What Our Trainees Say About Us

When I was deciding what course to take at university, I was already fairly set that my end goal was teaching. Whilst I was aware that this was subject to change, I had a relatively stern course plotted in my head. With this in mind, I ensured that I chose a course which allowed for a placement year so that I could get used to being on the other side of the classroom and make sure it was for me. Although this year was heavily disrupted due to the illness that shall not be named, it was still very helpful in discerning that teaching was, in my mind, still for me. If that year of turmoil wasn’t going to turn me away, I was fairly happy that teaching was still my goal. Thus, it only seemed logical to head straight towards teacher training as soon as I finished uni!

I think this is what was so attractive about training through a SCITT scheme, as it meant I would actually be in the school learning rather than a uni-based course which would feel like a step backwards from my placement year. The i2i SCITT course is varied and is not always plain sailing, but the important thing is that when things go wrong, and if I am being realistic things will inevitably not go to plan at one stage or another, there is a fantastic team there to support you. The scheme has provided me with some highs too, probably my favourite part is how awesome the department at the school is. We organise a shared lunch once a fortnight and the togetherness in the maths department is unmatched – even if we have to squeeze 14 of us into the office. I think this is something that could be lacking from a uni-based course. The interview process was nothing to fear, I was given the scope to unapologetically share my passion for maths both in the lesson portion as well as the actual panel-style interview.

My secondary education was inundated with fantastic Maths teachers, particularly through my GCSEs and A-level courses. I was inspired and excited by the prospect of Maths which only made my fondness for the subject more concrete. It was clear that those teaching me shared a love for teaching as well as Maths itself. Since then, I have found myself with a desire to become a teacher of their ilk, in the hopes of inspiring some budding mathematicians to take their studies further than the realms of college, like they did for me. During the end of my first year of college I had to say goodbye to my GCSE teacher, and I was genuinely saddened that he wouldn’t be able to continue teaching me as I enjoyed his lessons so much. However, he did attend our leavers do at the end of college, where I got to tell him the news that I was taking maths at uni with the aim of teaching, and even got to express how grateful I was for his input in my journey, and what an inspiration he had been. We even managed to get an old class photo which is a wholesome reminder of where it all began.