I started teaching training in September 2023. From the very first day, I was pretty confident that teaching was for me. And I wasn’t wrong.
Why was I so confident?
Well, I had amazing career change support from Now Teach. But that deep confidence was down to two years of tutoring.
Tutoring gave me invaluable experience and tremendous insight. I would recommend it to everybody who is considering a career in teaching.
But you should also know that tutoring is pretty different from teaching! Let me explain.
That deep confidence was down to two years of tutoring.
I wanted a later life career change
I’m now training in business studies at Ark Elvin Academy in north west London as an apprentice with Ark Teaching Training.
But back in 2020, I was approaching 60 and had spent most of my working life in business.
Instead of what could I do next, I decided to think about what I wanted to do next. It was a big question
I had set up my own businesses and run other people’s businesses. I helped businesses grow, deal with issues of profitability, solve training needs and improve sales. A whole range of responsibilities in a whole range of sectors.
But now seemed a good moment to consider a change. My AI start-up was in the hands of new investors. I began to think about what was next. I wasn’t convinced that I wanted to launch back into a new business.
Instead of what could I do next, I decided to think about what I wanted to do next. It was a big question. So, I narrowed it down.
I thought back. ‘What was it that enjoyed most in all the jobs I had done previously?’
The answer was ‘working with young people’.
Building young people’s skills
One of my roles was setting up and running a vocational training business for young people wanting to get into construction. My Career Change Specialist at Now Teach told me this kind of experience is not uncommon in career changers!
They had got used to not achieving at school, but we showed them they could achieve great things.
Lots of our trainees didn’t have the maths and English skills they needed, so part of my job was to get them up to speed and re-build their relationship with learning.
I loved it.
I was immediately drawn to working directly with the trainees. They had got used to not achieving at school, but we showed them they could achieve great things.
We just did what worked. I taught English by showing films, and then they would talk and write about them. Maths was super practical – focused on the units of measurements they were using in their vocational learning.
We made it fun and relevant – but most of all we gave those young people a new positive direction. It was tremendously satisfying.
Testing the waters
I realised, though, that being a teacher might not be the same as running an apprenticeship programme. I decided to get some experience.
I contacted a tutoring charity, The Access Project, and was soon teaching economics to small groups of sixth formers around London. It gave me confidence that this was something that I wanted to do.
I could see the difference the tutoring was making to these kids’ education.
So, I applied to work as a Special Support Tutor as part of the Government’s post-Covid catchup programme. I spent two years in one school with small groups of GCSE and A-level students who, due to lockdown, had missed out on fundamental learning.
The students that I was working with were struggling with confidence as well as content. I worked with them one-to-one and in small groups. I could see the difference the tutoring was making to these kids’ education.
I also learned that teaching success comes in all forms. One boy I was working with was predicted a 2 or a 3 for his GCSE Geography exams (equivalent to a D or E) but he ended up with a 7 (an A)! It was so satisfying.
Then there was another boy who went from attending no lessons to consistently being in the classroom and getting 3s and 4s across the board. Most importantly, perhaps, we had restored his confidence in himself.
And all of this was great fun too. I couldn’t remember when I had enjoyed myself more at work. That was when I knew that I wanted to become a teacher.
We had restored his confidence in himself.
What tutoring will not give you
It’s important to know that tutoring is not the same as teaching.
I ended up teaching a few lessons while I was a tutor and looking back I had so much to learn!
I didn’t know the practices that are central to teaching – the ones I am training in now. For example, checking for understanding across 30 students so you know who is learning what.
Tutoring lets you see how students are doing through 1-1 conversations but you can’t do that every lesson with an entire class. You need to learn other skills – and that’s what I’m doing now.
But tutoring is a great taster.
Tutoring guided me into making the right decision
Retraining is a huge investment. Both time and money. It so important to be certain before you launch yourself into it. Teaching is something that you have to enjoy.
Those two years helped me be certain that secondary school teaching and working with young people was what I wanted to do.
I received invaluable insights into how schools work, how professional relationships operate and how school culture is different from other sectors. Perhaps, most importantly, I got a preview of what great teaching looks like.
Retraining is a huge investment. It important to be certain before you launch yourself into it.
Get experience before committing
So definitely, spend some time tutoring before you commit to teacher training. It will tell you if you are suited to the school environment. It will help confirm that you have the passion. And it’s pretty low stakes.
My experience meant that I applied for teacher training opportunities with confidence. Confident that it was what I wanted to do and confident that I was ready to commit to a gruelling year as a trainee teacher.
And lean heavily on Now Teach. They have been remarkable from the beginning – and held my hand through the whole process. They talked me through all the different pathways, mentored me and gave me specific advice for application and interviews. The support I got from the people at Now Teach was amazing.
I’m glad I’m part of their Network too – knowing someone is there for you is so important.
My tutoring experience meant that I applied for teacher training opportunities with confidence.
And then see what happens
I have finished the second of my three terms as a trainee teacher. I couldn’t be happier.
The training at Ark Teacher Training has been remarkable. The support I have from my fellow teachers at Ark Elvin Academy has been tremendous. The fun I am having with the students puts a smile on my face every day.
I made the right decision.
Fingers crossed you do too.
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