So, you're thinking about changing your career to become a teacher – good choice. And you're wondering what Now Teach is about and why we matter – excellent.
People like you have skills and experiences cultivated over many years that can greatly benefit schools and students.
Changing careers and retraining as a teacher is a significant step that comes with challenges, and that’s why Now Teach provides guidance to help you apply for teaching, complete your training and then become a great teacher.
Our summer conference is a key part of this. Each year the conference welcomes our newest trainees to our Network, introduces them to their expert Programme Managers, and prepares them for Day One in school.
It also brings together Now Teachers from previous years, engaging more seasoned Now Teachers in educational debates, and providing a space for old and new to mingle.
“I am not a natural joiner-in and had to force myself to attend. I am ashamed of my reluctance - the whole day was fascinating, refreshing, and honest.
"The speakers weren't just reciting formulas or repeating buzzwords, they were speaking sincerely from their own hard-won personal experience, and I felt very privileged to be allowed to share in their knowledge.”
- Damon Green, 2023 Career Changer
A conference for everyone
We don’t expect career changers to go it alone, says Sarah Darrall Shaw, our Director of Programme and Network. Conference is our way of connecting and reconnecting with our Network – and that applies to the newest trainees, as well as those who changed career years ago.
Changing career with Now Teach means you become part of a ready-made professional network of over 600 people, and our annual conference is a space to celebrate that and bring people together.
I saw Now Teachers yet to start their training get top tips on subject knowledge, classroom behaviour and lesson planning. They were excited and engaged, happy to be sat next to someone who was about to do the same thing as them. In the next room people from our first cohort were discussing how after five years of teaching they are having an impact beyond their expectations.
It’s really important that the conference works for everyone who is part of Now Teach, so everyone in the Network benefits regardless of where they are in their teaching career.
“It feels great to be part of a community.”
- Joanna Jeyaratnam, 2023 Career Changer
A conference for impact
One Network member shared that she hadn’t really felt like turning up on the day, said Steph Kirton, Senior Network Manager at Now Teach. She was tired, it was the end of term and it was a precious Saturday not to be squandered. Thankfully, she was really glad she turned up and her contributions added great value!
The conference is the biggest event of the year and we hope it acts as a springboard for more activity.
In one session about how career changers can add value to schools, we kept returning to ideas about improving work experience for students. We didn’t have definitive answers but we left with ideas to be re-visited.
We want the Network to be led by our members. We provide the space, coffee and croissants, and Now Teachers share their experiences, past and present, to plan how they increase their impact.
The Network is a community like no other and I know it’s one that our Now Teachers feel incredibly proud to be a part of.
“The network of people having the same experience was invaluable for surviving my training year.”
- Rachael Windsor, 2022 Career Changer
From completing your registration to your first conference and beyond, Now Teach will help you to make a successful transition to teaching and provide guidance and development opportunities to help become a great teacher.
Want to make the change? Let’s do it together.
