“It’s the whole village:” Primary trainee Benjamin Brundle on the importance of building relationships

Benjamin spent nearly 20 years in broadcast media. He studied photography,

achieved a Master of Arts in Film, worked in London, spent time at a small TV station

in the Cook Islands, then worked for some of New Zealand’s bigger broadcasters.

But as he progressed, the work he was doing became more administrative than

creative, and he started to want something more satisfying. It didn’t take him long to

land on teaching.

“I didn’t realise until I got into teaching how much of my skills were actually

transferable.”

Now training to be a Primary school teacher, Benjamin is working in a Year 3-4 class

in his home school in Auckland. He started in January at the beginning of the year

and is school-based for the academic year, interspersed with block courses and

workshops at The Teachers’ Institute in Parnell.

For Benjamin, the home school placement has been the best part of the course.

“You begin the school year on the same journey as the students and teachers,

getting to know your students, following the same path. It’s not just about planning

lessons and logistics and structure, although that is important. It's actually about

relationship building. Being part of the team. I’m part of the middle school. That’s

what I've enjoyed most.”

In line with The Teachers’ Institute apprenticeship-style training programme, trainee’s

gradually take on more responsibility for students and classroom as the year

progresses. For Benjamin, Term 1 was mostly about observing, and then starting to

support learners in the classroom. By term three he was teaching whole lesson

sequences and full days, often planning for the wider team.

Benjamin’s mentor (all TTI trainees are allocated a mentor to work alongside for the

year) is in a leadership position, providing another element to his training.

“It’s been more than just me going to them for information. I'm also able to see them

in action interacting with the other team members. With their guidance throughout

the year, I feel like I'm not just a student teacher, but a member of the team,” he

explains.

Benjamin looked at other courses before choosing TTI but, he says, he’d reached an

age and stage where he knew himself well enough to know he learns best through

practical, hands-on doing.

“With The Teachers’ Institute, you’re actually physically going to a building. You can

get support from staff face to face, and talk things through with other students on the

course. If you had to resolve something, you could talk to a real-life person.”

As he prepares to take on his new career, what does he think are the attributes of an

incredible teacher?

The ability to listen, empathise and stand in another person’s shoes, he says. But

above all, incredible teachers build strong relationships.

“You have to do that with your students. Not just certain students, all of them. And

with your team members. Because it’s not just about being a teacher in a classroom.

It’s the whole village that surrounds that – team members, leadership, parents. You

need to have those relationships.”

Benjamin is training to be a Primary school teacher at The Teachers’ Institute.

Learn more about training to become a teacher with TTI.