Is Teaching for Me?
Could teaching be the career for you?
Perhaps you are looking for a career that feels meaningful, where you can help children and young people build confidence, develop their knowledge and discover what they are capable of. Maybe you are thinking about a change of direction, looking for a new challenge or wondering how you could put your existing skills and experience to use in a different way. Or perhaps teaching is a career you have never really considered until now.
Teaching offers a range of opportunities, from helping younger children develop the foundations for learning in Primary, to sharing your subject expertise with older pupils in Secondary, or supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to reach their potential.
In this article, Krissy Whitton, Recruitment & Marketing Lead for i2i, explores the ways in which you can answer the question “Is Teaching For Me?” and gives some practical tips and advice on your next steps.
1. Understand what being a teacher really involves
Teaching is about much more than standing at the front of a classroom and explaining a subject. It is about helping children and young people learn, encouraging them to think independently and creating an environment where they feel able to participate, ask questions and make progress.
The experience of teaching varies depending on the age group and setting you choose to work in.
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Primary teaching focuses on helping younger children develop essential skills and knowledge across the curriculum, including reading, writing and mathematics, while nurturing their curiosity, confidence and independence.
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Secondary teaching gives you the opportunity to specialise in a subject, helping pupils deepen their understanding, develop new skills and prepare for their next steps in education and beyond.
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SEND teaching focuses on understanding and responding to the individual needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, adapting approaches to learning and helping pupils develop their skills, confidence and independence.
Across all three pathways, teachers plan learning, assess progress, build positive relationships and work with colleagues to meet pupils' needs. The emphasis and day-to-day responsibilities will vary, but the shared purpose is to help every learner make progress and fulfil their potential.
No two days are quite the same. Alongside teaching, you might lead a club, organise a trip, contribute to a school production or work with colleagues to find new ways of helping pupils understand a difficult concept. You will also have opportunities to develop your expertise and progress into roles such as subject leadership, pastoral leadership, specialist practice or senior management.
Teaching has its challenges, too. Planning, assessment, organisation and the responsibility for pupils' learning and wellbeing all require commitment. However, many teachers find the variety, relationships and opportunity to make a lasting difference hugely rewarding.
The question to ask yourself is not whether every part of teaching sounds easy, but whether the opportunity to help children and young people learn and develop is something that motivates you.
2. Think about the qualities you could bring to teaching
There is no single personality type that makes a great teacher. People enter the profession from a wide range of backgrounds, bringing different experiences, strengths and perspectives. However, there are some qualities that can help you thrive.
Enthusiasm and knowledge. Whether your interests lie in a particular subject, helping younger children develop essential skills or finding ways to support learners with different needs, teaching gives you the opportunity to share your knowledge and help others progress. You will need a willingness to keep learning and developing your expertise.
Communication and creativity. Teachers explain ideas, ask questions, listen carefully and find different ways to make learning accessible. Adapting your approach when something isn't working is just as important as being confident when speaking to a group.
Patience, empathy and respect. Every pupil is an individual, with different experiences, needs and ways of learning. Great teachers build positive relationships, establish clear expectations and help pupils feel that they belong and can succeed.
Organisation and resilience. Planning learning, assessing progress and managing the different demands of the role all require organisation. Things will not always go to plan, so being able to reflect, adapt and keep moving forward is important.
Curiosity and a willingness to develop. Teaching is a profession in which learning never stops. Teachers reflect on their practice, learn from colleagues and use evidence and experience to improve their teaching. You don't need to know everything before you start; you do need to be willing to learn.
You may already have many of these qualities through your current job, previous career, studies, volunteering, coaching or family and community experiences. Perhaps you have developed strong communication skills, supported others to learn, managed competing priorities or learnt how to adapt when circumstances change. These experiences can provide a valuable foundation for teacher training, whatever stage of your career you are at.
You don't need to arrive as a fully formed teacher. Training gives you the opportunity to develop your knowledge, practise new skills and learn from experienced teachers and educational leaders.
3. Find out what working in a school is like
Schools are busy, social and constantly changing environments. If you enjoy working with people, solving problems and being part of a team, you may find this particularly rewarding.
It is also worth being realistic about the demands. Teaching involves responsibility for pupils' learning, progress and wellbeing, as well as the practical work that happens outside lessons. You will need energy, flexibility and a commitment to creating a positive learning environment.
Most importantly, consider how you feel about working with children and young people. Would you enjoy helping a young child develop confidence in reading? Sharing your enthusiasm for a subject with teenagers? Finding a different approach to help a pupil with additional needs overcome a challenge?
Spending time in a school is one of the best ways to discover how the role feels in practice and which age group or pathway might suit you.
4. Understand your reasons for wanting to teach
People are drawn to teaching for many different reasons. You might want to share your enthusiasm for a subject you studied at university or have developed expertise in throughout your career. Perhaps you would enjoy helping younger children develop their early skills, supporting pupils with additional needs, or contributing to your local community.
