Experiencing teaching from new angles
Once a Trinity student himself, Mr Jon Saunders has returned to the School within the cohort for the 2024 Internship Program.
After 12 years in corporate strategy within the Financial Services industry, Mr Saunders, was looking to make a switch in his career. Citing teaching as something he has “always wanted to do”, it was a natural choice for his next chapter.
For Mr Saunders, the Trinity Internship Program has given him an opportunity to not just transition from one career to another, but to blend the skills and expertise he has acquired through his career so far with the theory and knowledge he’s building as he undertakes his Masters and putting it all into practice in a new environment, working with students as an Economics teacher.
Like many people who did not immediately pursue a teaching career post-school, Mr Saunders’ experience of school life – and of life at Trinity in particular – has primarily been as a student. He says that the internship has given him an opportunity to “see the flipside” and understand the intricacies of how teachers are able to support students in their learning and growth.
“Being a part of Trinity has made me realise that for the student, there is so much more than just learning in the classroom,” he says. “Being involved in Co-curricular, being involved in Chapel, in Assembly, seeing what they need to do from their other subjects. It gives you a really unique insight into just what it takes to develop a well-rounded student.
“You do gain so much more as a teacher by understanding that because you get to actually see what the boys are going through and developing relationships is so key to effective teaching and for effective learning for the boys. To actually understand what they’re going through and to also be involved in that yourself, develops a unique dynamic both within and outside of the classroom.”
“The actual Internship itself allows you to actually put into practice what you’re learning, and by practice I mean you get to trial new things, you get to adjust and adapt and you actually get to see all of this research that you’re doing, all of the learning … what it actually means. Why are you doing it? And you get to put that into context within your own learning.”
Not just about putting theory into practice, Mr Saunders says that being given so much responsibility has been a defining feature of the Internship program.
“At the moment, I have my own two classes on top of the [Internship] Program, so there’s a lot of trust and a lot of responsibility, which really allows you to become embedded in the framework of the School, developing those relationships with the boys that are just so critical to effective teaching.”
Through it all, he says that the support has underpinned his experience.
“The support’s been fabulous,” Mr Saunders says. “Everyone from the Headmaster through to the staff within my staffroom and to the boys themselves. Everyone embraces you as an intern and they understand that you are here to learn – just as they are as well.”
