Talk taken by Simon Webster-
Which teachers would you thank if you could go back?No, during school I was never given the support that I needed, in terms of my work and my confidence in general. This is something that I would bare in mind if I was to go into teaching; not to give up on my students so quickly, but to have faith in them and encourage them to try and try again.
What educational experiences really worked for you?Going into an EXBA class before starting my degree. This allowed me to ease into the university; get a sense of the place, get to know the tutors and learn the work ethic that I should have for a degree. It also prepared me to be the best I can be, and to be creative.
What do you want to teach?- Primary
- Secondary
- Further education
- Higher education
- Adult and community
"It's not just about teaching a subject, it's more personal than that"
On the PGCE course we really care about-- Equality/diversity
- Sustainability
- High quality outcomes for students
- Challenging and enjoyable education
- Employability
What kind of people are teacher training courses looking for?- Curious
- Courageous
- Creative
- Committed
- Tactful and self-aware
- Punctual and reliable
What is a further education (full-time) PGCE course like?- 1 year full time course --> 4 modules
- 2 days placement --> 2 days in university
- You also have a placement and a mentor organised for you
Shadowing --> Team teaching --> Running sessions --> Running own modules
The 4 modules-- Learning teaching and assessment
- Managing learning environments
- Curriculum and society
- Wider practices and professional development
"You are never classed as just a training teacher, but a teacher!"
Pay grading as a teacher- Fe starting pay- £18,500
Qualified- £23,350
Fe senior lecturer- £35,300
Secondary starting pay- £21,000
--> Raises to £31,000 over time
STEM subjects, including mathematics can apply for bursaries
Overall I found this talk very interesting; knowing more about what is required to be a teacher. However, I do not feel that this talk was completely applicable to me as I am not looking to be a full time teacher, but more of an artist that runs occasional classes for young people and the community, teaching them more about photography and working on different projects.