Article Date: 12 May 2025
Article Date: 12 May 2025
Name Will Dodd
In what year did you train? 2022 - 2023
Which subject did you train in? Media Studies and English
Which school/s did you train in? Honywood School and Hedingham School and Sixth Form
Can you tell us a bit more about what you are doing now? I am a teacher of Media and English at Helena Romanes School. I have been here since completing my training year.
Thinking back to your teacher training with Mid Essex ITT, can you share with us about a highlight, fond memory or funny story? There were quite a few - the time spent with fellow trainees was great. Going on a couple of school trips along the way. And most notably, the moment when I saw the words ‘congratulations you’ve passed the course’ come up on an email.
What was teacher training like when you trained? What were the buzzwords, latest theories or popular pedagogy? Everything we did was ‘research-based’ practice. (I memorised this for all of my interviews!) Other ones that stood out include: Reflective Practice, Rosenshine’s principles of instruction, Wilson’s formative assessment, Lemov teach like a champion.
Thinking back to your teacher training, what was your key takeaway from Mid Essex ITT? Be yourself. Have confidence. And trust yourself, you know more than you think.
Thinking back to your teacher training, is there anyone who supported you whom you would like to recognise or thank? Without question, my Mid-Essex mentor in Stewart for being there and picking me up when it was needed at certain pinch-points in the training year and providing lots of great advice about how to handle lots of aspects of training and life as a teacher in general. Also to Sophie for providing me with support when it was needed.
My school mentors, Holly and Emma, were excellent teachers who pushed me to become the best teacher I could be and provided me with lots of guidance that I continue to draw on today.
To all the fellow trainees I had the pleasure of working alongside. I look back on that time very fondly as they made the experience a lot of fun along the way. Hope you’re all doing well!