My experience as an overseas candidate
Teaching is not only the most rewarding profession, but a constant challenge for yourself and for other young people. It is about being ready every day for a new adventure and also about getting your energy through to people’s hearts.
Coming from a country with a very different educational system didn’t help me a lot when it came to get into teaching in England. I understood that surrounding myself with students was the only way of surviving and building my own values and sharing them with young people.
It was a long journey to get my application done after going through all the standard steps as well as the extra steps as an overseas candidate. It was a big relief when I had my qualifications officially checked, my equivalency tests booked and my personal statement drafted. I must say, it wasn’t easy at all and now I am just about to start the difficult part: my exams, the professional skills tests and, hopefully, the interview. This process is an eternal worry if you really want to get it right and have all you need for a good application. My passion for teaching keeps me positive and gives me the hope of succeeding.
It was during my early childhood that my passion for teaching emerged, driven by a sense of responsibility for foreign languages and literature, especially for French, which is my subject choice. Being willing to share and influence people to care about another nation’s culture is a wonderful journey.
The classroom experience was the most difficult part to fulfill because schools are really busy places and time was not on my side. This part is when you discover whether you are ready or not to get into teaching. Not enough patience and love for children? Not enough knowledge of your subject? Then forget about it or start preparing yourself spiritually!
First of all, get informed about the system, respect the rules and don’t question yourself too much when you realise how many things you will need to do in order to apply for Initial Teacher Training. I got ready properly by checking my eligibility. I talked to qualified teachers and attended Train to Teach events to show my interest and ask specific training providers about their entry requirements and conditions.
During your school visits and observations you will meet trainee teachers on placement or Newly Qualified Teachers facing the start of their career. They can help you understand even more how the training will be organised and what will be expected of you, as well as tips for a good interview and how to handle the difficult parts of the profession. Be ready to communicate with them, ask again about the course structure, their schedules and responsibilities, how they started teaching during their placements in schools and what type of support they have received during the year.
Also, think about how you will make a difference as a teacher, how you will engage students in the classroom, your role as a tutor, your responsibilities and mostly, the pupils’ progress.
Classroom experience puts you in the middle of the action, shows you the practical side of the profession and the reality of what makes it so challenging. You are there, on the field, trying to interact with the pupils, understanding their needs and behaviours. It is good to visit at least two different schools and stay for couple of days in each so you can observe in-depth the teaching soft skills, the challenges during a normal day and the specific system of the school. Plan your questions and your observations, speak to the teachers and ask them about their methods to keep pupils engaged. Ask about the specific subject that you want to teach, the impact of technology in our society and schools, and the impact of changes to the curriculum. These visits will build your confidence or will give you an alarm signal if you don’t feel comfortable or ready to start your career in teaching.
Let your passion and your confidence as a potential teacher speak out, not your fears. Don’t get disappointed if something goes wrong, go back and try to improve your skills. It’s a fantastic role in this world to shape minds and personalities and to contribute to young people’s education.
