Courtesy of Seth Dyrli

Study Abroad

Learning to Teach in a New City

An unexpected internship becomes a rewarding experience for a BU Wheelock junior studying abroad  

I have been studying abroad in London this semester, and as part of my semester abroad, I have had the privilege of interning with Inspire EBP, or Education Business Partnership. At first, I was admittedly nervous about my placement—I didn’t know anything about the working life in the UK, and the initial description felt outside of my career goals of becoming a secondary math educator. 

Inspire EBP is a nonprofit organization, and although I knew it was youth-focused, I had been really hoping to work in a school system. Still, I decided to stick it out and trust the placement my wonderful advising team found for me, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Because Inspire aims to provide age-appropriate careers education across school districts in East London, interning with them has given me the chance to learn and practice my teaching and administrative skills across school districts, subjects, and age levels.

So far, I have written a week-long lesson plan to teach primary students about financial professions (which, as both a camp counselor and a math fan, I loved), I’ve corresponded with school administrations and teachers alike, and, my favorite part of all, I’ve gone “on delivery,” where I lead workshops, taught lessons, and accompanied field trips for primary, secondary, and additional needs students. 

I had never imagined that working with a business-focused non-profit would allow me to teach several times a week, but the experience has been so fulfilling and encouraging. I have a long-term goal of working in educational administration, so this exposure to so many different types of schools and school systems has turned out to be an invaluable experience. 

With all of that said, this semester has been so much more than resume building and coursework. I’ve explored countless cities, countries, and side streets, always with a camera and a new food in hand. I’ve seen mountains, cliffs, and gardens, as well as markets, skyscrapers, and ruins, and I could not recommend taking this chance to see the world any more.