STEM Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed this experience. It was initially supposed to be an internship and, as interns, we were expected to go into schools. However, Teach First was extremely adaptable and managed to transform the programme into a virtual one. It was very well organised and we were supported throughout. During the entire internship, we had access to everyone on the team. Finally, during the assessment centre, the team was accessible on Zoom during the entire day. This was extremely beneficial, as we could just use the link and ask questions at any point.

Even prior to receiving the offer to join, the support from Teach First was apparent and exceptional. As the virtual experience started, we had numerous opportunities to interact with various Teach First ambassadors. They were open to any questions we had and even took the time to follow up with answers to questions we did not have time to cover during the Q&A. Furthermore, Teach First created a Facebook group for all STEM Interns where they share news and opportunities for us to participate in and make a difference in educational inequality.

I received lots of support during the virtual experience. Prior to starting, I received an online training course. This gave an insight into numerous techniques teachers use and helped me prepare for the virtual experience. Once the virtual experience started, we covered those and many more techniques in much more depth. The team was always exceptionally helpful and engaged the entire cohort. Everyone was open to questions and we were given plenty of opportunities to practice. Afterwards, we received feedback from experienced teachers and incorporated that into our lessons.

The virtual experience created an invaluable basis for my future studies. I will be taking a module in teaching mathematics and will be able to use everything I learned to create valuable and well-structured lessons. Furthermore, as I already received feedback from Teach First, I will know exactly which strengths to focus on and which weaknesses to work on, in order to keep developing. As I pursue a career in education, I believe this experience will continue to help me.

The virtual experience was very well structured. Initially, we were sent an online learning course to help us prepare for the virtual experience. Once the virtual experience started, we received a clear schedule that included numerous screen breaks throughout the day - I extremely appreciated this. On the final day, we had an assessment centre and were given lots of useful sessions to help us prepare. Furthermore, we had lots of interactive sessions both within the group of interns and Teach First ambassadors. This variety made the virtual experience exceptionally valuable.

The general atmosphere was very friendly and it encouraged intellectual curiosity. The whole team was approachable and genuinely wanted all the interns to succeed and perform well. Within the interns, everyone was supportive and we helped each other throughout. This speaks volumes about the culture that Teach First has and fosters. Furthermore, all the Teach First ambassadors always took the time to provide us with constructive feedback and share ways in which we could improve.

Teach First has been extremely supportive even prior to the virtual experience. They provided very well structured online training which included lots of reflection points. Furthermore, during the virtual experience, we received tailored and extensive feedback from experienced teachers and Teach First ambassadors. Moreover, after our final day of assessments, I was given extremely useful individual feedback. The teacher that provided me with feedback was open to any questions I may have and told me how she would approach the tasks herself.

Due to COVID-19, we were unable to go to schools and teach there. However, Teach First was extremely adaptable and managed to create a virtual equivalent. I had the opportunity to speak with numerous teachers that have completed the Training Programme with Teach First. They were approachable and honest and shared not only highlights but also the struggles and difficulties they faced. They received support from Teach First, which reassured me about starting the Training Programme myself.

I was familiar with the exceptional culture of Teach First even prior to joining. However, once I started I was astonished how friendly and approachable everyone was. It was apparent that all Teach First ambassadors are truly passionate about educational inequality and were proactive in making a difference. It was a true privilege to experience their drive and contribute to changing the status-quo myself. Furthermore, once the virtual experience ended, we received a thank you video from the CEO himself. This spoke volumes about the culture at Teach First.

There were plenty of opportunities to network and meet other employees and interns at Teach First. They made a group on Facebook for all the interns to meet each other and share experiences. Furthermore, we had numerous opportunities to engage with Teach First ambassadors at varying levels within the charity. Despite the fact that the virtual experience is over, we received invites to attend webinars that will help us develop further and better understand educational inequality.

I would highly recommend the virtual experience to others. They would receive impeccable training as Teach First invests in their employees from the beginning. This virtual experience, in particular, has been very informative and we learned useful techniques and had lots of opportunities to practice and give lessons. Moreover, we received feedback throughout the experience, which will be invaluable in moving forward. Finally, we learned and independently discussed educational inequality and numerous ways we can contribute and create a more diverse STEM field.