For Jules, starting a job at MacIntyre School and Children's Homes opened the door to a career she loves and inspired her to train to become a qualified teacher.
We caught up with Jules to find out what a day in the life of a teacher at MacIntyre School is like.
Could you introduce yourself and your role?
I am Jules, a newly qualified teacher at MacIntyre School. I started my MacIntyre journey working in the residential children's homes at MacIntyre School, alongside external training to be a teaching assistant. I fell in love with the Macintyre ethos and loved working with young people we support. After eight and a half years I am still going strong.
I had a passion for education and after a few years, I moved over to the school to pursue this. I felt I had a good understanding of the residential side and wanted to know more about how the school supported the young people. After a short while, I became a Senior Learning Support Assistant, which then led me to do a teaching qualification.
What does a normal day look like in your role?
My day starts with looking at each young person’s daily timetable. From there I prepare resources to support the learning intentions of each young person. I coordinate the staffing to support the young people and ensure they know what is happening for the day.
Communication aids are vital in my class. Each young person must have these to communicate their schedule, so they know what they are doing.
We work on a 1:1 basis, so I will support a young person with their learning, ensuring each session is motivating and engaging throughout the day.
Intensive Interaction is also a huge part of the day. In between learning, every opportunity is taken to spend time interacting with the young people.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Without a doubt, I enjoy making a positive impact on young people’s lives. Young people come to us, some of whom have had a very difficult time. We nurture them, build positive relationships and then create bespoke learning plans to meet their needs.
There is nothing more fulfilling than being part of a young person’s journey, seeing them grow and develop. It is a privilege to do so.
The team are also a fundamental part of the role. Without my team, if it were not for their hard work and commitment, the young people would not be where they are.
Can you describe your favourite memory or experience interacting with someone we support?
I have had many wonderful experiences but my favourite memory to date is a very recent one.
Two young people in the class found accessing education and the school environment difficult. More often than not, education would be taken to them in their homes as this reduced their anxieties. Since September this year, with a lot of hard work, patience and building their confidence, both young people now access a full day at school. Knowing that myself, my team and the young people putting their trust in us made this possible is one of the most rewarding experiences to date.
Join our team
To find out more about starting a career with MacIntyre, take a look at our current vacancies: https://www.macintyrecharity.org/careers/current-vacancies/
