Search results
-
Why becoming a teacher could be the best decision you ever make
Teaching is one of the most rewarding careers available. For many people following the path of teaching can seem a daunting prospect, but few who take it ever regret it. 1. Every day brings a new challenge When it comes to teaching, there is no such thing as an ordinary day; every student you meet, every lesson you teach, none are ever the same. Everytime you walk through the door you'll be dealing with new and interesting challenges. If you’re the type of person who loves variety and pushing themselves, teaching is definitely the option for you. 2. Your students won't be the only ones learning Being a teacher means that, more often than not, you'll learn alongside your students. You'll get to build on your existing knowledge as well as getting the opportunity to explore whole new worlds you've never experienced before. While you teach your students, you'll find they're also teaching you. Their perspectives and discussion will offer you the chance to see topics in a completely new way, and together you'll spark innovative thoughts that will help both of you to reach your goals. 3. Teachers have the chance to change lives Ask any teacher and they'll tell you that the moment a student suddenly understands something you've taught them is one of their greatest memories. Perhaps that's because that moment doesn't just change the student's life, it will change yours as well. Once you've had that experience you'll be completely hooked and will want nothing more than to help every student you teach have that same moment of success. 4. As a teacher you can work anywhere in the world via GIPHY There are few careers better placed than teaching to help you explore the world. Teaching is a highly transferable skill and with international schools all over the world there aren't many places you won't be able to work. Better still is that many international schools look favourably upon teachers who have trained and qualified in the UK. 5. Teaching offers plenty of perks As well as boasting a competitive salary (beginning at £22,917) and flexible working patterns, teaching also offers financial support while you train. This includes a number of grants and bursary options and, if you focus on a particular subject, you may even be eligible for a fully funded scholarship! And let's not forget the holidays... 6. Speaking of holidays... Do you remember that feeling as a child; the knowledge that no matter how tough school had become, a blissful six week break was just around the corner? Not only does teaching offer you that feeling again, your six week break is just one of a series of regular holidays you get throughout the year. While this may not be the number one reason to become a teacher, it's definitely an added bonus. 7. You’ll be in high demand While the demand for some careers comes and goes, teachers will always be essential and there is an incredibly high demand for qualified teachers across the UK (and the wider world). Teaching also offers a high degree of mobility both in and outside of schools, meaning you'll always have opportunities to develop and improve. 8. You'll never work alone via GIPHY When times are good you'll have people to share in the success, and when exam season is looming you'll have colleagues by your side that you can rely on. In addition to your fellow teachers, you'll also enjoy support and interaction from teaching assistants, students and parents every day. 9. Your lessons, your way You are in charge of your own classroom. You plan out your lessons, you deliver them and you make the decisions regarding what is best for your students. Obviously you’ll need to follow certain standards in your curriculum but even then you have the opportunity to inject your own personality into the job. 10. Teaching is much more than "just a job" Teaching is an immensely satisfying career, where you truly know that you’ve made a difference. Best of all, that satisfaction won't end when the school day does. Getting to see students who you've taught ‘make it’ after they leave school is a sensational feeling. The knowledge that you played even a small part in someone achieving their dreams is the ultimate in job satisfaction. Which is the best route into teaching? Hopefully you're now convinced that teaching is your calling in life. So why not apply to a leading University for Initial Teaching Training? We offer multiple routes into teaching, including our BA (Hons) in Primary Education with QTS, PGCE Primary Education, PGCE Secondary Education and School Direct. When it comes to preparing teachers for education we're hard to beat so make sure when you have the chance you learn from the best. -
#12DaysofBGU Day 8: Darcey Bussell
Ballerina and Strictly Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell visited Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln in October to speak to trainee teachers about DDMIX for Schools. Darcey and her DDMIX team worked with over a hundred trainee teachers from Primary and Secondary programmes from the School of Teacher Development at BGU. DDMIX is a full-body aerobic workout for children created by Darcey Bussell and based on 26 different dance genres, from Arabic and Japanese to the Charleston and the Flamenco. The day opened with a special lecture for all year groups where Darcey introduced the programme. Students then split off into smaller groups to participate in sessions with the DDMIX team. Speaking about DDMIX Darcey said, “Movement to music makes children come alive and changes the way they feel. With the DDMIX programme, children get an exciting and diverse learning experience that is physical, aerobic and high time on task. These benefits should be enjoyed by every child. “Dance fitness can stimulate the child’s interest in sport, in the arts and give them the confidence to explore their own creativity in other fields." DDMIX came to BGU through the work of Helen Thornalley, Subject Leader for PE and Dance for the PGCE Secondary course at BGU, who arrived at the University in January. Helen has worked with Darcey and DDMIX for the past three years on training teachers and reflecting on how this work is implemented within schools. Feedback from the trainee teachers is vital for DDMIX to find out what works for children in schools. Helen said, "The