Jess Homer - Bachelor of Education
I would definitely recommend my course to others, as I believe it equips you with the knowledge and skills needed for a career in teaching
”Why Derby?
From a young age I have always enjoyed working with children, so I knew that teaching was the career for me. In order to do this I started looking for teacher training degrees, and I came across The University of Derby. I read that they had one of the best teacher training degrees in the country. I looked around quite a few Universities, however, when I walked into Derby I felt a real buzz of energy. I knew it was the place to be for me and I knew this was the degree which would help me fulfil my ambitions to be a teacher.
The course
My degree is a 4 year teacher training degree, in which I have been able to gain a specialism in Creative Arts (Art, drama, dance and music.)
One of the best elements of my course is the opportunity for teaching practice every year, in different year groups and key stages. There has also been the opportunity to work in a Special Needs school. It has prepared me for what life is like as a teacher, and provided me with many skills for my future teaching career.
The tutors on my course are very supportive, and are always there to help and support you. They promote an 'independent' approach, where students have to try and find their own solutions or ways of doing things. Even though assignments were fairly difficult at times, being told to approach them in your own way gave me more confidence and independence.
A great part of my degree is being able to choose some of the modules you study. This gave us control over our own learning, and allowed us to choose something we enjoyed learning about. In years 3 and 4 you are able to choose an elective, and I chose Educational approaches in my 3rd year, and then Teaching beyond the classroom in my 4th year. These electives allowed me to have experience in different educational settings, and developed my teaching subject knowledge. Not many Universities offer these experiences as part of their degree, so it makes you stand out when applying for jobs.
I would definitely recommend my course to others, as I believe it equips you with the knowledge and skills needed for a career in teaching. It provides great opportunities to develop your teaching practice, and to develop extracurricular activities for your CV. It is one of the best courses for teacher training, and provides you with experiences you won't find anywhere else.
Extracurricular activities
The course has also provided many opportunities to take part in extracurricular activities, such as taking part in fundraising events, and taking a swimming training course. In your final year you have the opportunity to work in the community, where you can choose a placement which involves you helping the local or wider community. These activities are great things to have on your CV, and a real plus point to employers.
Throughout my four years at University, I have been fortunate to have a personal tutor, who has guided me through placements, assignments and supported me in finding a job. This was really useful because there are a lot of people on my course, so it is good to have one lecturer you can go to for advice or support.
The experience
Studying at the University of Derby was one of the best decisions I have ever made, and an experience I will never forget. I have made friends for life and learnt a lot from being at Derby Uni. I would definitely recommend the University of Derby to people looking at studying for any degree - it's a lively, exciting place to be, and a place where you can become the person you want to be.
