Teacher Testimonial – Why I teach? and Lightbulb Moments as a trainee teacher

Darianne Brown – Secondary Mathematics

Why I teach?

Having worked in corporate roles previously, I knew that what I now needed was a career in which I was doing something that I believed in. I wasn’t motivated at the end of each month as the aim was simply to generate more and more money which just didn’t seem right to me. I need to feel as though I am making a positive contribution to the world and that everything that I do is for something that I am passionate about. That’s what teaching is for me. First of all, I have such as a strong love for my subject (Maths) so it fills me with joy to just simply be exploring the subject again. But more importantly, I can work with, teach and inspire young people which just makes it more special and worthwhile. Even in these very early stages, I am starting to see the benefits of working in this profession. What a student in one of my lessons looked at me and said “Miss, this is magic” when she was working through maths problems, I knew I had made the right decision.

Trainee testimonial:

One of my main fears about teacher training was being thrown in at the deep end. So far, I have felt extremely comfortable and I and my mentor have worked together to ensure that I am working at my own pace. I am loving the process so much more than I could have ever imagined and I am so glad to have taken the leap of faith. Teaching can get such bad press and it’s understandable that people may be hesitant to join the profession but all I can say is that, so far, the positives majorly outweigh any struggles and I would urge anyone considering teaching to go for it.