Is there anybody who still uses the old phrase “those who can, do; those who can’t, teach”?
I hope not.
I am a 21 year old student, about to complete my degree in Geography and Spanish at the University of Leeds. Between October 2013 and May 2014, I worked as an English Language Assistant at a primary school in Guadalajara, Spain. I have also completed a Geography teaching placement at a challenging secondary school in Bradford this year. I have spent some time observing lessons at my old school, and I have even started to teach my mum Spanish. In September 2015, I will begin my School Direct training as a trainee Spanish and French teacher in Kent.
If there is one thing that I have learnt throughout these experiences, it is that good teachers DO and TEACH. There is so much more to being a good teacher than simply dictating from a text book and photocopying activities. To be a good teacher is to inspire, engage, create, support, protect, motivate, encourage, organise, learn, guide, entertain…
I emphasise good because, in reality, not all teachers are. That is not to say that they don’t want to be, but that adapting to our ever-changing society is incredibly difficult. To name a few of these changes: a growing number of students who have English as an additional language (EAL) currently estimated to be about 1.1 million in the UK; increasing awareness of students with special educational needs (SEN); the never ending expansion of technology; a demand for an education that prepares students for life not only academically, but practically too.
My degree has encouraged me to approach everything that I do with a more critical mind, and I believe that this will be extremely useful as I embark on my career path. I want to try out new ideas, succeed and fail in my methods, and continuously adapt. The aim of this blog is to share all my experiences in the hope of making myself the best teacher possible and, hopefully, encouraging others to do the same.
ifyoucandoteach.wordpress.com 