Experimenting with teaching

Maths student Tayler Michaels got the chance to teach her own lesson in a Teach First partner school during her STEM Internship – our one-week internship for STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) students. She talks us through the creativity and nerves, the steep learning curve and sources of support – and the inspirational impact the experience has left on her.

Planning – “Sometimes the wackiest ideas are the best”

The training sessions during the internship helped calm my nerves about my school placement and, in particular, planning and executing my lesson. The session on how to make a STEM lesson interesting was great! We had to come up with the most wacky ideas for a lesson and it made you realise you’re not limited, and that sometimes the wackiest ideas are the best because they’re the most engaging. 

Through most of the sessions in the first week there was some work with the other Insight participants, in pairs or in groups, and you got to see each other’s progression and give and receive feedback. Being encouraged to reflect on yourself pushes you to do better. It sounds cheesy but, being a mum, I know that children copy what you do so, if you truly want the children you’re teaching to be the best they can be, you have to work on yourself and push yourself to be the best you can be, too.

Observing – “There’s more than one way to teach a good lesson”

During the second week of Insight, I got to observe different lessons in the school I was placed in. You learn there’s not just one way of teaching a lesson, so it gives you that confidence to make your own lesson a bit different.

The others who were placed in the same school were extremely friendly and made the whole experience, even lunches and free time, an enjoyable one. And the teachers at the school were fantastic: always ready to help, answer any questions, and give general advice. I went to a meeting of teachers from local schools on innovative ways to teach maths, and one of the teachers was so kind to give me a lift.

Delivering – “It was nerve-wracking, but the kids loved it”

The chance to teach my own lesson came at the end of the internship. I’d researched and prepared a science lesson about exploring the properties of different materials. It was nerve-wracking, but the kids loved it. The feedback I got from the teachers revealed I could have worked more on helping the kids develop scientific ways of thinking, but it was so fun and it gave me the confidence that I could teach.

My top tip is to learn the names of the kids in your class! Not only does it help to build rapport but it’s also great for classroom management when you need a quiet moment and there are one or two children still talking. Other than that, be as creative as possible. If you try to make it fun, by using a game or competition, the lesson flows easily and everyone will want to be involved.

Reflecting – “Great STEM teachers are an inspiration”

As a maths student, I’m met with disgust or astonishment every time I mention what I’m studying to anyone not interested in STEM subjects. The interesting thing is, I often have trouble understanding it too, but I was encouraged to work through it by passionate maths teachers. I know that maths is so helpful at developing life skills like perseverance and general problem solving, as are other STEM subjects, and it takes just one encounter with a STEM teacher passionate about their subject to inspire a pupil to study it further. This encounter could be during the Insight Programme. 

Although I was only in the placement school for a short time, I still remember all the amazing children in my class. The school was determined to enrich their lives, particularly because a majority of them had quite tough home lives, and I realised I could bring more to their daily routine by just being enthusiastic about making the school day great.

The future – “I don’t have to worry about my graduate job”

I took part in the assessment for the Training Programme on the last day of the internship and received an offer to start in 2018. The feedback call I received after my application really helped prepare me for that assessment.

I can now spend my final year focusing on my studies rather than worrying about my career after graduation. I’ve got a lot of friends who are completing applications for graduate jobs at the moment, and it’s stressful. 

I’m now more excited than ever to start the Training Programme, and feel even more comfortable with Teach First - their support and the impact they have. I’m thrilled to be a part of the difference they make to educational inequality.

What could you gain from our Stem Internship? Find out more.