If you have any questions about applying to be a student teacher with Teach with Wonder, we welcome all enquires at IOE@WLP.education or visit our Initial Teacher Education page Initial Teacher Education | Wonder Learning Partnership
Elliott’s Experience
“From the initial application for the teaching course through the Wonder Institute of Education to the present, where I am actively engaged in teaching full lessons, the entire process has been nothing short of amazing. The support I’ve received from the Wonder Learning Partnership has been unwavering, starting from the initial application, the subsequent interview, and the completion of various documents leading up to the start of the program in September.
My first placement at Woldgate School has been a truly enriching experience. Immersing myself in the school’s unique way of life has been thoroughly enjoyable, thanks to the warm welcome extended by everyone at Woldgate. Joining a department that is both understanding and supportive has made me feel like an integral part of the school community. My mentor has been exceptionally supportive, guiding me through my journey, and I can confidently say that I have progressed significantly during my time here, laying a solid foundation for my upcoming second placement.
One of the outstanding aspects of being associated with Wonder is the varied training opportunities provided. These opportunities have included valuable sessions on the pedagogy of teaching, scaffolding techniques, and assessment methodologies. These training sessions have proven to be immensely useful, as I have seamlessly integrated the acquired knowledge into my own lessons, enhancing the overall quality of my teaching.
I encourage aspiring student teachers embarking on the teacher training journey to actively throw yourself into the growth and learning opportunities provided by the Wonder Institute of Education. The support system laid out has aided the shaping of my beliefs, understanding and teaching practices. Along with this, I would advise you to take every opportunity to work with young people prior to September as this will allow you to start to build and understand the student to teacher relationship dynamic.
In conclusion, the journey with Wonder has not only equipped me with the necessary skills and knowledge but has also provided me with a supportive community that values growth and collaboration. As I look forward to my second placement, I am confident that the foundation laid during my time at Woldgate School, coupled with the ongoing support from Wonder, will continue to shape me into a proficient and compassionate educator”.
Jess’s Experience
My name is Jess, and I am doing my Physical Education PGCE at Woldgate School and Sixth Form. So far, I have really enjoyed getting to know all the pupils and planning fun games in the lessons to make them as inclusive and engaging as possible. I have also found extra-curricular clubs very enjoyable, and I have been attached to Year 9 Netball after school. I am currently learning about trampolining by watching my mentors, Ruth and Alice, teach this to Year 11 girls.
Aside from School, I have also found it interesting meeting people through the university, who are also going through the same process and being able to collaborate on coming up with different drills and game ideas to include in our lesson plans! I would highly recommend that any prospective student teacher, takes the opportunity to make group chats with other people on your courses as you can use these to help and support each other when you may be struggling, whether this be with planning a particular lesson or just dealing with placement life in general.
I have personally found it very beneficial so would highly recommend doing this. Managing your time can be quite stressful at first, however, it gets easier as you go on and think of more games, drills and activities to include in your lesson plan. Ruth, Alice and the rest of the department are very supportive and help give you ideas of what you can do when you may be struggling, and are always giving great, encouraging feedback of how you can make your lessons better.
Kirsten also runs ITE training sessions weekly which give you a great insight into things such as questioning, behaviour management and how to mark work and give feedback, which you can build into your lessons. All in all, the school and the department are very supportive and helpful and I’m sure you’ll have a great time learning to teach here.
