my own.

And lastly, some practical advice: familiarise yourself with the school’s mid-term plans, buy a teacher planner, sort out your stationery, and get a travel mug!