Life is an echo. What you send out comes back
Who are you and what's your role at the National Institute of Teaching?
My name’s Emma Cooper, and I’m a tutor with the NIoT in our North & East region
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I love knowing that I am having an impact on the future of teaching by helping to inspire the next generation. It is wonderful to see our student teachers get the buzz from working with students across our schools as well as working in partnership with so many different people. It's amazing to see the impact the National Institute of Teaching has on a wide scale.
What piece of advice would you give someone starting the programme this year? "Life is an echo. What you send out comes back." If you put positivity and energy to the forefront of all that you do within your professional life, you will be able to be tenacious when handling the challenges, but also bask in the wonderful feeling of reciprocation from your colleagues, students and the wider school community.
A lot of people worry about classroom/behaviour management when they start their training - what support do NIOT provide with this?
NIoT provides the best start for all potential teachers, and classroom culture is the first element that we tackle in training. We believe that giving trainees a variety of tools to manage behaviour gives them the best start to their classroom experience. We offer masterclasses with behaviour experts such as Tom Bennett and a plethora of opportunities to practice different strategies through deliberate practice. We understand that "culture eats strategy for breakfast" and ensure that all our trainees are surrounded by the expertise needed to be able to respond and react when faced with challenges.
Finally, what is your favourite memory from your time in the classroom as a teacher?
I could write a book on my favourite memories from my time as a teacher within school, and that is the beautiful thing about being a teacher. If I had to pinpoint one, I would say it was developing my male choir 'Only Boys Allowed.' (Their choice of name, not mine). The students went through everything together, from voice breaks to heartbreak but singing was the glue that held them together. Providing a platform for students to express themselves and find their family within a school is something that we have the privilege of helping to grow through our job as a teacher. If that doesn't give you a purpose, then I don't know what will.