Making the transition into teaching;
Charlotte Hand
What did you do before training to teach?
I was a client relationship manager. This was a strategic sales role working with blue chip make up companies designing cosmetic point of sale displays.
What inspired you to get into teaching?
My inspiration started many years ago from my own teachers but I felt I wasn't ready to teach directly after university. I also want to show students that learning a language can open up many opportunities. As I move into teaching, I think that a lot of skills learned from my previous career will be useful in the classroom. For example, I had to present new design concepts to international clients and sometimes I would need to present in more than one way to make sure that the idea was understood. I also led a cross-functional team which required a level of self-confidence and interpersonal skills in order to drive the team forward. My experience of corporate work history prior to teaching will allow me to say with conviction that additional language skills are valid and important in the 'real world' and will make it easier to respond to the question, "What's the point?".
As you move into teaching, what are you most excited about?
I am hoping I can show students that it's exciting to learn German and that there are many opportunities out there, and not just being a linguist.
Where do you see your career in five years' time?
I would like to see myself as an established excellent German teacher, teaching up to A level standard.