Teach First Review

I really enjoyed the virtual experience that Teach First offered. It was really informative as there were lots of guest speakers that had also done the programme before who were telling us what they had achieved from it which was really motivating. It was also really interactive with debates and there was lots of self-reflection time which I found really helpful.

I felt really valued as I was always listened to and never neglected. All my questions were answered thoroughly and if I had further questions my emails were always responded to so I never felt lost. The hosts asked for our feedback a lot and what we enjoyed and what could have been improved which showed they cared about our opinions.

I felt that I received a lot of guidance and support. If I was ever unsure of an activity or a task, I could either ask or send the host a message and it was always answered properly. They sent lots of emails prior to ensure that we all had access to the correct resources.

I believe that I have really developed my public speaking skills during this Taster Experience. As I had to present a mini lesson and partake in a debate, this has increased my confidence as I was able to confidently present my ideas. I also developed my problem solving skills as we had to brainstorm problems in the education system.

I thought that it was really structured and well planned. I appreciated the fact that we were able to access the timetable prior to the programme. This helped me organise myself more. There were regular breaks and the plan always stuck to the time plan. None of the sessions ran over time.

I thought that the general atmosphere was really nice. The hosts were really friendly and helpful. All the other participants of the programme were also very friendly and I got on with everyone. The tasks ensured we all worked together. The quiz on the first night was very fun and helped us to get to know each other better.

I felt like the company really invested in me. They sent me lots of informative emails and resources and informed me of the next steps I could take and other opportunities available to me. I felt very supported and if I had any further questions I knew I could email the hosts whenever I needed to.

The experience really helped me to understand what it would be like. I understand that it would be a lot of responsibility and a lot of hard work and dedication but that it is a very rewarding and satisfying job that is enjoyable everyday as you are making a positive impact on children's lives.

It really helped me to understand the company culture and I understood all the companies' competences and what they look for in their future teachers. I understand that they value leadership, problem solving, resilience, interaction, humility and empathy. From this experience I was able to develop these interchangeable skills to a deeper level.

I think the content was really helpful. I now understand the path to becoming a teacher a lot better now and the prospect of being a teacher is really attractive to me. I know all the future training that is available and other courses and programmes I can do that will further help me to achieve this.

I had purchased a ticket for travel to the Taster Experience which I had bought in advance. When the Taster Experience became a virtual experience we were emailed about how to reclaim expenses. We had to fill out a simple form with the total and I was reimbursed my travel expenses.

Yes there were opportunities to network with other employees. There were guest speakers who came on to zoom who worked for Teach First and gave us their first hand experience of working with them. There were also speakers from voluntary tutoring institutions that informed us of other work placements and opportunities.

I thought that the social event opportunities were really helpful because we were able to talk with many different people. We were able to ask many questions and all of our queries were answered. They were very informative and I now feel confident with where to look for future jobs and placements.

We were told about activities that we could do outside of work. We had other guest speakers that told use about some voluntary experiences and jobs that were available to us. They told us about working abroad. It was very informative and they answered all our questions thoroughly and properly and emailed us more information.

I would definitely recommend this virtual experience to a friend. I found it very enjoyable and informative and I learned a lot about Teach First and the opportunities it offers. It was very well structured and organised and all the information given was clear and all the resources were made easily available.