A bbc Interview @eenalol Steph

It´s so important that we hear from a range of people in these interviews. Today´s interview is with Steph, better known as Steph alittlebutalot. Steph gives us the views of a trainee teacher.

Introduce yourself:

Steph, HLTA/trainee teacher in September. Teacher of the Geordie children in a gorgeous little Primary School, which was my school as a child.

What made you become a teacher?

It's always been there, I think. My teachers never discouraged me from going to help the younger children at school and they always encouraged me when I said I was going to be a teacher. Plus Miss Honey.

What is your favourite part of the job?

The kids. Is that a cliché? Their smiles, their laughter, their honesty, their joy at finding a brilliant book. Kids and their books is one of my passions in life.

What has been best thing you have done at work this year?

Any time I got to sit on the carpet with my Y4s and read with them, not to them. I quickly learned that if I read my book as they read their books, they loved it. I love reading, they became lovers of reading.

What is the most frustrating thing about teaching at the moment?

Not being listened to.
Whether it's from your boss, your LA, the government. Teachers should have some say in what goes on in schools, not disengaged politicians who have never taught.

What songs would be on your driving to work playlist?

Ed Sheeran. Fort Minor. Little Mix. Disney. Anything and everything.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said/written in your class?

Year1:

Me: can anyone remember why Easter Sunday is special?
Child: me! Me! Me! I know!
Me: brilliant, tell us
Child: it was the day Jesus gave out Easter eggs to everyone.

I laughed about it for weeks.

What is your guilty pleasure?

90s music? Although I'm not that guilty about it haha!

Surely you weren't born.

If you weren´t a teacher, what would you be and why?

I'd like to do something with books. Bookseller, work with a publisher, be a school outreach worker for a library. Something like that. I'm not good enough to be an author or illustrator but books are my passion.

Don't give up on it. I still intend to write at some stage. I foolishly thought long holidays would be perfect for writing.

What are you passionate about (teaching-related or not)?

BOOKS. ALL OF THE BOOKS. The power of books. The joy of reading. Books can change everything. Teachers as readers. Reading in the classroom. Using books in the classroom. Books.

I think I could have guessed that. I would have been surprised if you had said axe throwing.

That's my secret passion.

If you had to pick one subject/topic to teach on a loop forever, what would it be?

Writing. Preferably of the creative type.

What is the most effective resource/technology/app you use in the classroom?

My kids love Book Creator app and I've probably used it in ALL classes this year.

What is the most effective routine/method/system you use in the classroom?

Using my NOISE system. The y4s were a noisy group and initially they needed a lot of guidance. Each time they had to be told to be quiet they lost a letter, if they got to NO then they lost 5 mins of break/lunch. They learned quickly and only lost any time once. The other teachers took it on board too!

Yoink! I love that idea.

If you had to pick 4 people (Twitter or otherwise) to invite to a dinner party who

would it be and why?

@MrBoothY6, @Mr_P_hillips, @mrlockyer and @MissMaj_. There are so many other tweachers out there that I would love to have a get together with. Tweachers never fail to amaze me.

What is the best and worst advice you have been given as a teacher?

Best advice: "go with your gut and don't compare with others" - they're your class and they won't necessarily work the same as other classes, so trust them and they'll trust you. You have to make split second decisions as a teacher on a daily basis, so staying true to yourself and your kids is always a winner for me.

Worst advice: any time anyone has told me I MUST do something that way because it worked for them. Nope.

Final Question: What drives you as a teacher?

The kids. I do this job because of them. Building trust and relationships with these little humans that I spend a massive chunk of their lives with. Some kids find school is their calm place and they need that. My Mam tells me, "you're changing the world one child at a time".

If you could choose one person who you´d love to have the bbc interview treatment, who would it be and why?

@TeachMrN because he's lovely, supportive and I'd love to see what goes on in that head of his!!