What I wish I knew with Lorraine Wilkinson-Rouse

A 'friend' once told Lorraine she wasn't clever enough to be a teacher. What! This is the woman who worked full time as she did an Open University degree, studied and passed her English, Maths and Science GCSEs and gained a Level 3 in Forest Schools, whilst making sure during all of this that her family were well looked after and fully supported. Now if that is not a definition of a superwoman, I don't know what is! Not clever enough? Never has a comment been more inappropriately made. Lorraine has now completed her first term as an ECT and in this podcast we discuss how she has achieved her dream of being a teacher. As the famous song from the Rocky Horror show goes ... 'Don't dream it, be it'. And that is exactly what Lorraine has done.

In this podcast we discuss …

• The importance of putting your heart and soul into whatever you want to do because then you can achieve anything, as long as you work hard and are willing to struggle through the hard times.
• The fact that the harder you work, the luckier you become and the more you achieve.
• How overcoming adversity to achieve your dream is well worth it. You have one life so live it to the max!
• What it was like as the class teacher on day 1 and the surreal feeling of looking over your shoulder expecting someone else to come in and take over, before realising that no-one is coming because you are the teacher.
• That you have to be brave enough if something is not working to make a quick decision and change it, so think on your feet and don’t be afraid to adapt what you are doing. If the air hostess on a plane is panicking then you know it’s bad news, so if your TA looks worried that’s a good sign that things aren’t going too well.
• The work-life balance as an ECT compared to being a trainee is much better. It’s good to be able to just focus on the teaching and not the assignments and all the other things you have to do as a trainee.
• How essential it is to be prepared. Get everything ready for the next day before you go home so you can have a relaxing start to the day, as this will impact on the children when they come in to class.
• Avoiding the photocopying queue by going at times when it’s not busy!
• Asking for help and support as there is no silly question that other people haven't asked before you, especially when you are new and learning.
• Working with a great team makes so much difference to how quickly you settle in as a new teacher. With a great team you can quickly feel like you’ve been there forever and that you really belong.
• Making best use of your time so that after working long weeks of 50 hours plus during term time you can relax in the holidays knowing that you have done the best you could.
• Knowing that giving it all you’ve got, believing in yourself whatever anyone tells you, and being yourself is enough.
• Reacting to someone saying you aren’t good enough to do something by using their words to energise yourself and prove them wrong.
• Knowing that you must be doing something right when your daughter wants to follow in your footsteps and be a teacher too after seeing what you do.