opportunity for trainee teachers to work with these professionals who are at the top of their game, and the sharing of their materials with prospective teachers for schools is amazing. “(It was) unique, rich and cathartic for all involved, a very exciting project that I have seen teachers embrace and make it their own." Members of the DDMIX team introduced BGU students to a range of different dances and activities that can be utilised when students go into schools on placements. Jessica Castro, first year BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS student, said, “The session was really good. I thought it was great how they split everything up into sections, which will help us with how to teach the children. “They haven’t just thrown us into the deep end, they’ve shown us how to work with the children and taught us the dances as well so I thought that was really clever. “I’d love to use (DDMIX) in schools. When we go into placements and we have to use PE I’d definitely use something like this rather than what you’d expect PE to be.” Find out more about Training to Teach at BGU. -
BGU student runs in City of Lincoln Council election
A student from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) is standing for candidacy in the City of Lincoln Council election this week. Nicole Pouncey, PGCE Secondary student at BGU, is standing for the Liberal Democrats Party when the city goes to the polls on Thursday 3 May. Nicole is standing in the Minster ward, where BGU is situated, having lived in the area most of her life. She has been a member of the Liberal Democrats Party for eight years and this will be her third council nomination. The City of Lincoln Council is currently controlled by Labour, who hold 26 of the 33 councillors, alongside six Conservatives and one Independent. Nicole said: “As a Liberal I hope to help people to better understand their choices beyond the two horse race between Labour and Conservative and aim to promote liberal values within local politics in order to support all members of our society equally to bring cohesion and balance.” BGU has a big presence in Minster ward and Nicole believes the University plays an important role. She said: “BGU supports many young people to gain employment beyond their studies, which is a real asset to our community. “The on-campus facilities such as The Venue, Curiositea, the chapel and Sport Centre makes for a fantastic community atmosphere which is enjoyed by both students and the wider community.” As a PGCE student at BGU since September 2017, Nicole has now personally experienced the benefits of studying at BGU: “BGU has supported me to achieve my full potential in teaching and secure a permanent role for the next academic year. “After years of study I feel like BGU has brought it all together and allowed me to apply everything I have l learnt.” Find out more about training to teach at BGU. -
BGU offers a ‘flavour of teaching’ to aspiring educators
Over 70 aspiring educators from across the country came to Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) earlier this month for a taste of life as a teacher. Run by the Primary Team (part of the School of Teacher Development at the BGU); the Pre-Teaching course focused on providing attendees with opportunities to gain hands on experience as well as advice from existing professionals. Each morning session was filled with practical activities allowing participants to test out their skills. Having prepared an exercise (including sourcing necessary and appropriate materials) they had to teach a small group of fellow attendees with exercises on offer including play dough making, Second World War history and ocean exploration. The afternoon sessions were focused on guiding the attendees through the application and training process. Aimee Quickfall, TD Head of Programmes for Primary and Early Years at BGU, praised the positive impact the course could offer: “The Pre-Teaching course is an opportunity for aspiring teachers to get a flavour of teaching with sessions designed to cover all aspects of life in education, not just what it feels like to run a lesson but also what a collaborative profession teaching is. Through this we can ensure that even when they hit difficulties they will know they’re not on their own”. The course was certainly a hit with the participants; Emily McCloud, a second year Early Childhood Studies student at BGU, felt that it provided a great opportunity for preparation ahead of beginning her journey into teaching: “I was quite nervous going into the course, becoming a teacher is a big task, but I feel so much more prepared now. It’s been amazing to get a taste of what is to come”. You can find out more about our PGCE programmes, including further Pre-Teaching courses on our website or by contacting our Enquiries Team. -
BGU lecturer and former international hockey player attends Pride of England reunion
BGU senior lecturer Helen Thornalley attended the Pride of England hockey reunion at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park during the Vitality Women’s World Cup this summer. -
Using the past to inspire the future of teaching
Trainee teachers from the English and Drama PGCE courses at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) made a trip to London to see Othello at the Globe Theatre. -
BGU Launch New International Programme for Aspiring Indian Teachers
This week, Dr Steven Puttick, Head of Programmes (Secondary, FE, Research Education) and Wayne Dyble, International Manager, of Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) have been busy in India visiting partners, presenting research, and launching an exciting new opportunity for Indian graduates to train to teach at BGU. High achieving Indian graduates in Mathematics and Science will be offered a limited number of places on BGU’s Secondary PGCE course. Following successful completion of the PGCE course, these graduates will be supported by a partner Academy chain to gain employment as Maths and Science teachers in the UK. This fantastic opportunity presents the ‘brightest and best’ Indian graduates with the chance not only of studying at an historic UK teacher training institution but also of securing employment following the course. For further details of this opportunity, and to register your interest please contact Wayne Dyble. As part of the trip, Dr Steven Puttick was also invited to present his research at Lady Irwin College’s International Conference on Learning. The conference brought together a large number of international scholars and was opened by Mr. Vineet Joshi, Director General of the National Testing Agency. In his presentation Dr Puttick discussed his research on policy discourses and current philosophical tensions within the English Inspectorate Ofsted. For more information on all the international activities taking place at BGU visit our news page or contact our International Department to find out what exciting opportunities are available to you. -
