Primary Teacher Education
“I was attracted to the Brookes course because I knew several people who had been on the course and they recommended it to me and because it was close to home. Oxford is a beautiful city with so much going on, it’s charming, quirky and definitely the friendliest city I have been to”
The main reason I decided to study for a BA in Primary Teacher Education is because after finishing school I had the opportunity to volunteer in a number of primary schools; it was here that I fell in love with teaching and decided to apply to do my initial teacher training.
I was attracted to the Brookes course because I knew several people who had been on the course and they recommended it to me and because it was close to home. Oxford is a beautiful city with so much going on, it’s charming, quirky and definitely the friendliest city I have been to. Studying in Oxford, there are always great ‘teacher related’ things going on. There are charities such as ‘Keen’ whose aim is to help children with special educational needs and Jacari, another charity, which allows you to teach English to children to whom English is a second language. There are also several museums and many other cultural things to do.
The best thing about the course is the practical hands on approach that Oxford Brookes has with its students, much of our learning involves a practical element as opposed to just sitting and listening. I enjoy the balance between core and non-core subjects and feel that I have been given the opportunity to explore my creativity which has ultimately enhanced my teaching abilities. Now I am in my final year the university is helping us with our personal profiles which I feel has been extremely beneficial. Furthermore, members of staff in the department have been very helpful and inspiring, especially David Aldridge, Jane McNeill and Jean Clark.
I think that choosing to study at Brookes will definitely help me in my career. Brookes has supported me in my studies to enable me to be the best teacher I can be. I feel that I have been given the tools and ideas that will make me stand out from the crowd in interviews. Brookes has provided numerous strategies, teaching resources and ideas that I will no doubt use throughout my career. I think the skills we have learnt on the course and the experience we have gained will definitely make us more attractive to employers especially our creative/arts/music knowledge and our understanding of the curriculum and how it changes.
In the future I hope to complete my NQT (newly qualified teacher) year in a mainstream educational environment but my dream is to work in a school dedicated to students with special educational needs.