Teaching: You’ll never be lonely and you’ll never be bored
Teaching: You’ll never be lonely and you’ll never be bored
If the pandemic has taught us anything – and it’s taught us a lot – it’s about the power and value of community. From clapping for the NHS, to the unbridled joy at the reunion with loved ones, to the unexpected pleasure in being around people.
It also taught us about what we want from life. It prompted a significant and widespread re-evaluation of people’s goals, dreams and lifestyles. The Great Resignation left people saying: I want more. I want meaning. I want community.
If this is you, the answer might be teaching.
As Joanne Taylor, an experienced Design and Technology (D&T) teacher from Bedfordshire, says: “Every day is different, I have never been bored as a teacher in 24 years. You can’t be bored, and you can’t be lonely. You are very autonomous but are part of a team, so it’s a very unusual job compared to others.”
Joanne's journey into teaching was fuelled by her love for Design and Technology. Initially drawn to the subject due to her aptitude in the area, she pursued a four-year Bachelor of Education in D&T.
Resilience and passion for creativity
At just 19 years old, she found herself in the classroom, unyielding in her determination to make a difference. Her early experiences, including being one of the few girls in her school D&T class, instilled in her resilience and passion for creativity.
“In my first year at university I was immersed in the classroom on teaching practice. I didn’t find it intimidating at the time, but I can see how people would think that. At school when I did my GCSE in D&T there were only two girls in the class. I also went to a night school class run by my teacher where I was a 15-year-old girl in a workshop with retired people, but I was just so motivated and wanted to design and make my project - a hexagonal chess table which is still in my parents’ living room to this day.”
For Joanne, teaching extends beyond imparting knowledge; it's about fostering relationships and instilling confidence in her students. She embraces the dynamic nature of D&T, where multiple solutions exist for every problem, encouraging students to explore their creativity. Joanne believes in the importance of open dialogue and encourages students to question and challenge, recognising it as a vital aspect of the learning process. She values the creativity and problem-solving aspects of D&T, which can inspire students to be inventive and think critically.
The people are my favourite thing
Her experiences reflect common sentiments among teachers: the joy of human interaction, the challenges of classroom management and the never-ending nature of the job.
“The people are my favourite thing about the job, the colleagues and the students. I enjoy the human interaction; children are hilarious and inquisitive. D&T has a lot of open-ended opinions and is such a creative subject. There are lots of right answers; there are lots of solutions to the problems you might find, you must justify your answer, and some of the things the students come up with are ingenious. They are just so inventive.”
Reflecting on her journey, Joanne acknowledges the ever-changing landscape of teaching. She emphasises the need for adaptability, recognising that the job is never truly done.
There isn't a Highway Code for teaching
“What I wish I’d known before I went into teaching is that the job is never done. It’s a conveyer belt. There is always something you can develop, trial or have a go at. Everything else changes, like the government of the day, The National Curriculum and new research on how students learn coming from the universities. It’s about curating that and being able to pick the battles that are relevant to your context. All teachers are different. There isn't a Highway Code for teaching, and that’s why we are a profession and not just a job; you have to make professional judgements.”
Joanne’s insights into teaching, such as recognising that not every lesson needs to be perfect and understanding the reasons behind students’ behaviour, are valuable lessons for both new and experienced educators. Her perspective on the evolving nature of education, with changing curricula and teaching methods, underscores the importance of adaptability and continuous learning in the profession.
“One of the things I found most difficult when I first started was being too hard on myself. Not every lesson has to be the best, but it must be consistently good. That’s achievable rather than doing six of the best lessons every day.”
It's a privilege and a responsibility
Joanne views teaching as a privilege and a responsibility, aiming to be remembered as one of the best influences in her students’ lives. She finds fulfilment in witnessing the lasting impact she has on her students, often unknowingly shaping their futures.
She said: “I think it’s a privilege to be able to have the opportunity to shape students as they become adults of the future. It’s a responsibility. There are two teachers you remember as you get older, the best or the worst. I want to be the best.
“It’s amazing when you meet adults you taught as children, you didn’t realise the impact you had on them and something I said sparked something in them.”
Her commitment to supporting teachers and her belief in the significance of shaping future generations underscore the profound impact educators have. Joanne’s story is a testament to the dedication and resilience that teaching requires and the profound influence teachers have on their students’ lives