Before coaching to train, I spent 4 years finishing a PhD in hydraulic engineering of algal biofuels and 18 months doing postdoctoral work on the identical topic, with a short spell working in funding banking in-between.

I’ve all the time loved instructing and whereas finishing my PhD and doing postdoctoral research I really loved the instructing aspect of the work, so there was a pure development into instructing. The choice to train physics over maths was made after visiting colleges and discovering that the practical aspect of instructing really appealed to me, as a result of this helped me to study after I was in school.

I’m coaching by way of a School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) course in my hometown. I not solely selected this route as a result of I stay very shut to the lead faculty, but additionally as a result of it permits the scholar lecturers to get into colleges and begin instructing extra rapidly than within the University-led route.

The neighborhood throughout the faculty I’m instructing is really constructive and the science division may be very welcoming: sharing many helpful assets and concepts. Teaching my first lesson was a fantastic expertise, and seeing the distinction I used to be ready to make to the scholars understanding was incredible – it gave me a fantastic buzz, identical to the one which I’d heard a lot about!

I used to be awarded an IOP Scholarship for my coaching yr. I’m really trying ahead to the masterclasses and figuring out I’ve a supportive neighborhood to assist me out if I’m discovering any points of instructing troublesome. The enhance within the worth of the scholarship vs the monetary bursary was additionally very welcome!

• The Institute of Physics is awarding Teacher Training Scholarships to people who’ve spectacular topic data, a ardour to share their topic and the willpower to change into an distinctive instructor of physics. IOP students will profit from £28,000 tax-free funding, in addition to a package deal of help that features CPD, networking occasions and IOP membership. Find out extra and apply right here.