Why I decided to change my career to Maths Teaching

Elizabeth Wells-BowerI was always inspired by inspirational teachers, their teaching changed the way I looked at mathematics, it was no longer numbers on a page to be manipulated, but about patterns that could question the realities of the world. They saw my passion for numbers and pushed me to achieve my best.  One of my most memorable achievements in my early life was achieving an A* in my maths GCSE, I shared this proud moment with my teacher. Even from this young age I knew I wanted to share these proud moments with others just like my teacher did with me.

With my confidence to pursue a career in teaching, I went on to study an undergraduate degree in secondary teaching with mathematics. Despite my successful school’s placements and my enthusiasm for the subject, I reflected on my practice felt that I was maybe too young and lacking in confidence to be the teacher I so wanted to be. It was an extremely difficult decision to walk away from teaching, but I knew at that time I did not have the skills I needed to be the best and had to mature and gain confidence before I returned to the classroom.

Even though I made the difficult decision of not pursuing a career in teaching, I still craved a profession in numbers and became a commercial analyst. Although I found my role intellectually challenging, still focussing on my love for maths, it did not give me the emotional gratification I desired. I still had a dream to become a maths teacher, so I could harness my mathematical knowledge in a more challenging and rewarding role, passing my passion on to others. I now feel the time is right for this return and I know I can become the outstanding teacher I’ve always desired to be.

This was only heightened by the recent pandemic when the company I worked for had to change its business model to work alongside Bradford Council and the NHS to deliver food direct to the public and care homes. I found it extremely rewarding to be creating the best outcomes for those in need. Through the pandemic I also had time to reflect on my own practice and my career aims and goals and desired the rewards I knew I could gain from returning to teaching, which I didn’t in my current day-to-day role. My mother and best friend are teachers and its clear to see how much they enjoy their roles and the difference they make every single day. I knew it was the right time to now explore my first career aspirations and I’m so excited to begin this love of teaching again.

By Elizabeth Wells-Bower

 

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