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F EATURES FAMOUS T EACHERS www.teachwire.net | 49 with autism, deaf children, primary schools, secondary schools, colleges, universities and edtech companies. This has only been possible through the support of professionals in a variety of fields. Supporting transition A while ago I was lucky enough to attend a networking event about supporting pupil premium students which saw schools from across the midlands come together to share best practice. A common area of concern that kept coming up was the worry around disadvantaged Y6 students transitioning to secondary. Many teachers felt more could be done to ensure the most vulnerable and disadvantaged students had additional support. This inspired me to organise and deliver a series of workshops to support transition. I applied for an opportunity area grant and decided to focus my workshops around developing students’ digital skills through creating a podcast. I’ve always appreciated podcasts as a fantastic resource for learning and revision. Anyone with a recording app on their phone or tablet can create one. During the workshops, Y6 pupils were invited to visit their future secondary schools to plan, record and edit a podcast. This was done as a weekly extracurricular session over a four-week period, with prizes for the best ideas, hardest working and most technically skilled teams. One benefit of the sessions was that it allowed the most disadvantaged students to visit their secondary school more often and become more familiar with a potentially intimidating surrounding. It also allowed secondary pastoral leads to build an early rapport with these pupils. Relationships between the teachers at the primary and secondary schools involved also developed over the four-week period, and pupils got the chance to interact with new peers in a fun, non-threatening environment. Overall I was really pleased with the outcome. Shaping lives My main message to teachers, whether you’re a veteran educator or brand new to the classroom, is to never downplay the skills, talents and experiences that you bring to a situation, whether that’s in school, business or your personal life. I am so grateful to have been a part of a profession that has not only shaped the lives of the children I have taught, but influenced who I am today. It’s easy to get lost in the negative press associated with teaching, but take some time every now and then to think of all you’ve accomplished and give yourself a pat on the back. TP Baasit Siddiqui is a star of Channel 4’s Gogglebox and director of Siddiqui Education. @siddiquiedu siddiqui-education.co.uk