Oli
Goodman

Why NTU

What inspired you to study BA (Hons) Primary Education (QTS)?

"Inspiration came from my family which have pursued education, with my mum working in a primary school and my stepdad working as a lecturer. I also wanted to enter a line of work that would have a wider impact on those around me and teaching came straight to mind."

Why did you choose your course and NTU?

"The Primary Education course that NTU offered has a wide range of opportunities and was spread over 4 years. The 4 years allows for plenty of placements which helps to build experience both in mainstream education and SEND provision."

What’s your experience been like of your course so far? Can you pick out any highlights?

"My experience of the course has been positive so far and a key highlight of the course for me was the trip to Eyam in year one. The trip to Eyam was a great opportunity to meet new people and build friendships in a highly collaborative environment. The trip involved a range of team building activities and collaboration of ideas, which helped to build these friendships and connections."

Social Sciences

What does Social Sciences mean to you? 

"Social science for me means building an understanding of people and social groups which helps me as an aspiring educator to ensure that I am able to support children in the classroom. Working with people and the interactions you have are a part of social science and a huge part of being a teacher."

Placement

Have you completed any work placements on your course? 

"So far, I have had two placements in school. Placement supported my professional practice as a teacher by helping my development of lessons and activities, whilst also helping with specific pedagogical approaches to support individuals. Having a wide range of experience has helped me to build an understanding of best practice in teaching, and future placements and opportunities will continue to develop this.
Being in the classroom and teaching is what I enjoy most on placement. Having the opportunity to deliver a lesson that engages children, and develops a passion for that subject, is highly rewarding as a trainee teacher."

Do you have any memorable moments from your placement?

"My most memorable moments of placement are the school trips that I have been able to take part in. They are a great experience to be a part of and build a joy for learning. Building children’s love for learning is a key part of being a teacher and school/class trips are an amazing opportunity to do this."

Support

What do you think of the support available from tutors and staff at NTU?

"The support from lecturers is great for primary education, especially personal tutors. Lecturers encourage us as students to reach out for assistance if we are unsure of any material or task that has been set. Assigned personal tutors are an amazing source of support for students that may be having difficulties outside of university that are impacting on their studies. From my own experience, my personal tutor has been highly supportive and ensures my experience at NTU is the best it can be.

There is also support available from student services that will be able to assist students or direct them to support teams that can help them."

Outside of the Lecture Theatre

Did you find it easy to make friends and settle in at NTU?

"In my first year it was a bit daunting at first being a male on an education course due to the small number of males that choose to study education. However, making friends and connections was not as difficult of a task as I may have initially thought.

The education course has a male networking group to help support male trainee teachers and help to bridge connections between male students of all year groups. The networking group also helps to develop a support network for male trainees by encouraging students to reach out to those with experience of the previous year for help or advice."

The Next Steps

What’s next for you after NTU? 

"My goal is to enter a career of teaching starting here in the UK as a primary teacher and then eventually branching out to Japan as a language teacher for English."

How is NTU helping you to achieve your career goals? 

"NTU is helping my goal of entering a career of teaching by offering a course that qualifies me as a teacher, once I have completed my course. NTU helps me with my career goal by providing support through career fairs. Support is also available from the employability team at NTU."

Advice

What top tips would you give anyone thinking about studying your course at NTU?

"For those that are considering the primary education course, my top tip is to make the most of placement. As a teacher, being in the classroom helps to build your experience and apply your understanding in context. Build connections on placement with other teachers and mentors, they have a wealth of experience that may help you in the future."