Amy Judkins

I graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in 2013, where I studied Spanish with TESOL. I had the opportunity to develop my Spanish and as part of the TESOL course, I taught English lessons to foreign students. I believe that this put me in a good position for starting my teacher training course.

I am extremely passionate about languages; I believe that children benefit from learning another language from an early age. I did not have the opportunity to learn a language until high school, so this is something that I would be proud to incorporate in my teaching – whether it is saying ‘hola’ when doing the register or providing an after-school club.

I have carried out my training at Rectory C.E. Primary School, I have built good relationships with the staff and with the children in the classes that I have taught. Having a good relationship with staff and pupils means that the children respect me and are keen to learn  in my lessons. I have taught maths, English, science, guided reading and R.E in year 4. I have spent a month in year 1 I taught maths, English and history. I was able to gain an understanding in the difference between teaching in Key Stage 1 and 2.

I realise how important it is to grasp the children’s attention from the start of the lesson and maintain the pace of the lesson. I make sure that my activities are varied but always promote learning, whether it is playing games and writing on the tables in maths, conducting experiments in science or carrying out pair work or role plays in English. Having a variety of activities means that the children are motivated throughout the lessons.

During my training, I have had the opportunity to experiment with behaviour management strategies to find a method that works for me and my class. This has ranged from counting down, splitting the class into teams and winning or losing points for the team and I have also asked the children to pick a word and when I say that word, they have to stop what they are doing and listen to me. Finding a method that works has ensured that the children settle quickly and listen to me so that the lesson can progress.

I believe that my past professional employment and my personality mean that I have what it takes to be an outstanding teacher. I have had a career mainly in sales. I am a people person and I have excellent communication and listening skills. I am used to having multiple projects or tasks to complete; therefore, I am organised, adaptable and I can remain calm and level-headed under pressure. Another quality that I have that I believe is important in teaching is that I have a good sense of humour.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, I look forward to starting my career in teaching and being the best teacher that I can be.