Teacher Training Case Studies
Vicky Rukin- Lead Teacher of Textiles
What influenced your decision to train at Hillview?
I have always known that Hillview has such a friendly community within the school and all of the girls are eager to learn, polite and kind. This creates a really positive environment to work in and one I wanted to be part of.
What was your experience of training to teach at Hillview?
Training at Hillview was fantastic. The in-school training included: attending weekly workshops; regular one-to-one meetings; frequently meeting with the other trainees and observing experienced and outstanding teachers across a variety of subjects. All of this was vital throughout my first year of teaching.
What were the benefits of in-school training?
Friendly and informative workshops within the school provided concise and detailed training without having to waste time travelling. In-school training also enabled me to better understand exactly what daily working life in a school is like.
How has your career progressed since you qualified?
Since qualifying I have taken the role of Lead Teacher for Textiles which allows me to be part of a hugely successful and creative Art & Design Faculty.
Rebecca Smith - Curriculum Leader for Dance
What influenced your decision to train at Hillview?
I completed a work experience placement at Hillview during my second year at University which I really enjoyed. The Dance department had – and still has – exceptionally high standards and really challenges students to achieve excellent results.
What was your experience of training to teach at Hillview?
My training year was demanding in many different ways but also very enjoyable. I had excellent support from my mentor as well as other staff members.
What were the benefits of in-school training?
Being in school from day one really opens your eyes to the realities of secondary school education. By the end of the year I felt confident to go into a variety of different schools for interviews.
How has your career progressed since you qualified?
Upon qualifying I took on my first teaching post as a teacher of Dance at Valley Park School in Maidstone. After spending three valuable years there I came back to Hillview in September 2014 as Curriculum Leader for Dance.
Stephanie Rukin - Key Stage 5 Leader in Maths
What influenced your decision to train at Hillview?
I had really enjoyed my time as a student at Hillview and had found all of the teachers very supportive so going into teacher training I knew that I would get the benefits of the same supportive structure. Whilst at university I undertook a week’s work experience at Hillview as part of a module on Teaching and Learning. During this week, I was able to learn about the structure of the teacher training program and have a go at teaching myself. I found the experience really enjoyable so decided to train at Hillview.
What was your experience of training to teach at Hillview?
The professional tutor was incredibly knowledgeable and was able to give me all of the support and guidance that I needed. Regular training sessions delivered by the staff gave a real insight into the world of teaching from those who had the most experience. I was able to develop my teaching very quickly and was soon teaching a full timetable with confidence.
What were the benefits of in-school training?
Nothing really prepares you for teaching like being in the classroom. Having the time to interact with the students allowed me to try out and test different strategies and very quickly analyse what works and what doesn’t (something which would be much more difficult to do in a university setting). I feel that in-school training, although a little challenging at the beginning, prepares you much more effectively for teaching.
How has your career progressed since you qualified?
Since qualifying I have taken on a variety of roles, including becoming the Duke of Edinburgh coordinator, organising and running the program for eighty students every year. I have also helped to organise and take part in a trip to Uganda in partnership with a charity that we work with. I have also taken on the role of Key Stage 5 Lead in Maths. This means that I am responsible for the running of both the Core Maths qualifications and A Level Maths. This has been a great opportunity for me and has allowed me to develop some people-management skills which will allow me to progress further in the future.
Lee Perry - Literacy and Numeracy Co-Ordinator
What influenced your decision to train at Hillview?
I have taught Modern History for many years but because of the opportunity to teach Ancient History, which is not a common subject in schools and quite a specialised role, I was happy to turn down the offer of a job at Cranbrook and explore a new avenue here, at Hillview, that was more to my interest.
What was your experience of training to teach at Hillview?
It was very positive; there was much support from the Humanities department and many resources to dive into. The feedback process was very positive and the students were very responsive to new staff and new ways of getting material across to them. One of the best aspects of my training was the willingness of the school to allow me to try new things and experiment with different practices. This was great as some schools can be a little wary of innovative practices; Hillview allowed trainees to find and explore their own unique teaching methods and styles.
What were the benefits of in-school training?
There was access to support at all times and rather than splitting theory and practice they were interwoven which allowed me to put techniques into practice more regularly. With access to classes more frequently you have more time to make mistakes and experiment. You can call upon a wide array of experienced staff from various departments and integrate into the team more naturally. You also get a truer sense of school life, rather than being immersed every so often.
How has your career progressed since you qualified?
I have thoroughly enjoyed focusing more on the Ancient History subject here and become experienced in developing a course from scratch, something I would not have been able to do so soon in another school. I have become the school’s Co-ordinator for Reading, Writing and Communication and enjoy the challenge of a new role to explore.
