Syma Khan

Early Years

Why did you decide to become a teacher?

'I wanted to enter a career where no day would ever be the same and I could work in and for the community, whilst having a great time. Teaching is the combination of all these things. Volunteering in different schools while at uni sparked off my interest in getting into teaching and this was confirmed when I got the opportunity to teach in a school abroad. When teaching at the school I got the chance to see how rewarding and fulfilling helping children to understand and develop can be. I realised that as a teacher you are not only aiding children to develop mentally but also socially, emotionally and physically.'

Why did you choose Cambridge to do your PGCE?

'I want to give children a good foundation for learning and so I chose the Early Years course at Cambridge. What really attracted me to Cambridge was that this top ranking course provider wanted a mix of people from all backgrounds, who share an enthusiasm for teaching and learning.'

Have you changed career in order to do your teacher training?

'I studied Psychology for my undergrad degree, which I finished in 2004. I then took a year out before starting my PGCE. During that year I worked abroad in Karachi, Pakistan for three months. There I was a Case Worker intern in a school whose aim is to develop language and cognition in children with special needs. After that I worked in England for 4 months as a Room Leader in a nursery. The next step was doing a PGCE!'

Any brief comments about the PGCE so far?

'The course is well organised and the lecturers and tutors are very approachable. There is a good balance between time spent in schools and in the Faculty.'