Q&A with Sabrina Mohamed
Languages PGCE student Sabrina sums up her teacher training year at IOE (2019/20).
What is it like to study teacher training at IOE?
Deciding to do my training at IOE was the best decision I could have made. As an international student, I was, at first, afraid of not being able to adapt to the university and to the schools I would be sent to. However, after my first week here, I received excellent support from the PGCE team within and outside my subject. Tutors were always willing to help and to answer questions from the first day in September to the very last day.
What did you enjoy most about your training year?
During the tutor group sessions and lectures, we were encouraged to be thinkers, we were always asked to reflect on our practice and the observations we made to improve our teaching. However, what I enjoyed the most is the fact that IOE does not impose one teaching style, we are free to teach our subject the way we want to and the way we feel the most comfortable with.
IOE fully prepared us to be newly qualified teachers (NQTs). Throughout the year, we have been encouraged to develop our creativity, to adapt our teaching to the classes and pupils we had in front of us, and most importantly, we learnt to work collaboratively with peers and colleagues.
What is it like to train in a London school?
Training in a London school was really important for me. Diversity is a key word in a city such as London. In the schools we are placed at, we encountered pupils having different ethnic backgrounds, religious beliefs, sexual orientations or disabilities. Therefore, I wanted to receive the best training to ensure that all my future pupils would be treated equally and with the respect they deserved.
What advice would you give to new students on the PGCE?
I would advise the new students not to be afraid of asking for help. We are new to the teaching profession, therefore, it is normal to ask for support when we need to, especially in schools.
More information about the Languages PGCE
More about teacher training at IOE
Insight into the Languages PGCE teacher training programme from trainee teacher Lisa
"Culture is a really important thing in the classroom."