As our current cohort of 163 PGCE students, (30% primary PGCE and 60% secondary PGCE), complete their course, we spoke to some of them about what the degree has given them and their experience of studying at Homerton.
How do you feel the PGCE has helped you develop as a teacher?
As a career changer, moving from a role working with museums to teaching in schools, I was initially apprehensive about having to catch up with teaching knowledge and the long-forgotten requirements of academic writing, particularly compared with other students coming from a recent role in schools or with an academic background in education. I had no reason to be concerned – the course is designed to help draw out your individual strengths, enable you to develop your own teacher identity and support you to actively address what you don’t know. The framework of the course is designed thoughtfully to help you achieve all these things and become a strong and confident Early Career Teacher (ECT).
Why did you choose Homerton College for your PGCE?
Although a big part of my decision about which College to join was practical (I live just outside Cambridge and wanted to be able to drive to the Faculty), a huge part of the decision was based on the excellent facilities and access to relevant resources that Homerton could offer. The library is packed full of useful material for trainee teachers, there’s a decent gym and a bar for your downtime, and the impressive dining hall makes a useful base for days spent in Faculty.
What, or who, inspired you to pursue a career in Education?
During my time in museums, I worked through all the possible roles from Front of House support to eventually working for the local authority to help focus and boost the learning and community provision in small, volunteer-run museums. The best part of my job was sharing my passion for history with children and families visiting those museums and helping them to unlock something extraordinary about the past that they find meaningful.
During Covid lockdown, I spent some time re-thinking my next career steps and decided that I could do more, for more children if I was teaching in schools. I don’t really feel like I’ve traded careers - I’ve just taken a huge leap in developing my teaching practice and will continue to do so in my first school-based teaching job.
What is the best piece of advice you have been given or would pass on to prospective PGCE students?
The PGCE is all about the destination and everyone’s journey towards it looks different. You shouldn’t compare yourself to anyone else - your experiences before the course were completely different to other people, so why should they be the same now? If you’ve been successful in gaining a place on the course, you should know that it’s because course leaders felt you could offer something unique and special to the children you’ll teach. Remember, you already have great strengths to draw upon and the more you do so, the more you will shine.
What is the one thing you think we should be talking about in Education now?
The children I’ve had the pleasure of teaching this year have been hopeful and future-minded, with a real passion for the world around them. Environmental sustainability is something we address in all our subject areas, but schools can do more to help students take ownership of how their communities support sustainability on a micro level. Schools are effective hubs for this work and the natural curiosity of children is catching! A few minutes listening to a passionate 7-year-old talking about reducing use of pesticides to save honeybees, would make a lot of people sit up and think.
Tell us about your favourite place at Homerton?
My favourite place at Homerton is the picnic spot outside the Buttery, where the sun hits the stone steps. It’s a great meeting place, where many a mid-lecture coffee has been drunk and school stories swapped. It’s a beautiful campus and lots of talented people work hard to keep it looking great, all year round – but for me, anything involving coffee and chat wins!
