Here at the Sheffield Institute of Education, much of our time is dedicated to training the teachers of tomorrow. To mark World Teachers’ Day, we asked our trainee teachers to tell us about the difference they hope to make in our schools and colleges. In this troubled and cynical world, take a moment to appreciate the ambition, optimism and promise of some of Hallam’s finest. Teachers of tomorrow, we salute you.
Priscilla Hughes, PGCE Primary
I hope for every child to feel welcome and happy coming to school, for it to be a place they feel content being. I hope to achieve this by creating inclusive and relaxing environments where every child feels heard, nurtured and safe.
Aggie Sokolowska, PGCE Secondary Maths
What I hope for my learners is that they have so much confidence and self-trust that they question everything, including themselves. I want them to learn that their perspective is valuable and important simply because it’s theirs – and nobody is “good” or “bad” at maths. The way I’ll make this happen is through never leaving a question unanswered… those are the opportunities for changing the pupils’ view of maths and themselves.
Leela Ahari, PGCE Secondary Maths
I hope my learners see maths not just as numbers and formulas, but as a creative and joyful part of everyday life. Through playful exploration and real-world connections, I aim to spark curiosity and confidence. Once, during a walk, I asked my students to find different angles around us. One child held up a dry tree branch and said, “Here!”—a moment that reminded us all that maths is everywhere, waiting to be discovered.
Ashley Henderson RE Secondary
For my learners, as lofty and idealistic as it sounds, I really just hope for happiness, both inside and outside of my classroom and moving on past the school environment. As a trainee RE teacher, I like to think I equip students with many of the tools necessary to consider their happiness, through teaching about unconditional love and its expressions, the sacrifices of religious figures and their love of God, and the joy that we can find through spiritual practice and festivals. Alongside this, we learn about how different groups understand and cope with suffering- while students will react to these teachings differently, with some outright rejecting them as false, their value is a part of the hidden curriculum.
Gabriela Lemoine, PGCE Modern Foreign Languages
Excelling in high school and later in university, learning languages enabled me to have a number of opportunities for career options and development. Coming from a very disadvantaged background, education was the only way out, and up. Foreign languages in particular opened the world to me, taking me to places I never thought possible. I hope that by teaching foreign languages I can instill a little bit of that excitement about the future and an unimaginably broad range of possibilities by opening a window into the world through different cultures, including creating awareness about our own culture. I hope students can appreciate the value of diversity too. Without different ways of thinking and of doing things, the world would be too boring, wouldn’t it?
Antonia, PGCE Secondary Science
I hope to inspire my learners, even those who do not express an initial interest in science, to open their minds to what the subject has to offer and how this could be applied to other subjects (and vice versa!). For example, I am a creative person with a wide range of personal interests outside of science in addition to my passion for the subject itself, such as music, history and literature, and I hope that in my teaching practice, I can reflect this by implementing different and exciting teaching elements into the classroom linked to these interests and find new ways to ignite curiosity for science.
Kat Edwards, PGCE Art and Design
‘I believe that experimentation plays a crucial role in art and design. Through my teaching, I aim to cultivate confident and curious learners who feel secure in taking risks and expressing themselves creatively. By promoting an open-ended approach to materials and techniques, I strive to build their confidence in exploring new possibilities and encourage them to value the process over the final outcome. My strategy to achieve this involves responsive and intentional instruction while establishing a nurturing environment. I want to inspire children to have trust their ideas, develop resilience, and engage deeply with their learning. My objective is for every learner to leave with a strong sense of identity and a passion for exploration.’
Johar M. Ashfaque, PGCE Maths
What I hope for my learners is that they develop a deep curiosity and appreciation for mathematics—not just as a set of rules to follow, but as a creative and powerful way to explore and solve problems. I want them to see math as a tool that sparks imagination and critical thinking, helping them to approach challenges with confidence and innovation. To achieve this, I plan to create hands-on, inquiry-based activities where students can experiment, discover patterns, and apply concepts in real-world contexts, fostering a sense of wonder and personal connection to the subject.
Lily Arama Sánchez, PGCE Maths
My hope for my learners is that they value the use of mathematics in their everyday life. Through my questioning during my assessments for pupils during lessons, I would show them how they can apply many mathematical topics in different scenarios.
Muriam Khan, Primary
I’d describe myself as a creative person with a passion for Art. I want to be that kind of teacher that inspires her pupils to explore their imagination and express their unique ideas with confidence.
Saravjeet Bajwa, PGCE Biology.
Science is a vital and foundational subject to understanding the world through the specific subject disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. The skills gained through studying science not only allow students to understand the world around them but also empower them to make informed decisions about their health, the environment, and their future. As a Science teacher with strong academic knowledge, and commitment to inclusive practice, I would like to help shape the future of the young generation and prepare them for further careers in science, research and technology. ”
Lorena Pino, PGCE Secondary Spanish
Teaching has always been a part of my life. After becoming an immigrant, I discovered the power of speaking a foreign language. I hope that through my teaching, I can inspire a new generation of students, sparking curiosity and an understanding of the richness of the Spanish language and the cultures related to it, which are sometimes underrepresented in our schools.
Iona Wilbond, PGCE Secondary History
I have a strong passion for reading about history. I hope that through my teacher I can inspire pupils to find their own interests and history and go away and become mini historians. Through this I hope they learn that reading can be for fun and personal gain. My idea to help this happen is to incorporate engaging historical reading into my teaching and hopefully have enough passion to convince them they want to know more.
Grace Lee, PGCE Secondary Social Science
I hope to inspire my students to find a love for social science and to empower them to form personal opinions on real world topics and issues. I hope to do this by creating an engaging and exciting learning environment where everyone can discuss their thoughts in a respectful and accepting manner.
Jenny Horton, PGCE Secondary Maths
As a maths teacher, I hope that my learners will experience the rewarding feeling of solving a problem and feel that sense of pride in their abilities, regardless of the difficulty.
Isabelle Bailey, Teach First Leadership Project, Secondary Science
I hope my learners develop a passion for science inspired by my own love for the subject. I strive to deliver engaging lessons that make science both exciting and accessible to all students. I am committed to creating a classroom where every learner feels a sense of belonging and knows that their questions and ideas are valued. By combining accessibility, enthusiasm, and a supportive environment, I hope to encourage every student to see themselves as capable and confident scientists!
Ellie Johnson, PGCE Geography
I have a deep-rooted love for the world and all that is encompassed by it. Through my enthusiasm and eagerness to know more alongside a care for the planet I hope to inspire my students to be inquisitive, adventurous and open-minded as they complete their own journeys through life. Through stories of my back-packing trip and university exchange to Australia I hope to open the eyes of my students to the world outside of the classroom. I aspire to empower my students to work towards their dreams and the opportunities available across the world whilst also nurturing and caring for our planet.
Will Quinton, PGCE Physics
As a physicist who loves my subject, I want to help create budding new physicists by imparting my passion for physics to school pupils. During this year of my PGCE, I really want to learn how to better explain difficult concepts in science to young students.
Leave a Reply