I am pleased to share my teaching internship experience from the past 3 weeks.
Initially, I gained significant insight into the work and lifestyle of teachers through multiple observation sessions, and as the internship progressed I cultivated various essential soft skills through my role as a teaching assistant.
Nearing the end of my experience, I collaborated with another intern to successfully plan and deliver a lesson in front of a class.
Experience:
Week 1 - By observing the classroom from an outsider’s perspective, I gained insight into managing a large and diverse group of people, effectively communicating new and complex topics, and adapting to volatile situations.
Week 2 - The insights I gained in week 1 were put into practice when I took on the role and responsibility of a teaching assistant. I was responsible for helping managing hectic classroom environments, and that students understood the material taught.
Week 3 - Along with another intern, a lesson on genetic variation was carefully planned through effective communication and brainstorming sessions. The lesson was confidently co-delivered and taught to a Year 7 class of 30 students.
Achievements:
Despite numerous inspiring moments throughout the internship, the most rewarding took place during the lesson succeeding our genetic variation topic. Students were struggling to grasp the material taught, to which I took it upon myself to ensure they did. Through my persistence, reassurance and clear communication, students were able to effectively understand and apply the material taught.
Skills:
Communication - Maintained friendly relationship with staff, collaborated clearly and efficiently on lesson plans, and successfully explained new complex topics to students from various backgrounds.
Leadership - Managed classroom environments, activities and behaviour effectively.
Teamwork - successful collaboration with other interns during lessons.
Adaptability - Quick-thinking and creative solutions/alternatives to situations with students that were unexpected and required a different and immediate response.
Problem solving - Developed solutions to student’s needs, and solved physics problems coupled with conveying that same solution effectively to students.
Time management - successfully balanced marking papers, lesson planning, and personal life.
Reflection:
Following this internship I gained a significant amount of experience which I find incredibly invaluable, such as my deepened understanding of people from different backgrounds and ability, both academically and professionally, and my formulation of a stringent schedule that was both rewarding and demanding. Although becoming a teacher is still not my immediate career choice, its prospect as a career has pleasantly surprised me, so with this I look forward to reconnecting with teaching at a later point in my career. In the meantime, I look forward to utilising my newfound skills in both my professional and personal life.
It's been a inspirational 3 weeks with our #Teaching Internship Programme and we're so proud of how far you've all come!
We wish you every success in the future and hope to see you again to train to become #teachers
#FutureEducators Spencer Academies Trust Spencer Alliance Leadership and Teaching Department for Education
