Q&A with Pam Williams

Pam was a PGCE student who graduated in 2017. She tells us what it was like to study at IOE.

Pam Williams. Image permission: Pam Williams.

Pam has also recently authored a book, A Trace of Sun, which was published in March 2024.

Why did you choose to study your programme and what made you choose IOE?

I began working as a teaching assistant at a special school and progressed to being a higher level TA, at which point I was leading my class one day a week and also working closely with therapists (speech and language, physio and OT) to deliver interventions.

I decided to retrain as a teacher (my degree is in Fashion) and applied for a place through School Direct.

What did you enjoy most about your programme?

A mixture of things. Having great speakers come in to share their expertise was always an inspiring boost. And meeting Michael Rosen was a highlight.

I was a mature student, so studying alongside others of a very varied age range was a plus. It was really useful to hear and reflect on a range of perspectives, approaches and experiences.

Can you tell us about your teacher training placement?

I completed all but one of my teacher training practice blocks. I broke my ankle and missed five weeks of working in a primary school. The placements gave a taste of what teaching is really about and opened my eyes to the challenges. The value of planning – and making that adaptable – quickly became clear.

No amount of lectures can prepare you for being in a classroom of 32 Year 3 pupils! There was a lot to learn from all of the teachers.

I was part of the SEN cohort and benefitted from an arrangement, which allowed us to spend a week at Swiss Cottage Special School. It was invaluable to see the machinations of a different SEN setting and the way strategies were implemented, especially after experiencing a mainstream class. All student teachers should have that chance.

How did your time at IOE help you develop your practice?

It was great to study at an institution with such a strong reputation and ethos of striving to be your best. It certainly created the desire to maintain the programme’s very high level of expectation.

It instilled professionalism and determination and the work ethic to do the utmost to support my learners and their outcomes.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

As well as the Post 16+ class teacher, I’m now the middle leader for careers and transitions, so amongst my many responsibilities I arrange work place encounters and work experience for our young people.

Being a part of the community boosts our learners’ confidence and helps them to discover what they are truly capable of.

It’s amazing to see their self-esteem grow as they complete hands on tasks. And their enjoyment and self-discovery fills me with such pride.

How have you applied the learning from your teacher training programme in your job?

During one of our English sessions, I remember being sent to the nearby park to just sit and look and listen to the world around us for inspiration. Then we went back to the classroom and wrote poems – each so very different. Thinking of that lesson reminds me of each young person’s uniqueness and the need to think creatively (especially necessary in a SEN provision) and provide activities that are experiential as well as sensory.

It’s such a great way to enable young people to access learning in the way that best suits them. It’s something I consider as an author too – evoking the senses with my writing.