On your marks, get set, learn! A Trainee’s reflection on University life.

Adam has not long enrolled onto his ‘dream course’ at Edge Hill University, Primary Education. He gives us a look into what he has discovered about teaching and himself in the last couple of months.

University. There are so many connotations of the word. To some, it represents academia, learning and the pursuit of knowledge, while others associate it with distance, stress and challenges; even as a new student I already know it is a mixture of all of these things. In my first month as a student I have faced challenges and stress but have had insightful and powerful moments that have made such an impact on my life. It has been such a whirlwind of emotions, experiences and obstacles, and it’s only the beginning.

After completing my A levels at home I managed to land a place on a Primary Education course at Edge Hill University, my first choice university and my dream course. So in September 2018, I packed my bags, said goodbye to those who mean the world to me, and moved in to my halls. Leaving behind all those who are near and dear to me, my family, friends and the love of my life, was hard and I will be the first to admit there was many tearful goodbyes but hey, that’s what makes coming home even more special. Although I’ve left such a large part of my life back in Essex, I’m starting a new part right now, and it is going to be such an important experience for me.

I will say this now, I am not a party animal. This being said, I still enjoyed my fresher’s week, even though I didn’t go out drinking or clubbing I got my first taste of what was to come when I fully enrolled and began my course. I got to meet my tutors, my class and see what was to really come out of my classes. My APD (Academic Professional Development) tutor, who’s name I will not disclose, showed me how amazing (and fun!) this experience was going to be. This tutor was a teacher I aspire to be like; passionate about the job and full of energy, their classes are defiantly ones to look forward to and I do, every week. This tutor guided myself and my classmates through what was to come, and I was ready for it.

Who knew that English, math’s and science could be some amazing! As I began my course, I soon realized how informative and creative the program really was. All my classes, and I mean every single one I have had to far have been engaging, exciting and so eye opening as I dive into the realm of teaching. The amount of information primary school children have to know now, in comparison to when I was there has absolutely skyrocketed! But this is a good thing, children are coming out of primary school with so many life skills and so much knowledge that will have already sparked passions in their hearts and I can’t wait to be the one to inspire them.

I’ve quickly discovered that Science, my major specialism, is by far my favorite class. With another passionate and knowledgeable tutor I know that I am in the hands of someone that wants each and every one of us to succeed in becoming inspirational teachers one day. The science classes take themes from within the national curriculum and turn them into hands on experiences, which is what science in the primary classroom is really all about. Getting stuck in to working scientifically through first hand interactions within the different realms of science. Already I’ve discovered the wonders of bucket school, snails and space and the amazing ways in which they can be used and taught in the classroom. Science is a huge passion of mine and I can’t wait to implement it in the classroom.

And that’s about it for my first entry, I want to strongly encourage any prospective students reading this to go for it! It may seem scary and too much but it will be an amazing experience, and it will change your life. And if you are looking into a course like mine, Edge Hill is the place to be… one of the best courses and campuses around, it’s definitely one for your short list. So good luck to everyone out there, and here’s hoping for my time here to continue as well as it is now.

The author

Adam Giles

Adam Giles is an eighteen year old Primary Education student from Essex who is currently studying at Edge Hill University in Ormskirk. Adam is passionate about teaching and inspiring the next generation of learners and is eager to inform about his experiences and feelings about teaching, university and his journey to becoming a primary teacher. Along with his passion for teaching, Adam is a keen historian and loves the sciences and is keen to incorporate these passions into his studies and lessons.