Megan. Class Teacher

Megan is a twenty-eight-year-old teacher from London. She has been in the education industry for three years.

How did you get into your field? What inspired you?

‘As a teenager I'd always been interested in teaching and working with young people. When I was 16, I was given my first proper teaching opportunity during a work experience placement, teaching French and Spanish to Year 2 and 4 classes. After the initial terror, I loved the experience and it was so amazing hearing all of the pupils reciting the colours of the rainbow in Spanish. However, I was still unsure if this is what I wanted to pursue after University and opted for a corporate career to begin with working in recruitment for a fast-moving consumer goods company and then working in learning and development for retail. After two years, I was feeling demotivated and realised at that point that I needed to reconsider my career options. This is when I came across Teach First, a 2-year graduate scheme teacher training programme with a mission to provide a fair education to all.’

What did you study at university and did this help you get into your field?

‘I studied Psychology at Loughborough University which definitely helped me to get into Primary teaching. I loved learning about Child Development and I was pleased to already know so much about the learning theories when it came to my Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Education (PGDE). As part of the Teach First training programme, you are linked with a University to complete your PGDE, so I studied at UCL.’

Do you recommend any particular studies, courses or degrees for your field?

‘There are many routes into both primary and secondary teaching, but I would definitely choose carefully. As a Teach First trainee, I was expected to have full responsibility of a class as an unqualified teacher. It was a challenging first year, but incredibly rewarding and a steep learning curve. The support I received over my training was phenomenal and definitely helped me in my successes. The pay was also a great financial incentive, but you can sometimes get this through Schools Direct too!’

What does an average day look like in your role?

‘The beauty (and difficulty) of teaching is that everyday is different. I get into work around 7.45am and start preparing for the day ahead, making sure I have all resources ready for the pupils arriving at 8.30am. From that point onwards it's all about the children. Throughout the day I take on many different roles - educator firstly, behaviour police, carer (occasionally being mistaken for Mum) and after break and lunch times, mediator. I am expected to teach all subjects, which can be a little tricky when you have no knowledge of the subject area, but I love learning new things when planning my lessons. The day usually flies by and before I know it, it's 3.30pm. Then, onto emails, marking and planning until school closes at 6pm.’

What is the best part of your role?

‘The children. It's amazing to see them develop over the year under your guidance and I'm always sad to say goodbye at the end of the academic year.’

What is the worst part of your role?

‘Definitely the marking, particularly at the end of a busy day. Each school has its own marking policy, which can have a huge impact on how often you mark. Most schools are making a move towards verbal feedback, which is far more useful for the pupil than a few ticks, crosses and a comment on a piece of work!’

How important is work/life balance to you and how much spare time do you have?

‘Work/life balance is really important to me, but can be difficult to maintain in teaching. I usually stay in school until closing and then still take work home that evening. I often work over the weekends for at least half a day as well. The holidays are an absolute blessing where I catch up with family and friends, although they usually consist of several days of work in preparation for the following half term.’

Do you have any hobbies?

‘I find it hard to maintain my hobbies alongside teaching, but I play Korfball (similar to Basketball/Netball) whenever I can. The holidays are definitely a great opportunity to go travelling, although can be expensive!’

Do you have any advice for people looking to start a career in the same field?

‘Gain some classroom experience through volunteering, work experience or a job as a teaching assistant. The experience will be invaluable in supporting your applications and will give you a good insight into education and teaching.’

Have you ever experienced any uncertainties about your career? What did you do to overcome them?

‘Before teaching I had uncertainties about my career and even now, I still wonder what I'll be doing in five or ten years. I love working within education and may seek other jobs within this sector in the future. I'm always open to new opportunities - I've recently taken on the role as Computing Lead at my school.’

Who is your biggest female inspiration and why?

‘It may be slightly cliché, but my mum! She is currently completing her NQT year after years of working within education, pursuing her dream to become a teacher. She has always encouraged my sister and I to follow our dreams and leads by example!’