Meet the staff here at The Sheffield SCITT
"You have to love children and want to do the best for them. You need to be flexible, love and understand your subject, and realise that you never know everything and we are all involved in life long learning"
Greg Noble, science teacher at Notre Dame High School and secondary core lead for at The Sheffield SCITT.
Over the next few weeks we will be showcasing the marvellous and talented staff we have supporting our SCITT trainees.
First up is Greg Noble, science teacher at Notre Dame High School and secondary core lead here at The Sheffield SCITT.
Insight into your career. Why did you decide to become a teacher?
Having left my job as operations director of a fast-moving consumer goods company two years earlier to become a rugby coach, I decided I wanted to move into a role that continued to focus on helping children develop and prepare for later life, but in a more intellectually stimulating way.
What was your route into teaching - some information about your training?
I trained with the Sheffield SCITT!
What do you love about your subject?
I love science and chemistry in particular as it answers why things are as they are in the world around us and gives us the opportunity to better our lives through original thought and implementation of new ideas.
How has your career progressed?
In my NQT year I was second in department in my school. I then moved back to my training school with the opportunity to teach A-level. For the past three years I have had responsibilities for teacher development – both for existing teachers up skilling and now being the secondary core lead for the SCITT.
What do you think makes a great teacher?
You have to love children and want to do the best for them. You need to be flexible, love and understand your subject, and realise that you never know everything and we are all involved in life long learning.
Why should people consider a career in teaching?
If they want to make a positive difference to young people and for the good of society as a whole.
What are the best things about teaching?
No day is the same and young people are great. There is no such thing as a bad pupil, but many have very challenging lives that impact on their physical and mental well-being as well as the opportunities they have in life
Do you have any tips for trainee teachers?
Listen to advice from your host teachers and trainers. Try what they suggest and learn from the experience, whether you think it was a good idea in the first place or not. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
Why is the Sheffield SCITT a good place to train to teach?
Health care professionals learn by treating patients from experts in their field. The best way to learn to be a teacher is by being in the classroom with people who are current experts teachers, not lecturers who can advise on the academic side of teaching or experiences from many years ago. The SCITT programme provides you with mentors in your schools who are your coach and confidante to aid you through your challenging but incredibly rewarding ITT year. You are really a part of your host schools, which can’t always be said for less local training providers.
What words of encouragement do you have for prospective teachers?
If you feel you’d like to explore life as a teacher go and offer your services to volunteer in a local school or shadow a teacher for a day to get a real insight to what a school day is like. But if you love your subject and working with kids then it is a great career choice.
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