Interns grow as pre-service teachers at Trinity

Trinity’s current Interns are spread out across departments, but they have all been taking the opportunities that the internship offers up, consistently looking out for new ways they can grow and improve in these earliest years of their teaching careers. 

When Ms Nadine Johnston-Araujo applied for the internship, she didn’t really believe she would get it, but she knew if she did, she would be getting real experience working in a school as well as an opportunity to extend herself, something that has proven to be true.

“The internship is helping me grow every day as a teacher,” she says, “Knowing how to teach, how to adapt my approach to certain kids to suit their needs, working in those Co-curricular activities, I’m growing every day, both as a person and a future professional.” 

“I’m learning so much about myself here and my own style in the classroom.” 

This breadth of experience allowing for the cultivation of a style as well as the proficiency to adapt that style is something that Ms Phoebe Hussey, interning in the History department, agrees is a huge benefit of the internship. 

“The internship is helping me grow as a teacher through the exposure to so many classes. I’ve met so many different boys, each with different personalities and learning styles and needs,” she says. That exposure has enabled me to learn a lot about differentiating classes and how to cater for different groups.” 

Mr Harrison Armour (Economics Department Intern) and has experienced similar benefits. 

“As a teacher, it has given me a range of different experiences, a range of different classes and classroom settings. From smaller classes where there’s only been about 10 boys, to larger combined classes where there’s maybe 50 or 60 boys in a space … just being able to manage that and the different strategies that come with that.

“But it has also given me time outside of the classroom; I’ve been a part of the Rugby Co-curricular programme and that has allowed me to see boys in a range of different contexts and how that all makes up the students. The student isn’t just how they are inside the classroom, but they are also how they are outside the classroom, and the internship has given me greater depth in understanding that.” 

Teacher’s Aide in the TESS department, Mr Luke Philpotts, says that no matter where you are in your own teaching journey, the internship can help you to grow. 

“This is a place where you will grow,” he says. “Whilst Trinity aims to grow good men, it simultaneously allows them to grow good teachers too, so it’s a really nice reciprocal relationship there, which I’ve found to be quite rewarding.” 

The interns at Trinity also benefit from the mentorship built into the programme. 

“The mentorship experience has been fantastic,” Mr Armour reflects. “When I compare myself – who has taught Economics for a few months or a few weeks – to some of the members of my Economics staffroom and faculty who have taught Economics for 15 years … the amount of guidance and greater depth of understanding that they can give me has been invaluable.” 

This has been particularly true, he says, when it comes to writing examinations and marking, getting tips and ideas that haven’t necessarily been taught at university. 

Mr Philpotts’ own mentor has also given critical feedback and advice that expands on what is available through a university-led, theory-based education. 

“My mentorship has been really good, because she has been able to give me crucial feedback on my lessons; what works in reality as opposed to the theoretical stuff you might learn at uni. At uni you learn theory but in practice there are some crucial things that change, so she’s been able to draw on her wealth of experience and pass that down to me.” 

All of Trinity’s current Interns agree that the best thing any pre-service teacher can do is seize the opportunity that is available here at Trinity, encouraging them to apply for the Internship programme. 

“Trinity has been my first all-boys school environment and I’ve absolutely loved it,” says Ms Hussey. “It’s been such a fantastic year and experience, and I feel like I’ve learnt so much more than I have at university or in any of my pracs due to the consistency of being at the School and the involvement in so many different year groups and departments. I think everyone who’s even a little bit interested should apply and hear more about it because it’s such a valuable opportunity.” 

“Just do it,” agrees Mr Philpotts. “Say yes to the opportunities that are afforded to you – I’ve been really lucky to receive many opportunities outside of the internship and I think a fundamental aspect of that is coming in with a growth mindset and really understanding what that means: challenging yourself, stepping out of your comfort zone. If you do that, that’s where the growth as an individual will happen for you.” 

“You have nothing to lose and everything to gain,” says Ms Johnston-Araujo. 

Join the Trinity internship programme! Complete an expression of interest and RSVP to attend one of the upcoming information evenings. Click here.