Rebecca Daniel - Bachelor of Education
The B.Ed programme has such dedicated staff and are a constant source of will power
”Background
I started off wanting to be a teacher when I was at primary school. As I got older I decided I wanted to become a lawyer and focused myself down that route, taking all the appropriate choices at GCSE and A-Levels. At the time, my best friend was doing a similar B.Ed programme and listening to what she was doing and watching her grow into an inspirational role model, relit my desire to become the primary school teacher I had always dreamed of and so, I applied through UCAS onto the B.Ed programme at the University of Derby.
Motivation
My motivation is wanting to make a difference, not just to the children I teach but to myself. I want to be the sort of person I can be proud of. The B.Ed programme has such dedicated staff and are a constant source of will power. Whenever you are unsure or have self-doubt the lecturers remind you that you have something of worth to bring and that they believe in you. The atmosphere and experience at Derby is unique to every individual and is what gets me through every term.
The University of Derby
I always knew that whatever degree I chose it was going to be at the University of Derby because I loved the area and the feel of the university. It is rare to have a busy city surrounded by so much rich heritage and countryside. The university is welcoming and the buzz is almost tangible, everyone is so helpful and not just on the first day but every day. I'm in my final year I still have the same support when I walk in.
Highlights
The highlights for me are always being on placement. Everyday you can feel yourself grow a little more and it is the most wonderful feeling in the world when you do something right and can say 'I did that.' There are also many opportunities to develop as the type of teacher you want to be and the professional tutorials are a great sounding board for thinking through ideas. I have organised several additional placements as well as taking part in different programmes and modules that Derby offers. Also the opportunity to work with local schools and raise money in community week is something we all enjoy working on as a team project.
Achievements
My achievements have been on a wide scale, from getting my first A in my assessments to being able to teach numeracy in a class of Year 5 children without being terrified and encouraging a child who felt left behind in class to try hard and say with joyous surprise to the head teacher "I managed to do the same work as the big kids". You never stop learning here, in fact it's encouraged you don't, as I am considering undertaking my masters degree in a few years.
