Meet an Astra Trainee: Zara

Zara is currently a trainee on our Secondary MFL course with a specialism in Spanish.

Tell us a little about your journey to becoming a teacher...
I considered teaching as I was leaving university but hadn't felt ready to do it. Instead, I had a very rich career in advertising, working in account management in creative agencies and developing campaigns for brands including the BBC, Amex and MINI. After 15 years, I felt it was time for a change - I missed my languages, I missed working with young people...and the rest is history...

Why did you select Astra as your training provider?
The professional studies days being weekly and in person was a draw as well as the placement schools available. On the interview day, I felt Astra and my potential mentor would be great to train with and learn from. 

What have been the highlights of your training?
Watching a class develop, script and record their own telenovelas (mini dramas) - they were asked to deliver drama, and they did! More generally, being able to help bring my subject to life for young learners. 

What have been the challenges?
To begin with lesson planning does take a lot of time. I have a young family and the course does involve a lot of work. But planning does gradually get faster and any time put in, does help you move forward. 

Top advice for anyone considering teaching
Go and observe in a secondary or primary school. See what it is like in a classroom today and get a feel for what is taught for your subject. It's easy to organise through the Get Into Teaching website. Then apply to Astra if you enjoyed the observations!

You can meet more of our current trainees here.