Secondary School Science TeacherMiddlesex has a great reputation for teacher training and the location was convenient. I wanted a school placement which was close to home and I loved the Trent Park Campus and wanted to study there.
The time spent in university (as opposed to school placements) because the quality of teaching and resources was excellent. I met a range of students of all ages and backgrounds and we became quite close during the challenging PGCE year. I really appreciated the outstanding advice and support offered by my course leader throughout the course.
Sitting on the grass at Trent Park in the sunshine with my classmates!
What one piece of advice would you give to a prospective student interested in studying at Middlesex?
Go for it, you won't regret it! It's an excellent university with superb resources and outstanding teaching staff.
I couldn't have become a teacher without the PGCE. I couldn't have become a great teacher without the excellent training I received from Middlesex University. I am thankful for being given placements in some outstanding schools as part of my PGCE which enabled me to build upon the skills learned at university.
I always knew that I would end up being a teacher. I was disillusioned with working in marketing (my previous career) and wanted a change. I also wanted a job that was fulfilling and teaching certainly is!
It's demanding, exhausting and stressful. It can be quite a lonely job because people that don't teach don't necessarily understand the pressure you're under. However, it is also very rewarding and can be a lot of fun at times!
I had a job waiting for me after university thanks to the excellent career advice given to me at Middlesex.
There are so many highlights I wouldn't even know where to start. Marking test papers is often not the chore some might believe it to be; it is wonderful when your students do really well and surpass their target grades. It makes you feel really happy and slightly smug because you helped them to achieve that!
Teaching and more teaching! Perhaps abroad in an international school at some point. The good thing about a PGCE is that it is recognised globally.
Follow your dreams and don't follow a path just because you feel that you have to. Remember it's not just about the 9-5 but also about the 5-9, so make sure you find a way to balance career and your own personal life. Show off about your achievements because if you don't nobody else will.
