Example Primary Teaching Personal Statement
I have completed a degree in Business and Human Resource Management, and have gained some experience of the commercial world, but it has become increasingly clear to me that my real calling is towards the education of children in their most formative years. I have been inspired by my own education, understanding how deeply I was affected by the expertise of my teachers. I also have a four-year-old niece whose development is a matter of great fascination to me, and I have noted her progress in response to the way I have guided her early reading through the phonics approach, taking reading back to its basic constituents. To see her finding confidence in response to my efforts to inspire her is immensely fulfilling, and leaves me in no doubt about the career I should like to pursue. It is a considered decision, based on real experience of the workplace, and careful judgement of my own abilities.
I have undertaken some voluntary work at a local primary school in order to gain some experience of the world I hope to work in. As a classroom assistant in the reception class I listened to children read, helped them when they found their tasks difficult, and led the class when the teacher was occupied with an autistic child. I found it natural to build a positive and productive relationship with the children, and other staff complimented me on my skill and efficiency. I also did some administrative work, photocopying children’s pieces and managing the classroom. I was struck by the way children bring such a variety of experience to the classroom from their home environments, and the delightful way they can misinterpret the adult world. Communication seems to be the key to success with such young children. I learnt that conversation alone can give very clear pointers to a child’s abilities or lack of them. I very much enjoyed feeling part of a true team, all dedicated to the same purpose, and working with professional pride towards a goal that had nothing to do with commerce and everything to do with human fulfilment, for both pupil and teacher.
My working life until now has been in the retail world, as a management trainee and later a human resources assistant. This has been good professional training, involving briefing colleagues, motivating staff, managing relations between employees and executive, responding to the needs of customers, dealing with difficulties over grievances, and using complex IT systems – none of them entirely irrelevant to a career as a primary school teacher.
In the sixth form at school I was given the task of guiding younger pupils, and supporting them with their lives inside and outside school. Again it seemed that communication was the essential ingredient. A child who is helped to feel that he or she can confide in a teacher or guide knows that someone is listening and is duly encouraged, and it was this that taught me the importance of respect for each individual child. I have also witnessed extremes of childhood deprivation in my long-term charity work in Mumbai where I spent time at an orphanage, teaching basic English and spending play time with very young children. The conditions of their lives, and the emotional trauma some of them had gone through, were both disturbing and inspiring, confirming my determination to work with children.
I have a number of languages, Gujarati, my mother tongue, and fluent spoken English, Hindi and Urdu, a useful asset in multicultural modern Britain. Outside the classroom I am a keen swimmer, and a very avid reader. I am hard-working and very enthusiastic, and, I believe, mature in my judgement. I love working as a part of a professional group, and am always keen to listen to advice, but I have much initiative and feel confident that leading a class on my own would present me with few problems. I know that the job is often challenging, exhausting and frustrating, but I can think of no more satisfying career, and I hope you will consider my application.
This example Primary Teaching personal statement should be used as a guide to write a personal statement that is unique and stands out from the rest.