Educating the East End: Getting into Teaching

You know that moment when someone asks you what you’re studying at uni, and you reply “English” and they immediately say “Ohhh so you want to be a teacher then?”. It physically pains me to do so every single time, but I am that person who replies “yes, I actually want to be a teacher”.

I always wanted to be a teacher, ever since I was tiny and used to force my sister to play school with me and fill in scrawled, home-made worksheets which I then proceeded to fill with big fat ticks. The ambition faltered slightly in my college years as I imagined being a high-powering publisher, just like Sandra Bullock in The Proposal. That was the dream. Even if it was just for the tight skirts, tall heels and perfectly groomed eyebrows. Then I rediscovered it again this year when I got offered the job of being a classroom tutor at a local high school.

It’s brilliant. Busy, but brilliant. I spend every morning working in classes of year 10s and 11s, usually one-to-one with students that need extra support. The teachers whose classrooms I support, support me in return in my PGCE application, offering to let me plan and teach my own lessons and ask any questions I may have about what teaching a classroom full of hormonal teenagers entails. Working in an East End secondary school is definitely an experience, with rich, multi-cultural diversity being its unique, and most fabulous, focal point. The kids I work with aren’t what I thought they’d be like at all – they have the ‘don’t-care’ attitudes we all had at 15 years old, but they’re bright, respectful young adults and it’s literally like being in a constant episode of Educating the East End. 

I’ve recently just been offered a place at the University of Manchester to study for my Secondary English PGCE come September 2015, so I thought I’d give my version of 5 top tips to applying for teacher training:

1. Get some experience before you apply.

Applications open around the end of October and the minimum most institutions ask for is one week within a classroom setting, but I personally think you need a lot more – not just to hit the minimum requirements, but to actually check this is what you want to do as your career. Because teaching is a career, and it is one that I think that people should only do if they know how much work is involved: lesson plans, targets, reluctant kids, long hours, lots of responsibility etc. You need to see the good and the bad experiences in the classroom. I often have days when I love the students and we’re all engaged in a text together, and other days where I could bang all their heads together because they refuse to follow instructions.

2. A range of experience helps too.

Maybe try two different types of secondary school: an academy and a state school? A girls school and a mixed school? Every little helps when it comes to gaining an insight into the classroom. Every teacher’s classroom is different, and I love seeing what works and what doesn’t when it comes to engaging the pupils. Plus it can’t hurt to have something else to talk about on your personal statement!

3. Speaking of which: the personal statement.

The bane of your life during the month of October. Best advice my careers advisor gave to me? Make it concise. Make it relevant. And put what makes you stand out in the first paragraph. My job means I’ll have over 400 hours of classroom experience by the time my PGCE starts, but for some reason I left this rather impressive fact out until my concluding paragraph because ‘I didn’t want to seem bigheaded’. I swear the advisor has never looked more incredulous in her entire life. Trust me – put it at the beginning and grab that admissions officer’s attention.

4. Get in early. 

Places get allocated on a first come first served basis and it’s better to get that UCAS application completed and sent off before Christmas so you’re on one of the first interview assessment days. The less competition and the more places available when you’re being interviewed, the better hey?

5. Literacy and Numeracy skills tests.

According to the Department of Education “The professional skills tests for prospective teachers assess the core skills that teachers need to fulfil their professional role in schools, rather than the subject knowledge needed for teaching. This is to ensure all teachers are competent in numeracy and literacy, regardless of their specialism. All current and prospective trainee teachers must pass the skills tests in numeracy and literacy before they can be recommended for the award of qualified teacher status (QTS).” All very well and good but English degree holders? The idea of the numeracy test makes me want to cry. I practised it online and only got 50%, and as the pass mark is 63%, I definitely have some work to do. Make sure you practise your arse off, and book in advance. Most institutes set you a time limit when offering you a place in which to pass (mine’s 30th June 2015), so it’s best to get them out of the way sooner rather than later. It doesn’t help that if you fail one or the other three times, you can’t begin your PGCE until two years later. No pressure.

Student Media: writing, editing and lots of gin-based socials

I’m probably biased but the best thing you can possibly do during your three years at Queen Mary (or any uni for that matter) is to get involved with Student Media. Whether it be The Print newspaper, CUB magazine, QMTV or Quest Radio, it’s free, easy to get into work experience. And it looks cracking on your CV. I got involved with student media properly in my second year, after spending the majority of my first year arguing I ‘never have the time’ to contribute regularly. That’s understandable – you’re in a new city (probably), Freshers’ Fair has swallowed you whole and your email account is now full of emails from the vegan society/cheerleading squad (you swore you were interested at the time, but it was really for the free cake/chocolate/pens). But it’s also a lie. In first year, and you’ll realise this in your second/third, you have SO MUCH TIME. So use it wisely, and get writing.

