Teach First Insight Review

I really enjoyed how we were put into different breakout rooms for every session which meant that we were able to meet nearly all the 40 participants across the 2 days. I felt that we were able to develop a range of different skills because we were doing such varied tasks. For example, we had debates on whether primary school children should get homework, we led our own mini lesson and we also discussed problems with education in the UK.

I felt that everyone was really included during the programme because we were in such small breakout programmes that we were all confident enough to participate. They also included lots of time for questions which was really beneficial. We also had panels and breakout sessions with trainees and partner organisations which allowed us to ask any questions we had and to gain further ideas on how we can develop our skills further before applying to the training programme.

We received a lot of guidance and support because we were able to talk to those on the panel in small breakout rooms afterwards which allowed us to ask questions we wouldn’t have wanted to ask in the main room. We also were able to email or message the coordinators individually during the programme if we wanted to in order to gain further guidance on using the platform etc. Teach First also organised a zoom call prior to the insight experience so that we could get used to the platform.

I think that the skills I gained will be really useful in my degree and hopefully to apply to the training programme because the insight experience developed all the skills that Teach First look for in applicants. I found it really useful how they asked us to self-reflect after every activity that we did which made us question what we could do better, and therefore to improve. We also received great feedback from a qualified teacher after our mini lessons which was really useful.

I think that it was structured very well because we had a clear timetable before the insight experience and pre-reading to do. This meant that we were prepared to get the most out of all the sessions. We were put into breakout groups with different participants for every session which was a really great way to get to know everybody and created real variety to the programme. I felt that it was a great variety of debates, planning our mini lessons and panels.

I felt that the atmosphere was really supportive from all the participants and all the teach first staff. It was really great getting to know other students with similar interests and finding out what stuff they have been doing at university and during the lockdown. They also fostered an atmosphere where you didn’t feel embarrassed to ask questions and everybody was really confident in expressing their opinions. I thought that the atmosphere wouldn’t be as good online, but I was proved wrong.

I felt that all the sessions were really designed to help us develop different skills. In particular I enjoyed how we were asked to complete self-evaluation forms after every session which really helped us. We were given a skills session at the end of the two days which allowed us to really think about the skills we had developed and plan next steps in order to continue to develop our skills after the insight experience.

I felt that the panel of trainees and qualified teachers were helpful in answering our questions and giving us an idea of what it is like to complete the programme and to work as a qualified teacher. I thought it was really helpful that they talked about the challenges that they had experienced as well as the benefits which really gave us a real feeling of what it’s liked. It didn’t feel like they were just trying to persuade us to apply.

We gained insights from trainees, qualified teachers and the recruitment team which really allowed us to get a feeling of what participating in the programme is truly like (and from different points of view and parts of the organisation). I think that the fact they organised a zoom session before the event for us to get to know each other highlights the support that teach first offers students applying and trainees during their journey to become teachers.

I felt that the mini lesson was the most valuable part of the experience because it allowed us to see if we enjoyed organising and teaching a lesson. The debates that we took part in also highlighted other issues within the education sector which gave us insights into whether it is something that we wanted to pursue. The panel was also really helpful in answering our questions about the career path, especially one of the trainees that had chosen to leave teaching and why he decided to do that. His negatives could actually be someone else’s positives which I think is why it’s so important to hear this.

No I wasn‘t paid for the experience however it was online therefore none of the participants will have incurred any expenses. I think that if the insight experience had taken place in person teach first does reimburse students for expenses, however I am not one hundred percent sure. Given that it was a taster experience in which we were gaining experience and skills, rather than completing work which benefited teach first I wouldn’t expect to get paid for it.

Yes we heard from a panel of trainees and qualified teachers. We heard from both those that had decided to stay in teaching after the training programme and those that had left. This allowed us to really gain a deeper understanding of the positives and negatives of the job, and decide if it is for us. We also met recruiters who were able to answer questions which regards to applications, and also partner organisations which gave us information of working for them.

We were able to network with partner organisations, for example, through breakout rooms. In order to get to know other participants there was a number of events. For example, the week before teach first organised a zoom call so that we could meet each other and get to know how zoom worked. Every day we also started with an ice breaker to ease us into the day. There was a quiz in the evening after the first day.

We found out about summer placements that teach first trainees and qualified teachers can participate in with partner companies in order to improve their skills. We were also told about the activities that the trainees had set up in schools, such as football clubs because that is something that they are passionate about. Therefore, it seemed like there were lots of opportunities to set up clubs in the schools to introduce the children to something which you care about.

I would definitely recommend the insight experience to a friend because it allowed me to get to know a lot about teach first, improving my skill set by participating in different sessions, and also getting to know other students who share my passion for wanting educational equality in the UK. It was really well organised and the small breakout sessions really allowed you to get to know those in your groups and all share your views and opinions on the issues you were discussing.