Perseverance, perspective and personal growth

As I come to the end of my science teacher training year, I’m reminded of a saying that somebody once told me about having children but feels equally true of teaching: ‘The days are long, but the years are short.’

Somehow the months have disappeared and suddenly I’m a fully fledged science teacher. Somewhere between lesson planning, observations, feedback, assignments, practicals and countless cups of coffee, the academic year ended. As teachers and students, we pack in and experience so much every day.

Almost a year ago, I was standing in front of a class feeling daunted, overwhelmed and not a small amount of fear. So much has changed. As I prepare to move into my first teaching role, I look back with a mixture of pride, gratitude, relief and, unsurprisingly, exhaustion. Now feels like the right moment to take a breath and reflect on the year gone by.

Teacher training teaches you a lot about yourself. You learn how to deal with the ups and downs, react when things don’t go to plan and accept the feedback that is constantly given to you from a class of 30 teenagers, all day every day. It has shown me that resilience is often less dramatic than we imagine. Sometimes resilience is simply getting up and trying again the next day when the previous lesson did not go to plan. It is continuing when you are tired, when you are doubting yourself or when your to-do list feels impossible.

Being a trainee teacher helps you understand what learning feels like from a student’s perspective

Teacher training has taught me a huge amount about pedagogy and classroom practice, but perhaps more importantly it has taught me about the learning process itself. Learning is hard. It can be frustrating and uncomfortable. Yet when understanding finally clicks, it is incredibly rewarding.

I now remember what it feels like when something is difficult, when you are overwhelmed, when it seems as though what you are being taught might as well be in another language. I know what it feels like to doubt yourself, to worry that you are not progressing quickly enough and to wonder whether you will ever get there. But I have also experienced the rewards that come from persevering. Being a trainee teacher helps you understand what learning feels like from a student’s perspective.

In the last term, I taught more lessons each week than before. With a fuller timetable, I had to become more deliberate and efficient in my planning, which has probably been one of my most significant professional developments of the year. I have learned to trust my own instincts more, make decisions with confidence and to accept that not every lesson will be perfect. I have also discovered how much I enjoy practical work with my classes. Earlier in the year, practicals felt daunting and complicated to organise. Now they are one of my favourite lessons to teach because I can see the impact they have on students’ engagement and understanding.

Having someone you trust and who believes in, encourages and quietly keeps an eye out for you makes an enormous difference. As teachers, we want to be that person for our learners every day. The relationships I’ve built with my students is another highlight of the year and I now understand how invested teachers become in the success of their students. I find myself keen to know how their exams have gone, celebrating their successes and wanting to help those who were disappointed to find the confidence to try again. Offering encouragement, advice and hope after setbacks is just as important as celebrating achievements. This year, I have experienced that myself.

Teaching isn’t just about passing on subject knowledge, it’s also about helping young people develop confidence that they can succeed

Teacher training isn’t something you complete alone. My mentors and colleagues have been a huge part of this journey; they are the people who bring teaching to life and make it real. They have shared advice (how to set up that practical or to get the printer to work), reassurance that things will get better and empathy after a difficult lesson. They have listened, celebrated my small victories and have done so much to make me feel part of the profession. The laughs in the staff room, the shared understanding and the willingness to help one another are things I will always be grateful for.

So, at the end of my PGCE year, how do I feel? Relieved that I have made it through. Proud of what I have achieved. Sad at leaving behind a school and colleagues that have helped shape me into the teacher I am becoming. Nervous about stepping fully into the profession at a new school. And excited about what comes next.

Teacher training is more demanding and intense than I ever imagined: but it has affirmed how much I love my subject. More than anything it has shown me that great teaching isn’t just about passing on subject knowledge, it’s also about helping young people develop confidence that they can succeed. And that’s a lesson worth teaching.