“I finished university and wanted to have a job where I could help people”

What made you want to become a teacher?

“I finished university and wanted to have a job where I could help people, where I was actively involved in their growth.

My dad was a teacher, and my granddad was a teacher, so it ran in the family and has been a bit of a family tradition. I wanted to carry that on. I got some work experience as a teaching assistant in my old school where I went as a child.”

If you could go back to your time as a trainee teacher, what is the one piece of advice you would give to yourself?

“I would take a more measured approach to applying educational research in my practice.

Previously the way I consumed and applied research was very scattergun. I would think, ‘that looks good, let me try it’. Now I take a much more considered and nuanced approach.

I think a big issue in teaching generally, but specifically when you're training, is it's hard to know what works and what doesn't.

Engaging in the research and using evidence to make changes to my teaching takes an element of that away - I don't have to worry as much about what to do, because there's plenty of research showing that it benefits learning, instead I can focus on how to do it, making sure I'm implementing it in the right way and with fidelity.”