If I could go back and do something differently, it would be that I got involved as early as possible and gained as much writing experience as I could. But I didn’t – instead I waited until May rolled around and editorial positions opened for all outlets. I applied to be a regular columnist, named aptly: The City and the Northern Girl (very Carrie Bradshaw, I know). Cut a long story short, I got the position and proceeded to impart my North vs. South wisdom on to the entire QM population – so much so that I once got recognised in Spoons, just the beginning of my celebrity career. Not. Now I am the editor-in-chief, and I genuinely feel that every student, especially HSS students, should join the media family. We’re a fab bunch.

I’m probably making no sense to those of you who have no clue what Student Media even is, let alone what it does. So here’s the lowdown:

558314_624001094289194_2064892024_nCUB MAGAZINE. Queen Mary’s oldest (and finest) Arts and Culture magazine, currently ran by me, god help them. Sections include: Film, Music, Style, Arts, Features, Columns, London, Photography & UniSex. Publishes four times a year in print (literally the most stunning magazine you will ever see in your life) as well as boosting an online presence @ www.cubmagazine.co.uk. Fresh content uploaded daily.

1512617_802382833134651_2420543857757590739_nTHE PRINT. Queen Mary’s student newspaper. Originally named QMessenger, then Davey Brett took over and changed it forever. And made it crazily better. Sections include: News (obviously), Comment, Features, Satire, Sport & Societies. Publishes eight times a year, usually every two-three weeks, in print and is currently in the process of designing a new website to accompany @ www.theprintnews.co.uk

432258_210917425673732_910636721_nQUEST RADIO: Queen Mary’s student radio. Has seen huge changes this year under it’s leader Lucy Furneaux. Now featuring a beautiful new website @ www.questradio.co.uk and at last count, has over 40 different radio shows/hosts. Currently battling against the Students Union to be moved over into the SU Hub, and to be played in all Union outlets on campus.

QMTVLogo
QMTV: Sort of died a death this year with management difficulties. In the process of being revived. However to give you some sort of context, last year it had these ‘Bloody Mary’ episodes which reported news from campus and encouraged debate inc. the ISoc protest over prayer spaces (can be viewed @ http://youtu.be/dCuNgYZAqhM)

They’re the ‘big four’ if you like, but we also have four other outlets, so I’ll give you a brief overview of those:

1458496_201774926673144_2027577175_nPOLITICS MADE PUBLIC (PMP): A politics magazine, with an aim to make politics more approachable and understandable by people who basically don’t have a clue (aka me). Set up and managed by Matt Mahmoud and Jasper Tautorus. Published 2-3 times a year in print, also has an online presence @ www.politicsmadepublic.com

qmrQUEEN MARY REVIEW (QMR): Queen Mary’s outlet specifically for creative writing. Write poetry, short stories or other fiction-related things? Then this is the magazine for you. Headed by Bruno Cooke, it publishes bi-annually. Has a cute blog @ www.qm-r.tumblr.com

qmsciQMSCI: Queen Mary’s science magazine, Physics I think (I’m an English student, don’t judge). Mostly academic stuff, plus really clever discoveries/articles by Science students and staff. Oh, according to their description: “[it] aims to provide the brightest and the best, the coolest and kookiest of science to our readers – both on and off campus.” Well there you go then. Publishes bi-annually. Also has a cool blog @ www.qmsci.wordpress.com

941803_318967564907897_885630000_nTHE VULTURE: Barts’ own magazine. Editors remain anonymous. Don’t actually know what its content is.

 

 

So there you go. The full eight. Take your pick, get involved, boost your CV and attend our socials while you’re at it. We’re hilarious after a few gins.

Positions include: 

  • Editor-in-Chief (the big boss of the outlet, makes key decisions, is blamed when things go wrong, far too passionate about their publication)
  • Deputy Editor (helps the Editor-in-Chief keep everything running smoothly, ensures they don’t have a breakdown)
  • Section Editors (in charge of gathering and editing articles for each section e.g. Features)
  • Sub Editors (they design and layout the print issues, makes it look pretty, disguises any horrendous submissions)
  • Photography Editors (source images both online and in print to accompany articles)
  • Online Editors (in charge of the website, ensure things are copied and pasted over correctly, bombards social media with links to online articles)
  • Columnists (kinda speaks for itself)
  • Contributors (the most important position in the team, providing us with actual articles to edit and publish)

Trust me, you should get involved. You definitely won’t regret it.