Wendy Dobbenie

Wendy Dobbenie
Area of work: secondary education
Qualifications: BSc plastics engineering, CTL Ghent, Belgium (1989)
ITT course: Graduate Teacher Programme, King Alfred’s College, Wantage and Oxford
Brookes University (2008)
Subject: Maths

I used to work in technical services where the favourite part of my job was training sales staff and helping customers with technical problems. This led me to consider teaching as a career. I then took on two teaching-related, part-time jobs. I taught French to primary school children at lunchtimes and in after-school clubs, on top of which I worked as a cover supervisor in a secondary school. Here I taught all age groups and all subjects up to GCSE level – I was effectively an unqualified supply teacher. I enjoyed working with the whole age range of children but decided to train as a secondary maths teacher. I wanted to focus on teaching one subject and be stimulated intellectually through furthering my knowledge of mathematics.

The graduate teacher programme as a mature student

The graduate teacher programme seemed a good option for me as a mature student. It meant that I could train at the school where I’d already been working for two years and I would get paid a salary rather than pay to train. Another benefit is that the GTP allows you to build a personalised training plan based on your strengths and weaknesses. I have 50 hours of training over each two-week period. This time is broken down into contact time with children (eg classroom observations and teaching), regular meetings with my mentor and training officer to discuss progress, planning and administration. I go into the university for a day every fortnight for further training. During the year I will hand in three assignments and complete a maths booster course. As with all ITT courses, I will also have to pass the basic skills tests in order to get my NQT status.

Teachers need to care about children and their subject

I am finding the course an excellent, gradual way into teaching. It is giving me plenty of time to learn about the many aspects of being a teacher before being plunged in at the deep end. If you want to teach you have to care about the children and be able to establish mutual trust. I find it very satisfying to see the look on a pupil’s face when they have achieved something they thought was impossible – and to be able to play a part in their future.