Initial Teacher Training Tutor

I think it’s important to see education from different roles — it’s not just about going straight into the classroom. I started out as an LSA, a Learning Support Assistant, in a mainstream school in North London that had a provision for students on the autistic spectrum. That hybrid role really shaped how I responded to students and helped me develop my questioning, especially when working with such a diverse range of learners. 

I’m Taryn Brown, and I’m an Initial Teacher Training Tutor — essentially, I teach teachers how to teach. I’ve been in this role for two to three years. I started while teaching English at City of Norwich School, where I was also an English subject expert. As I’ve got older, I’ve realised that one of my strengths is communication and breaking things down clearly. I think that comes from my background in team sports, where I moved from coaching in sport to coaching in a teaching sense. 

This role has really expanded my skill set. I haven’t been a middle leader or a head of department in a school, but this position has allowed me to help grow our partnership of schools and mirror many of those leadership skills. Amy and I have focused on building a diverse partnership of schools and making sure students have what they need — brilliant teachers. 

I work from home now, which is a brand new way of working for me after years in a school environment. When I’m not working from home, I’m out visiting schools, which I love. Every Thursday we deliver curriculum sessions at our base at Ormiston Venture Academy, so we’re still very involved in the school environment when working with trainees. I really enjoy the relationships we’re building with schools — all of us working collectively to develop great teachers.