Inspirational Teacher Interviews – At Did Teach, we love hearing about teachers’ lived experiences, from the classroom to their new ventures.

We are always learning and adapting and these new blogs aim to inspire and give direction.

We caught up with former teacher Sammy White from WhatTheTrigMath, read about her journey here:

 

What’s Your Background In Teaching?

I began in secondary and moved to alternative provisions and tutoring in a multi-academy trust. I then moved into general Further Education (FE). FE is a great setting with more flexibility than school and teachers of maths and English are in particular high demand. Pay is not MPS always but the flexibility helped me stay in teaching longer than I had stayed in secondary.

Why Did You Decide To Embark On A New Career?

I love teaching. Love it! I don’t love all the extra bits. I’m not a fan of the stress and as much as the love in the classroom helps it only powers you so far. I began to explore EdTech in my role and realised I loved working with that more than being in the classroom full time. 

Where Did The Idea Of Your Business Come From? What Is The USP?

I left teaching to be self employed as an EdTech consultant. Running my own training events on YouTube and Eventbrite as well as contracting to EdTech training providers. I found I was earning the same amount of money over less days and had more creative freedom. Yet I had huge risk and had to be way more flexible on timings of my day. Clients who wanted to meet on Wednesday meant that even if I had planned Wednesday to be a parenting day with my toddler I would have to juggle in whole new ways.

How Have Your Teaching Skills Helped You?

I am now a Teaching and Learning Specialist at a large global EdTech company. My role involves me creating content that connects well with teachers. My teaching skills are in use every day. I get involved in all sorts of work from events to sales pitches through to product changes. My role is to thread teaching and learning throughout the journey of the products ensuring we deliver the best possible products that teachers and students need.

What New Skills Have You Developed?

I have learnt so much about product innovation, design sprints and more. Not to mention working globally with international colleagues and customers.

What Do You Relish About Your New Role?

No day is the same. Today started in Australia talking about how our tools can help universities. It ended in the USA with the product team talking about developments happening in the tools. In the middle I spoke to a sales partner in South Africa about how they could help sell our tools and I helped plan an event with our UK marketing team as well. Tomorrow I will be speaking to a customer about our tools directly offering teaching and learning ideas to use our tools.

What Are Your 3 Top Pieces Of Advice For Someone Wanting To Do Something Similar?

• Connect with communities in your field of expertise. Who can help connect you to opportunities? How can you access the market?
• Be bold, brave and active on social media to share what you offer.
• Talk to companies you would like to work with and ask what roles your skills would be suitable for. If you don’t ask you don’t get!

Sammy White

Former Maths Teacher from Schools, FE & alt provisions and now Teaching and Learning Specialist at Texthelp

You can follow Sammy on Twitter @WhatTheTrigMath

Great EdTech roles can be found on our Job Board

Thank you Sammy for contributing to our Teacher Interviews, if you would like to write for us, we are always looking for stories to inspire teachers: Write for Did Teach