Future Art Teachers Unearth Historic Gems
PGCE Secondary Art and Design trainees from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) spent a day in Yorkshire visiting The National Arts Education Archive, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and The Hepworth Wakefield. There were many highlights for the students to enjoy but perhaps the most revealing came during an exploration of the archives with the arts educator Tony Chisholm. Tony introduced the group to examples of pupils’ art works dating from the 1940s to recent times and unpacked exciting and thought provoking examples of artworks created by secondary school children in particular. The quality and scope of the art was certainly an eye opener for the PGCE students and provided plenty of food for thought for their future careers. The remaining part of the day included an exploration of the current exhibitions at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and The Hepworth including Giuseppe Penone and Lee Miller. Field trips to these sites are an annual event on the programme which have also included trips to Tate Modern and the Courtauld Institute of Art in previous years. BGU have been training high quality teachers for over 150 years so when it comes to education there is nowhere better to study. You can find more information on the wide range of innovative PGCE courses offered by BGU on our website. Or contact our Enquiries Team to find out how to begin your journey into teaching. -
Working Together to Find the Missing MFL Links
By James Foster I am currently doing a PGCE in Secondary Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) at BGU and as part of my British Council ITT Scholarship I was invited to the House of Commons to attend an All Party Parliamentary Meeting on MFL. The meeting was chaired by Tonia Antoniazzi MP and involved speakers from Cardiff University and leaders of Welsh university/school collaborative initiatives, the practitioners delivering them and students benefiting from them. Present also were representatives from Routes into Languages Cymru, the MFL Student Mentoring Project and a variety of UK universities. Part of the meeting’s aim was to talk about the MFL Student Mentoring Project in Wales which is a 5-year long project with the aim of increasing GCSE uptake in MFL. One shocking statistic presented at the meeting was that last year only 64 pupils in the whole of Wales took German A-level, reflecting the current state of MFL in the rest of the United Kingdom. Another interesting topic later in the meeting came from a representative from Anglia Ruskin University who is currently promoting the theme of linguistics as a GCSE topic, something which I personally would be very interested in seeing. Could this be one of the missing links in the struggle to promote MFL as a subject? In my opinion MFL has many cross-curricular links and linguistics would provide a link with the sciences, however for me the decline in foreign exchange visits poses a bigger threat. Exchange visits offer pupils the opportunity to apply what they are learning and see the relevance but in the past few years these have declined The meeting finished with open questioning by anyone present at the meeting and after being adjourned was followed by a networking session in the Committee Room. Thank you to the British Council for inviting me to go as part of their ITT scholarship and to BGU for letting me have the day off placement to go! If you are interested in a career that offers you the opportunity to shape future generations then our wide range of PGCE courses are for you. With over 150 years’ experience in training and crafting expert educators there is nowhere better than BGU. For more information visit our website or contact our Enquiries Team. Are you a current or former BGU student? Have you done something you think should be shouted about? Then contact our PR Team to share your achievements. -
Forging the Future of Religious Education
Over the weekend of 13-14 October Mark Plater, subject leader for PGCE Secondary Religious Education at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), joined more than 150 Religious Education professionals from across the UK for a National Religious Education conference. The event was the first such national gathering of RE professionals since the recent publication of the RE Council's Commission on RE report, Religion and Worldviews: the way forward. The report proposed radical changes to the legal provisions for RE along with a new vision for how the subject should be taught. With a diverse collection of attendees representing all of the major national school Religious Education organisations and bodies – including teachers, lecturers and inspectors – the conference provided an opportunity to consider the future of the subject along with the proposals being put forward by the Commission. As a platform for the celebration of the best elements of RE in the country the event was an inspiration for Mark: "Not only was it encouraging to see key RE people and organisations coming together in this way, but everything about the conference was excellent: the speakers, the workshops, the venue and the wonderful group of people present. I have great hope for the future of our subject if it is being led by such people." If you’re interested in a future exploring and discussing religion then our Theology courses and RE teaching pathways could be for you. Visit our website or contact our Enquiries Team today for more information.
Explore BGU
Browse our wide range of degree courses and find the perfect one for you.
Open days are the best way to find out what BGU has to offer.
Download your copy of our prospectus to find out more about life at BGU.