Jo Jackson SCITT trainee 2020/21
"I am loving my training year so far! I have developed so many new skills and I feel confident that I will become the brilliant teacher I aspire to be".
Jo Jackson SCITT trainee 2020/21
How has Covid-19 affected your training?
Covid-19 has affected it in many ways, but I still feel I am having training that is good enough and giving me the skills and confidence that I need. The biggest change was in the classroom – not being able to circulate and work closely with children was difficult. Being unable to take part in extra-curricular activities and fieldwork has also been a shame, but is something I will be able to take part in more once I get a job hopefully. Not being able to meet the other trainees on the SCITT has also been a shame as we would have been able to get a lot of support from each other. Despite lots of restrictions I do still feel I have had as good a school experience as was possible as the SCITT has adapted to the changes really well.
How has your school adapted due to the current restrictions?
To adapt to the restrictions, teaching moved entirely online in the first week. To allow time for teachers to prepare for online lessons again, some lesson PowerPoints had voiceover put on them which students could listen to and follow tasks from at home. Then live Teams lessons began and a new timetable was created to give students/teachers 3 teaching sessions per day as opposed to 5 shorter lessons.
How has the shift to online teaching been for you?
At first I found the shift difficult, but it was mostly just from being nervous about the technology aspect. I went into school one day that my mentor was in and she showed me how to use Teams to teach a lesson and all the rules and advice to follow, such as recording lessons, muting students etc. Now that I feel comfortable with the basics I look forward to trying out new techniques and using different features such as screen-sharing to videos in lessons. Lots of my lessons are similar to how I would teach them in class just in a slightly different structure.
Do you feel like your training is being supported throughout this pandemic?
I feel very supported throughout the pandemic – the only small worries I have are those which are completely out of the hands of the SCITT. Right from the start of the lockdown I was assured of everything that would happen and what changes would be made – and more importantly, reassured that we would still be able to qualify as teachers. My mentor has been extremely supportive and understanding with everything, and I have felt very comfortable.
How are you finding the balance between teaching/training and home life?
Sometimes the balance can be difficult, especially when all the work is being done at home. Not being in school means it is difficult to motivate yourself to not go off and do something else at home. It’s also hard to stop yourself from working too much sometimes as there is always something to do. I think for me it has been important to give myself time off at the weekend and plan nice things like walks, which makes me work harder during the week.
What has been the hardest thing to adjust to? What has helped you overcome this?
The hardest thing has been creating lessons that are engaging for students as there is only so much you can get from them over Teams. Staff meetings and training sessions have opened me up to some new ideas though and everyone is very supportive in sharing ideas of what has or hasn’t worked for them in getting students to interact with the lesson.
What would a typical day entail for you during the current restrictions?
My busiest day is probably a Tuesday. I would be up for form time at 9am, then straight onto teaching my own lesson at 9:20. The session is 90minutes but Teams usually lasts around an hour before setting work for students to do after. Then I have a quick break before teaching again at 11am. Again, it doesn’t normally take the whole 90 minutes. Some time is normally taken after to do admin such as answer students’ questions and uploading PowerPoints onto the shared files. Then after lunch I have my mentor meeting on the phone, which usually lasts around an hour. I would then spend the rest of the afternoon/evening planning for the Thursday and Friday lessons.
Do you still feel as enthusiastic about teaching as you did when you started?
I still feel very enthusiastic about teaching. I know the restrictions are only temporary and from what I did experience in the classroom before the restrictions I know I can’t wait to start my own teaching job next September.
What have you learnt about yourself from your training so far?
I have learnt how resilient I am when dealing with the work/life balance and how being passionate about what I am doing makes me want to work harder for it. I have also realised how much more confidence I have after having being able to stand up and talk in front of classes all day – something I couldn’t do before I started training.
What would you say to someone that wants to start teacher training but is feeling disheartened due to the current restrictions?
I would remind someone that restrictions are temporary. When you do get into the classroom you will get all the experiences you need. If there are times where you are forced to train online you will also have lots of new experiences and develop so many of the skills you do need. Hopefully most of the important aspects of your training will not be affected too much. If there are other things like extra-curricular activities you are missing out, I take comfort from the fact that I will be able to immerse myself in them when times are more normal, even if it is once I’ve got a job.
How are you finding your current training year with The Sheffield SCITT?
I am loving my training year so far! I have developed so many new skills and I feel confident that I will become the brilliant teacher I aspire to be
Do you have any advice for current and future trainees?
Current trainees, remember to dedicate yourself to getting a good work/life balance. It’s never going to be perfect especially in your training year but try to set aside time at the weekends where you do no work. If you take on too much work and don’t give yourself a break it will become more and more stressful and you will burnout. Future trainees = Make sure teaching is something you really want to do! You have to put so much time and energy into it, even during your training year, but this is all made better by the fact you are enjoying (most) of it. If you don’t care enough about teaching all the extra work would probably feel 10 times worse.
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