The Best Smile in the World

Hello!

It's been ages since I last blogged, but its true what they say - sometimes life just gets in the way. And boy, a lot has happened since I did last blog!

One of the best things that has happened in the very long time since I last wrote on here is kind of a life changing decision. I'm still at university doing English and Journalism (although I graduate in September, eek!) and I still love the course. But at the end of second I knew something: I no longer wanted a career in journalism. I'm not ruthless, I'm not overly nosy and I'm certainly don't think working for free for the first three/four years of life after university is realistic (as many graduate journalists do). So, what could I do?

Well, I've always loved education. I love learning, I love being taught. And I love being able to teach people new things as well. Teaching. BINGO! Growing up I'd been told by teachers themselves I'd make a good teacher.

I'm patient. I'm calm. I'm passionate. I'm determined. Traits a teacher needs.

I decided I'd need to experience what teaching was like first-hand before I confirmed it was the career I wanted to do. Primary school was the type that appealed to me most; the children would be at the age where they're willing to learn and love learning without thinking they can talk back to the teacher and get away with it (sorry, but I still remember my secondary school days all too well!) I managed to get a volunteer placement at a primary school quicker than I had hoped for and they went above and beyond my expectations: I was offered an entire school year working there on a one-day-a-week basis!

I was made to feel welcome from the get-go and I'm now 9 months into my placement. I know already I'll be gutted when the summer holidays roll around because I'm going to miss working at the school so much. All the staff are so friendly and the class I help out in are amazing.

Its safe to say I definitely want to be a teacher! I'm up at first light and racing out the door on the mornings I teach, and I always come home beaming with the biggest smile on my face. Its an experience that has taught me so much, about myself as well as how to teach. I've gained a lot more confidence and competence in handling some of the tricker situations in the classroom, such a fights, tears and refusal to work. I've worked with children that find learning really difficult. I've been handed drawings, flowers and shouts of joy when I walk in the classroom.

The teacher whose class I'm in recently told me the students see me as an actual member of staff.

I can't decide what the best thing about teaching is.

Maybe it's the smiles and shouts of joy when I come in in the morning. Maybe it's the children's willingness to learn. Maybe it's because I finally feel like I've found a profession that truly suits me.

Or maybe its that slow smile of understanding as something you're explaining to a student finally makes sense to them. That's the best smile in the world.

Unfortunately, I didn't make it onto any 2016 courses for teacher training. But that is not going to stop me. I've already began a second placement at a behavioural secondary school. I wanted the experience in secondary education, to compare it to primary; and as even more of a challenge, working with kids that have been excluded from mainstream education was something I really wanted to tackle. I won't lie, those kids are daunting. But its extremely interesting seeing how those children and the staff interact, how they discipline them, how they manage to teach with very disruptive children. It's been a fantastic insight and I'll have another 11 weeks there too!

I'm pretty certain primary school teaching is still the type I want to do, but I'm going to spend my 'gap year' going to as many schools as possible and working with all students. Volunteering as a teacher is an experience that hopefully when I make it as a teacher, I'll always look back on with as big a grin as I'm wearing now.

That smile that something finally makes sense. It's the best smile in the world!