Our Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students review in their own words how the Teach with Wonder course has benefited them and enriched their love of teaching.
Choosing Wonder
By choosing the Wonder Learning Partnership and York St John university as your teacher education providers you will benefit from the academic rigour of lectures and tutorials from York St John university and also have access to ambitious Wonder Curriculum, that is designed to integrate the core content of the new Initial Teacher Training Early Careers Framework (ITTECF).
Develop and grow with Wonder
Teaching is a complex, dynamic and cumulative process; it is therefore essential that all student teachers develop a holistic understanding of the different teaching elements and embrace a culture of continuous improvement. The YSJ and Wonder curriculum provides plenty of opportunities for you to engage in all the essential fundamentals of teaching and in critical reflective practice, allowing you to develop your own enquiry questions and self-directed actions for your personal growth and development, as you progress through your course.
W: Wellbeing
Teaching is without doubt one of the most rewarding careers. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to shape minds, to make a difference and to provide our children and pupils with life choices, enriching experiences, as well as a first-class education. Teachers are so important, and we therefore want to make sure that all our trainee teachers are well cared for as they progress through their own educational journey. You will therefore have:
- Access to a dedicated Early Careers Mental First Aider if you need to talk.
- Regular welfare check-ins with Wonder Lead Mentors
- Wellbeing training and experiences throughout the year.
E: Environment
When you become a member of the Wonder Family, we want you to feel comfortable in your environment. We therefore plan a full school centred induction over a number of days, so you have an opportunity to meet your mentors and colleagues within your departments/phases/years/ school over lunch. You will receive a comprehensive handbook on everything that you need to know before you start on your educational journey. We also ensure that you have time to complete any statutory training for working in a school, so you can focus only on training to be the best teacher possible when you walk into your first classroom.
C: Communication and support
You will have your own dedicated mentors, who are excellent teachers, but also outstanding and experienced mentors. They will meet with you every week to discuss your progress, to watch your lessons, to give constructive feedback, to deliver instructional coaching, to set targets and to support you in your educational journey. Your mentors will determine the speed of your progression, based on what they see and these discussions, helping to tailor the ITE programme to meet your needs.
A regular ITE bulletin will also pop into your inbox during each of your placements, with educational updates, news, and celebrations.
And of course, there is also your regular well-being check ins, and your dedicated Early Careers Mental First Aider available if you need additional support.
A: Assistance
To assist you in your career as a teacher, we guarantee all our ITE trainees an interview if a suitable position becomes available in our school. This is not only at the end of your placement but also anytime you apply for a role with the Wonder Learning Partnership during your career.
Our wellbeing and personnel department will also run a mock recruitment event during your placement, and you will receive feedback on both your application and your performance on interview, helping you to maximise your employability when you go for your first teaching interview.
Financially, we also want to help. If something happens that is unexpected, such as a broken laptop or you need smart clothes for an interview, we offer a one-off Wonder Bursary up to £250.00, so that we can make sure, you have the resources you need for your role or look great at your interview!
R: Resources
We will ensure that you have access to the necessary resources that you need during your school centred placement. You will receive a trainee teacher welcome pack so that you are ready for the classroom as well as textbooks and links to all the trainee teacher memberships available.
E: Enrichment
As the Wonder Institute of Education works in collaboration with TT Education and National College you will have free access to the all the courses that these two providers offers. Giving you instant access to a wealth of information and great professional development opportunities.
We also arrange a variety of enrichment events throughout the year, whether this is attending a conference with the STEM centre in York, or experiencing the renowned BETTs EdTech conference in London, and much, much more.