School Blog
It Takes a Whole School to Train a Teacher
In this blog, Mike Simmons, Director of JTSCITT, highlights the importance of the summer before teacher training as a valuable time for preparation.
Starting your teacher training journey is both exciting and life-changing. At The John Taylor SCITT, you’re not only learning how to teach – you’re beginning to build your professional identity as an educator. From day one, you join a community that values expertise, collaboration, and integrity, and we’ll be with you every step of the way.
This is the start of your career. Let’s help you shape it with pride, confidence, and connection.
Becoming a teacher isn’t just about mastering lesson planning or subject knowledge – it’s about developing your professional identity.
How you present yourself as a teacher, the networks you create, and the reflections you share all form part of the story you tell about your journey. By beginning to shape your professional presence now, you’ll:
LinkedIn is more than a jobs board – it’s a space where professionals can share, learn, and connect. For you as a trainee teacher, it’s the perfect place to start shaping your professional voice.
This first step sets the foundation for your online professional identity.
Teaching is built on relationships, and so is your professional network. Begin by connecting with the people and organisations who will support you throughout your training:
This will help you feel part of our wider family – and keep you up to date with news, opportunities, and celebrations.
As you progress through your training year, consider using your LinkedIn profile to share your reflections and milestones. For example:
Remember: always keep your posts professional. Celebrate your journey – your growth, your insights, your development – but never share pupil details or anything that could breach confidentiality.
Your professional identity doesn’t stop at the end of your training. This is the first step in a much longer journey.
From Trainee Teacher to Early Career Teacher (ECT) and beyond, your professional presence will grow with you. By starting early, you’ll already have a platform that reflects your commitment, celebrates your milestones, and connects you with colleagues across the profession.
At The John Taylor SCITT, we believe your training should be inspiring, collaborative, and rooted in integrity. Building your professional identity is about more than preparing for the future – it’s about proudly reflecting the values of your SCITT, your MAT, and the profession you’re entering.
This is the beginning of something exciting. You are not just training to be a teacher – you are becoming part of a community of professionals who make a difference every day.
So take that first step: build your profile, connect with your community, and begin shaping your professional identity with pride and ambition.
Welcome to the John Taylor SCITT family. We can’t wait to see where your journey takes you.
In this blog, Mike Simmons, Director of JTSCITT, highlights the importance of the summer before teacher training as a valuable time for preparation.
This blog welcomes our new trainees to the JTSCITT, sharing more about our approach, our personalised support and building a teaching career.
Nervous to start your teacher training with us? In this blog, Mike Simmons, Director of JTSCITT, shares more about your first week so you can start your teaching journey with us feeling prepared and confident.
In this blog, Mike Simmons, Director of JTSCITT, highlights the importance of the summer before teacher training as a valuable time for preparation.
