I came to the UK for a variety of reasons, one of which was to earn money before taking up a PhD the following fall. I was working in Ontario as a supply teacher and I was only getting a few days a week. I knew that if I came to London I would get work every day, and so I came as soon as I could.
I did daily supply (the nature of my decision to teach here did not allow me to commit to a school, although many contracts were offered). I taught primary and junior in North East London. One of the most memorable things here was the opportunity I had to meet the Queen and Prince Philip -- a trip to Buckingham Palace is hard to beat!
My advice would be to learn the vocabulary and colloquialism quickly (if you tell students to put their work in the bin, and you mean the plastic tubs on their desk, they will look at you funny and head for the garbage can!.....and yes, this happened to me on my first day in a Year 1 classroom!) Be prepared for the weather -- it is exactly what you hear, three seasons in a day, so outside duties can be fun!
Be eager to find out what you are getting into...it is not 'Hogwarts', although some school seem magical! | taught in inner city London, and I can honestly say, I think I could teach anywhere now- which is an amazing feeling. The daily rewards are worth the daily struggles, and there are daily struggles, from running to catch a bus, to navigating streets in the rain to arriving to face a Head Teacher who isn't expecting you! Talk to as many people as you can so you can embrace the challenges, don't be afraid to ask questions, and to ask for help. It is totally worthwhile and an amazing experience all round.
I did a lot of travelling when I was here… I went to Cairo, where my sister is teaching, over the Easter break. I also went to Wales with friends, up to York to visit relatives and also to Cambridge and Oxford a great deal, where I had friends.
I learned so much it is hard to put into words. I learned a lot about myself as an educator, about what you can do with a seconds notice and a classroom full of children who for them English is a second or third language. I learned I had more patience than I thought possible! I also learned everything from the flag of Northern Ireland to the Fire of 1666!
TimePlan helped arrange my NI interview and were always very helpful with directions and any random questions.
In three words, I would describe my UK teaching experience as challenging, invigorating, inspiring!
Hello! My name is Jennifer, and I'm a Canadian who has been teaching in the UK for the past two-and-a-half-years. I'd heard all the negative stories about teaching in London, but I figured that, like anywhere else in Canada, there'd be a real mix of schools, with all different types of students -- and I was right.
When I first came over, I didn't have a long-term placement, so I did day-to-day supply. I really liked the freedom that doing supply teaching gave me. One day, I'd be in a primary school in central London, the next day I'd be at a secondary school in north London. It was a great way to see all the different kinds of schools and to get an overview of the National Curriculum, all while learning how to get around London!
Since I didn't have a job lined up for the following September, I was keen to make a good impression when I did day-to-day supply. One thing I always tried hard to do was to get to the school early. It might sound like a simple thing, but when you're navigating the tube system, it can be a bit challenging! However, TimePlan was really helpful and they always gave me good directions from my nearest tube stop. A good website to check out to help you get around London is http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk . Getting to the school early means the staff knows you're reliable and that they can count on you in the future!
I also made sure I had a folder full of activities for different ages, just in case the teacher hadn't left cover work. TimePlan helped out a lot with this, as they have a resource centre in their office with lessons that can be used across all year-groups. I also made sure to mark all the work I did that day, and to leave really good notes for the classroom teacher. It wasn't always easy but the more days you do, the more comfortable you get!
After a month of supply work, I was offered a long-term position at a secondary school, and I took it - and stayed for two years! Despite the "horror" stories, I learned that kids are kids, no matter what country you're in. They may have a different way of expresing themselves, but they respond to the same behaviour management techniques we're taught in Canada. If you treat them with respect, and teach with energy and enthusiam, they will respond!
Teaching in London has been a challenge sometimes, but it boosts your confidence to know you can go into any school in London, teach any class, and go home knowing you've done the job!
Posted by: Jennifer | October 10, 2006 at 05:28 PM