Category Archives: Education

Teacher Trainee Intern – Ted Wragg Academy Trust

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

I have undertaken a safe-guarding and professional development course; received my DBS certificate; observed, planned and led lessons; created classroom displays as well as taken on extra responsibilities such as a tutor group, lunch time duty roles and assisted in the running of the Primary Maths Challenge. During my time at the school, I have worked closely with each member of the department and have started to develop myself as a teacher with regards to the eight teaching standards.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I think my greatest achievement was when I planned a led my first lesson, I gained fantastic feedback and the teacher even asked for a copy of my lesson plan and resources!

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

Having planned and led lessons, colleagues have complimented me on my lesson plans and the resources I have created, even asked for a copy of my resources to replicate the lessons. I have created classroom displays as well as taken on extra responsibilities such as a tutor group where I have led talks about careers and work experience, lunch time duty roles and assisted in the running of the Primary Maths Challenge.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Leadership, strategic planning, assessing and managing risk

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Logical thinking, creative thinking, professionalism

Research Assistant – University of Exeter CEMPS

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

I assisted my professor in putting together a presentation for a research consortium. This involved researching the area of injury biomechanics for the built environment and age friendly cities, an exciting area that I wish to pursue further. I made visual diagrams to help non-experts understand the subject, reviewed literature and identified possible research areas for grants. I then attended the research consortium where I met academics involved in the subject from a range of universities and made some good contacts. I was also involved in the design and manufacture of a headform drop tester. I made models and drawings on Solidworks and then used the mechanical workshop to make my design.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I learnt the process of putting together research proposals for grants, and how to create a presentation for a research consortium.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I helped my professor structure research ideas into a presentation to apply for grants. I started work on an ongoing project for the design of a headform drop tester, providing an initial prototype and engineering drawings to be developed further. I also identified relevant literature for the project.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Teamwork and collaboration, research, networking

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Cultural awareness, logical thinking, creative thinking

 

Research Assistant – University of Exeter Modern Languages

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

In this internship, I conducted research for the Russian Department on how Russian is taught at every other university in the UK, so the department could analyse the data to ensure the course at Exeter is of the best possible quality. I also conducted similar research for the Chinese, Portuguese and Italian departments. In addition to this research, I also created two documents – a resources guide for students on their Year Abroad and also a ‘Survival Guide’ for the incoming Beginner’s Russian cohort.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I have never worked in an office environment before and by working in academia I learnt a lot about teaching and research, and the entire ‘behind the scenes’ of an academic’s life.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

The research and Year Abroad document were tasks that the department had wanted to do for a long time, but did not have the manpower or hours to complete. By completing these tasks, I lightened the work load of the department and hopefully provided plenty of data through my research than can be used to make improvements in the future.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Teamwork and collaboration, problem solving, negotiation

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Motivation, personal awareness, work ethic