“What’s it like to be on the teaching side, no longer the student”
I decided to head towards a talk that would be completely different and hopefully give unexpected information in an area that I know little about, thus deciding to sit in on “Teaching as an option”. Teaching has never really crossed my mind before, I’ve always thought of myself as either part of a team within a studio or freelance in screen print, so the talk opened up other avenues I hoped, if all else failed or that I perhaps had a chance within teaching but hadn’t really be made aware of what it requires. And straight off Ursula asked the question of how much do we enjoy our job or profession that we hope to go into? This at first sounded rather pointless to begin with, as I wouldn’t be doing a degree in graphics if I did not enjoy it. But it was more of how much enjoyment would you gain from your job say doing it still 5 years down the road. Which I can’t answer truthfully as I don’t know, but am adamant and confident in myself that I can still draw enjoyment as long as it’s what I want and can openly say that about what I create.
Having kick started us with such a question, Ursula soon exposed us to hat it is to be a teacher, what we require, what it entails and what to expect. All of which took us by surprise, with the level of time needed in one whole year while undertaking a PGCE, the GCSE level boundaries shifting upwards to a B grade and the whole what will be expected of us upon a single interview for a role. With the likes of…
Why you want to be a teacher?
Interest in children
Communication and Interpersonal skills
Sense of humour
Energy, Determination and Perseverance
Some of which were expected, and others taking you by surprise, but firming up of how you should be kept on your guard and don’t go into an interview expecting to just breeze straight through, because it won’t happen and you’ll soon come unstuck.
The idea of heading down the teaching path surprised me at how much I actually considered, especially with it being a whole new concept, but having walked away at the end and given thought, I was still set on my path. I intend to finish with my degree, create gig posters, screen print an produce graphics, the things that generally make me happy, teaching I can’t see completing me or keeping me satisfied for however long of a career.
What Inspires Me? 