Maybe a teacher made a difference to your own education. Perhaps you have discovered how much you enjoy helping others learn through your current role. Or you may be ready for a change and looking for a career that combines intellectual challenge with meaningful relationships.
There is no single right reason to become a teacher. What matters is understanding what appeals to you and whether the realities of the profession match your expectations.
As you learn more, think about the experiences that have influenced your interest, what you could bring to a classroom and what you would like to develop. These reflections will help you decide whether teaching is right for you and, if you choose to apply for training, explain your motivation with confidence.
5. Take the first step: gain school experience
You don't have to commit to teacher training to find out more about teaching. School experience is an opportunity to see the profession first hand before deciding whether it is the right career for you.
Spending time in a school can help you observe lessons, see how teachers engage pupils, understand classroom routines and discover what happens beyond the lesson itself. It also gives you the chance to speak to teachers about their experiences and ask questions about the rewards and challenges of the role.
As you observe, think about what you notice. How do teachers explain new concepts? How do they respond when pupils struggle? What helps create a positive learning environment? Which aspects of the role appeal to you, and what would you like to understand better?
School experience can help you discover whether Primary, Secondary or SEND teaching is the best fit for your interests and strengths. The value lies not just in what you see, but in what you learn from reflecting on it.
It can also help you prepare for a future teacher training application, giving you a more informed understanding of the profession and examples you can draw on when explaining your motivation.
Visit the i2i School Experience Programme page to find out more, including opportunities to access virtual school experience and watch our A Day in the Life videos, featuring trainees and teachers sharing their experiences.
What qualifications do you gain through teacher training?
If you are considering a career change, you may be wondering what qualifications you need and whether teacher training means returning to university.
Teacher training programmes lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), the professional status that enables you to teach in maintained schools in England, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).
These are different qualifications. QTS recognises that you have met the professional standards required to teach, while a PGCE provides an academic qualification that develops your understanding of education, learning and teaching practice.
You don't need to complete your training on a university campus to gain a PGCE. School-centred teacher training combines practical experience in schools with structured professional learning and academic study.
At i2i Teaching Partnership, trainees learn in real school environments while developing their understanding of effective teaching, educational theory and evidence-informed practice. The academic element complements classroom experience, helping trainees connect what they learn through study with the decisions they make in their teaching.
Our one-year training programmes lead to QTS, with a PGCE awarded through Bath Spa University.
Choosing where to train is an important decision.
At i2i, our approach is built around four core principles that shape the experience we offer our trainees.
Expert-led: Learn from practising teachers, experienced mentors and educational leaders who understand the realities of the classroom. Their knowledge and experience help you develop the subject expertise, teaching skills and professional judgement needed to grow in confidence.
Human-first: You are an individual, with your own strengths, experiences and areas for development. Our approach recognises that people learn in different ways and need the right guidance at different stages. With a team around you, including mentors, subject tutors and centre leaders, you can access support that responds to your needs as you develop.
Inclusive by Design: Great teaching recognises that every learner is different. We want to help develop teachers who understand this and can adapt their practice to help pupils participate, make progress and feel that they belong. We also aim to make teacher training accessible to people from different backgrounds and with different experiences, recognising the strengths they bring to the profession.
Community-powered: Our partnership with local schools means training is rooted in the communities we serve. You gain practical experience in schools from the outset, learn alongside experienced practitioners and build relationships with colleagues across the local education community. For many trainees, this also provides a route into a teaching career close to home.
Our ambition goes beyond helping you gain the qualifications to teach. We want to develop thoughtful, skilled teachers who understand their pupils, keep learning throughout their careers and make a lasting difference in the schools and communities they serve.
Could teaching be your next step?
Great teachers change lives. They help children and young people develop knowledge, discover their strengths and build the confidence to pursue new opportunities. Becoming a teacher is a significant commitment, but it is also a chance to build a career around learning, relationships and making a difference.
At i2i Teaching Partnership, we support people to take that next step through one-year teacher training programmes across Primary, Secondary and SEND. Working with partner schools across Surrey, Hampshire, West London and the South Coast, our training centres in Farnham, Reigate, Shepperton, Basingstoke, Fareham and Southampton make teacher training accessible locally. You can gain practical experience in schools, develop your skills with expert guidance and build a teaching career in the communities you know.
Whether you are a recent graduate, considering a career change or simply curious about teaching, we can help you understand your options and decide on your next step.
Ready to find out more?
There are several ways to take your first step. Explore our School Experience Programme to discover teaching first-hand, or visit our Events page to find an upcoming event where you can learn more about training with i2i, meet our team and ask questions.
Alternatively, contact Krissy Whitton, Recruitment & Marketing Lead, at kwhitton@i2ipartnership.co.uk
