Teaching is more than a job

I studied law, but I always wanted to be a teacher. I loved my law degree – it was really fun. I was on this specific pathway with lots of philosophy - and politics-based modules, which were interesting and relevant to teaching, especially RE.

Of course, law is rewarding in that you get to make a difference – you get to help clients, but they've chosen to come to you. With teaching, pupils don't choose to come to you. They don't get to choose their teachers or their school. You have a choice as a teacher to make lessons engaging for them.

Law can be very rewarding, I think for some people that's everything. But teaching for me is more than just a job. I love thinking about different ways I can help my pupils; being better at teaching for them. Teaching requires every facet of your being to be developed. I think it's one of the only professions that encourages you to be holistic, to have that pastoral element, but also to be good at numbers because you have to calculate grades. It’s insane.

There's no other profession that's going to challenge you and help you grow as quickly as teaching does.

An impact from day one

With teaching, you get to see your impact from day one. That pupil who doesn't ever smile in your class suddenly smiles, or they finally say, “Good morning.” Or that pupil who hasn't put their hand up suddenly does. Also what I love is that when you walk into the classroom, you're on your own; you don't have someone telling you what you need to do. You have thirty kids relying on you, at least for this hour, that they will get something out of your lesson.

My own RE teacher is my inspiration

Growing up there were always opportunities that maybe I didn't get to take, but there were also assumptions. Teachers would ask where you went on holiday and it always made me feel sad because no, I hadn't gone abroad, I hadn't visited this place in London because we didn't have that type of money. Now I’m the teacher, I reframe those questions; instead of asking where my pupils went in the holidays, I ask what they got up to. It's those small things to give them the space that make a difference. I remember those feelings of being told “You should have seen that,” or asked, “Why haven't your parents done that for you?” My parents tried. So it's about realising that these kids probably have parents who are trying too and giving them the space to celebrate that effort as well.

I wouldn’t be teaching if it wasn’t for Miss Dyer.

The subject I teach Religious Education; I wouldn't be teaching it if it wasn't for my own RE teacher. Her name was Miss Dyer. She was incredible, and I didn't know the subject could be like that. Miss Dyer was the first teacher who believed in me as a person. Because I was quiet at school; I was anxious, and she never shamed me for that. She found ways that worked for me to help me be celebrated in the class. She was the first teacher who asked me if there was a reason I didn't talk, instead of saying, “Why don't you talk?” It's those small differences that made the classroom feel more encouraging.

I wanted to try in her lesson because she saw me as a person, not just as a name on a register.

Why did I like her lessons so much? I realised she provided an inclusive space for all types of learners, whether you were a visual learner, you loved reading, you liked discussion or writing. Every lesson had some element where every pupil could shine. I try to bring that into my own lessons and realise it is very challenging to do that as well as behaviour management, but when it works, there's nothing like the feeling that, wow, that was a good lesson.

I realise now the energy it took to make the lessons engaging.

I think when I was at school, I thought that it must be easy to walk in front of a class and teach but now I realise how much energy it took to make the lessons engaging and to include people without putting them in boxes.

Miss Dyer had high expectations of everyone; she never had any favourites. We liked that about her from the get-go. She never liked a pupil just because they were the best in the class. She admired every pupil for their strengths – she would notice that someone was quiet so she would vocally celebrate their great writing abilities.

She had such a love for her subject. She was always bringing in extra resources – all these books from home. She knew what she was talking about, and she knew how to command a classroom. It wasn't through intimidation and yelling; it was that she had something to offer us and wanted us to appreciate it.

I don't think I'll ever be as good as Miss Dyer because only I know what she meant to me. I will never fully understand what I mean to the pupils or the impact I made to them. I hope that maybe I'll be as good as her as one day by listening to them, making space for them and bringing enthusiasm for the subject.

You can be a good teacher, but to be a great teacher, it's a lot

I've had a few pupils that I've managed to convince to take RE for GCSE, which was lovely. I’ve been supporting one of my Year 11s who wants to study law. I’ve been giving him advice, some of my university books to help him fulfil this potential.

Law can often have a lot of barriers to entry so I’m trying to do my part in supporting my pupils who want to pursue it.

Finding the best teaching programme for me

I looked for a way into it that was comfortable but also felt challenging and that got me into the classroom straight away. I didn't want to keep studying how to teach.

I was looking at different programmes and Teach First ticked the boxes of giving you hands-on experience from the get-go and supporting your academic development through the PGCE and their own modules. The biggest thing was I liked their message.

I come from a low-income community myself and I was the first one to go to university, so I knew the impact good teachers made.

I also wanted to join an organisation that genuinely recognises the importance of teaching beyond subject knowledge and the opportunity to go into an amazing school where good teaching matters. It made sense to join Teach First.

There’s always plenty of support

And I'm grateful I chose the Training Programme. It's such a unique way into teaching. It is a lot at first, but you have so much support around you; there's always someone you can talk to. Even now, going into the second year of the programme, you have the resources you need, and you always have someone you can rely on. I'm very lucky I can talk to everyone in my school – all the staff – but even if I couldn't, I could reach out to the people at Teach First. They have so many programmes and modules – including ones on mental health and well-being.

Teach First cares about you as a person, not just as a teacher.

I walked into the school with assumptions

I knew my school was going to be a low-income school and I walked in on the first day with assumptions about what the pupils would be like. I think that was wrong, but you can't help it. I can't talk highly enough of the school. I love it. The pupils here are absolutely fantastic, even the ones that make me want to sigh. They are all unique characters who are figuring themselves out, and I think that's the beauty of a school. And this school wants Teach First’s support for a reason – they know what it means to have those Teach First teachers.

Advice to new trainees

To new trainees, I would say that I know you'll be stressed about subject knowledge. I was, but that comes with time.

Enjoy building relationships with your pupils; you'll be surprised how wise and mature they are, but also how they just get on with life.

It's taking the time to listen to them and to the colleagues around you who have experience of those pupils. You could teach 400 pupils in a week – that's a lot of names and personalities, so enjoy those relationships and the rest will fall into place. The relationships are my favourite part.

You can be a child’s inspiration, like Jodie-Lee and Miss Dyer

If you’re thinking of becoming a teacher, find out how the Teach First Training Programme could be the right path for you.

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