Teach in the UK – Marie’s Journey

Why did you decide to teach in the UK?

Since I was a teenager, I dreamed of travelling the world. When I completed my university degree, I actually wanted to take a gap year but was offered employment at a great school and didn’t want the opportunity to pass.

Ten years later, I have made the move and feel so grateful to have access to so many European holiday destinations that I can visit during midterm breaks while still getting work in the industry I love.

Moving abroad is daunting, but moving to the UK is less stressful as you can speak the language and many of the educational platforms are quite similar. This made the decision to move a lot easier.

What made you choose anzuk Education as your preferred agency?

It was difficult to know where to begin when finding work in a foreign country. I had heard a lot about anzuk through colleagues who had travelled and worked for them and a friend of mine mentioned that she would be moving to the UK and had heard positive things about their network.

The pay rates are substantial and the staff are very helpful and accommodating.

How did you find the transition and registration process with anzuk?

I really liked being able to meet with teachers who were also planning to move to the UK from Australia prior to jetting off to the UK through anzuk Melbourne. This gave me an opportunity to network, talk about anything that we may have been experiencing and form friendships before arriving.

I also loved how welcome the staff made me feel within days of arriving to the UK and felt supported with finding work, sporting clubs and friendships. anzuk made the process very easy and provided plenty of communication and support with developing resumes and completing the necessary paperwork for employment in the UK.

What are the biggest differences you have found between teaching in Australia and the UK?

This is a snapshot of what I felt when I arrived as seen on my blog –

Upon entering different classrooms, I have noticed many similarities and differences in the way we approach learning. The classrooms are resourced in a similar way; however lesson structure, planning and tasks differ significantly. In Australia, we are big on limiting the use of worksheets and paper and providing rich learning tasks that are hands-on or related to real-life. We use ICT daily to teach, collaborate and learn.

In the UK, it is worksheet city! Every task is photocopied and pasted into students’ books with related learning objectives (focus/intentions) and success criteria to ‘prove’ what you have taught and what students have learned.

That being said, there are things that I like and appreciate from both education systems. I feel like I am growing professionally being here. Ohh and did I mention they provide a cooked lunch, fruit and in some schools breakfast for everyone too!

What do you enjoy most about teaching and living in the UK?

I feel stimulated again. Back home, I would get up, go to work, eat, gym, sleep and repeat. I was in what some of us call a ‘rut’. Moving to London has opened up so many new opportunities, created friendships and allowed me to follow my passion to travel and see this incredible world we live in.

Teaching is a steady job with great holidays and I’ve been lucky enough to work with great people. I love kids and love that teaching is a skill and career that can be transferred anywhere in the world. I have enough money to live within my means while I live the life I had always imagined.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of moving to the UK to teach?

Do it. You will only ever regret the chances you didn’t take. It is a tough decision to make, to leave your comfort zone, but knowing anzuk have your back when it comes to work certainly helped make the move easier.

The rest just falls into place. You will make new friends, find a place to live, discover things about yourself and most importantly make priceless memories.

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – Saint Augustine