Participant Review

I really enjoyed taking part in Taster Online as I learnt more about what it takes to become a good teacher and leader. More specifically, I got to have discussions with my peers about important educational topics and I also got to discuss and ask questions about educational inequality in the UK. The best part was that I was given the opportunity to deliver a short lesson to my peers and I received feedback as to how to improve for the next time.

The Teach First staff were very accommodating to everyone especially given that this was carried out virtually so social interaction was naturally more limited. However, everyone was given the opportunity to participate by asking questions and through the discussion activities we had in the breakout rooms. Everyone was very supportive especially when giving feedback and they would encourage us instead of critique us. It would have been better if there was more opportunities to interact but I also understand this is difficult to do online and in a short amount of time.

During the virtual experience, there was a lot of support and guidance given to us. We were given access to pre readings which were short activities that could be completed in about an hour. We did this in preparation of Taster Online. We were also provided with all the presentations and resources we were going to participate in. There was also support given in the form of feedback and this included the debate and the teaching exercise.

The virtual experience was very well structured. We were given a timetable in advance so that we could see what we were going to do during the two days. All the activities and sessions were different with many being interactive which meant that this virtual experience was as engaging as possible. However, I think there should have been a few longer breaks as we were staring at a screen for the whole day meaning we were fatigued by the afternoon.

During the two days of Taster Online, I learnt a lot about what it means to be a teacher as well as about Teach First's mission and vision. I really enjoyed hearing from current trainees and Teach First ambassadors about their teaching experiences. This was really insightful as I got to learn more about the application process, some of the challenges faced and I now feel better prepared to make an informed decision about joining the training programme.

Both days of the virtual Taster were really helpful and provided informative information about the training programme and what it means to be a good teacher. There were panel sessions were we got to learn more about this and there were also short Q&As which everyone could participate in. We also got to talk to people from other organisations about the opportunities they have to offer so that we could all improve our professional development.

In the second day specifically, there were two panels. The first one was a panel of current teachers (trainees) and ambassadors (those who have graduated from the Teach First training programme). In this panel we got to hear about the application process, their motivations for becoming teachers as well as anecdotes about their experiences. The second panel was made up of different tutoring/ mentoring organisations. In this panel we got to hear about their volunteer and paid roles, how to apply and the benefits of joining them.

There were plenty of opportunities to talk to other people as well as ask questions. This would primarily happen in breakout rooms where we could get to know each other as well as participate in discussions and activities. I got to know a few people and ask many questions during the panel sessions as well. However, I think that due to the nature of the event being virtual, social interaction was slightly restricted yet at the same time, I think Teach First did a good job at ensuring that we all had time to participate and network with on another.

As part of the training programme, we learnt that all trainees and newly qualifies teachers (NQT) can apply for summer internships on an annual basis. I found this to be a very attractive aspect of the training programme as it means that teachers can, if they wish, to explore other sectors or simply improve their professional development. We were also told about opportunities we could take advantage of right now as students, including volunteering, tutoring and mentoring.

Absolutely yes! This was a really great and well structured two day event. A lot of content was covered in an engaging way in a short amount of time. I would recommend this virtual experience to anyone that is or has ever considered becoming a teacher or working with young people and that have an interest in social mobility/ educational inequality. I learnt a lot and the Teach First community is very supportive in all aspects from the application process to when you start your training as a teacher.