Name: Sadie Metherell Age: 24
Why did you become a teacher?
I did German and Italian at university and I wanted to use my languages. Also, when I came back from my gap year I tutored a girl who had left university - in maths. She wanted to do her PGCE but couldn’t get on to the course because she didn’t have maths GCSE. She had some lessons with me - it wasn’t that she couldn’t do maths; she’d just never had it explained. She did her college’s maths test and got on to the course. I felt I’d changed her life in a way, and it was very fulfilling.
Career to date?
I did my degree at Churchill College, Cambridge, and spent my year abroad in Rome. I was an English assistant in two schools there. In the summer of my second year, I worked for the television programme Time Team - I just wrote off for work experience because it was my favourite programme. I was in the office for a couple of months, but I did get to go out on site for three days. That was fantastic - I saw them lift a skeleton and the skull fell apart.
After university, I temped, worked in a couple of language schools and then started doing my PGCE in Cambridge. I have just qualified and I teach languages at The Ashcombe School in Dorking, Surrey.
What’s the best thing that’s happened so far?
I’ve been pleasantly surprised to have classes with good behaviour. The school is very good on discipline.
And the worst?
That feeling that sometimes you’re not getting through. It’s dispiriting when you’ve really gone through something with them and they’ve come back and retained nothing.
What do you like most about the job?
I like the autonomy. Within certain boundaries, I decide what happens in my classroom. And I organise how I spend my time. And I like the creativity in making the lessons.
What is your dream job?
An education officer for an art gallery, or an artist, or a film director.
Top tip?
You have to know what kind of person you are, whether you can handle bad days and good days. Organisation is the key. I’ve been getting into work at 7.30am and leaving at 5.30 or 6pm every day, and I still haven’t done the work.
