Salim Zlatkov

My journey that has led me to BISW has been an interesting one. In 2009 I graduated from Roehampton University in London, where I majored in Psychology. I was particularly interested in educational psychology and initially volunteered at a primary school to gain experience working with children. Little did I know how much I would enjoy working in a school! Those few months changed my life and I decided to become a teaching assistant with a view to becoming a teacher the following year. The years add up thick and fast when you work in education and with that comes a wealth of experience and knowledge gained. The majority of my experience lies in Key Stage 2 but I have also been fortunate enough to teach a little in Key Stage 1 - a completely different ball game! I have been head of year and subject lead for many different subjects including geography, physical education and religious education. In 2017, I was fortunate enough to become an assistant headteacher which really highlighted what it takes and the important role that every staff member plays in the day-to-day running of a school. The teaching profession is often described as being relentless and stressful but despite this, I see teachers give it their all every single day. In my opinion, the pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to teaching children. Since qualifying as a teacher in 2011, I have seen children develop their skills in a wide variety of subjects and become good, intelligent human beings. It has been a rewarding journey and one that gives me a real purpose in life. It is lovely to know that I have shaped and molded some of the brains of the next generation!