Reflections on the Level 5 Diploma in Teaching

Before starting the training, I felt both excited and uncertain. In my current role, an assessor qualification like CAVA is all that is formally required, so the Level 5 Diploma felt like a real chance to reflect on my teaching practice and improve. Conversations with my manager and teaching friends, along with my employer’s support, gave me confidence to believe I could succeed. I was determined to give it my best, though I worried about balancing the course with my work responsibilities.

Those doubts stemmed from being told I wasn’t academic at school. A belief I now know was linked to my dyslexia rather than ability. Today’s learning environment is more inclusive, but I still feared the written demands of the qualification. I also worried about remote delivery via Teams, as I had never studied outside a face-to-face setting and wasn’t sure how I would adapt.

As the course progressed, my initial uncertainty gave way to confidence and a real sense of achievement. The remote delivery, which I had worried about, worked better than expected. I could engage fully and access resources in a way that suited my learning style. The biggest change was how I viewed myself as a learner. I stopped focusing on not being ‘academic’ and began to recognise the strengths I bring, particularly practical experience and reflective thinking. The assignments were challenging but breaking them into manageable chunks helped me build confidence with each one completed. I even surprised myself with how well they turned out far better than I expected, which gave me a real boost in confidence. 

The biggest challenge for me was managing my dyslexia during the writing process. Being dyslexic makes writing more time-consuming, and balancing this with work and study was intense at times. My difficulty isn’t so much with reading, although I struggle to read from screens and often need printed copies. The real challenge is writing: my spelling is poor, and I often can’t visualise words. Even using Google doesn’t always give me the word I’m looking for. Because of this, I have a process that involves drafting and rewriting, sometimes three or more versions, before I feel satisfied. The first part of Assignment 1 was particularly hard because I hadn’t written anything like that in years. I remember thinking, what have I let myself in for? At one point, I shared a draft with a teacher friend, and their positive feedback on my ideas and concepts gave me the push I needed to believe, I can do this. Despite the frustration, I persevered perhaps out of sheer stubbornness and that became one of my achievements from completing the Level 5 DIT course.

The biggest improvement in my teaching has been how I reflect on and adapt my practice. Before starting the Level 5 Diploma, I taught instinctively, relying on my passion for carpentry, but I didn’t always stop to evaluate why I was doing things a certain way. The course has put teaching and learning centre stage and encouraged me to build my pedagogical knowledge. I now research more, watch tutorials, and listen to podcasts to deepen my understanding. I think and reflect more critically about my practice, its impact on learners, and how I can support or stretch and challenge them more effectively.

It’s also made me more innovative and intentional. I now plan with differentiation in mind and consider learner needs more closely. One example is creating digital content like instructional bitesize videos to support learning; something I would never have done before. This shift has helped me see teaching as dynamic and evolving, and I feel more equipped to meet learners where they are. The biggest gain for me has been discovering new ways of thinking and finding renewed motivation to keep improving. Most importantly, I developed a mindset of continuous improvement, always asking, how can I do this better? That mindset has helped me grow not just as a teacher, but as someone committed to lifelong learning.

By the end of the course, my feelings had changed completely. I felt proud of how far I had come and surprised myself not only with the quality, but also with the depth in writing my assignments and project work. What started as uncertainty turned into confidence and motivation. I discovered new ways of thinking and developed a mindset of continuous improvement, which gave me a renewed sense of purpose. Most importantly, I overcame the label of ‘not being academic,’ something that held me back for years, and proved to myself that I can succeed.

Teaching in a prison is different from working in an FE college, where I have previously taught. You are working in a secure environment with restrictions that shape how you deliver learning. As a vocational teacher, you must think outside of the box with resources and limitations. Unexpected things happen so you need to be flexible and ready to adapt. You learn to make the most of the time and resources you have.

What stands out most is the impact you can have. Many learners in prison haven’t had positive experiences with education, so when they develop a new skill, it’s a big deal. You’re not just teaching carpentry, you are helping build soft skills, confidence, routine, and a sense of achievement. That’s something I genuinely enjoy about my job.

And if you’re wondering, yes, I have always felt safe working in a prison environment, with no concerns at all. Unfortunately for my friends and family, I tend to lock them in rooms and cars, occupational hazard, I suppose!

One of the biggest challenges is access to technology and digital resources. Compared to what’s available to teachers in FE colleges, we have lagged behind. It’s only in the last few years that we’ve had full internet access and the ability to view videos on platforms like YouTube. I’m currently waiting to bring carpentry-related videos and digital content directly to my learners, something that would make a real difference to engagement and understanding.

Another challenge for vocational teachers is tools. Waiting for replacements or new equipment can take time due to the security processes involved, and that can affect the delivery of a qualification or course. 

You can plan a full session with clear objectives, but if there are regime changes, learners might not arrive, or you might lose valuable time especially when delivering short courses. That means you must be flexible and ready to adapt, sometimes on the spot. It’s not just about having a Plan B; it’s about having a mindset that accepts things won’t always go to plan.

Teaching in a prison setting calls for a unique mix of qualities. First and foremost, you need to be adaptable. Things can change quickly whether it’s the regime, learner attendance, or access to resources so being able to adjust your plans without losing momentum is essential. 
Patience is another key trait. Learners come with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, and some may take longer to engage or build trust.

Resilience is important too. You are working in a challenging environment, and not everything goes on to plan. But if you can stay focused and keep a sense of purpose, the rewards are worth it. Creativity also plays a big role, especially in vocational teaching, where you often must work around limitations with tools, materials, or technology.

Above all, you need empathy. Many learners haven’t had positive experiences with education, and your ability to connect with them, understand their barriers, and support their progress can make a real difference. If you can combine that with a sense of humor and a bit of grit, you will do well in this teaching role.

Looking back, there are definitely a few things I would do differently. When planning the project, I decided to try peer observations in another setting, and they turned out to be incredibly valuable. They reminded me that good teaching is universal, and I also got to see tools like the visualiser in action. My only regret? Not doing more of them.

Real life examples help me in teaching and with DIT assignments
When I began teaching in earnest, I often thought back to my own learning experiences in school and college what worked, what didn’t, and what I liked and used that to shape my own approach. That reflection helped me a lot when writing assignments. In a way, I was lucky to have teaching experience before starting the course. It made writing assignments easier than I expected because I could draw on real-life examples. 

One teacher I have always admired even though he never taught me directly, acted more like a facilitator. He wouldn’t talk for long, maybe ten minutes max, including introducing an activity. His focus was always on getting learners to do something. “Learners have to be doing and discovering, not just listening to the sound of my voice,” he used to say. That’s stuck with me and continues to influence how I teach.

In terms of managing the qualification, I focused on assignment work first, then worked on the portfolio in between. I treated the portfolio like NVQ evidence some of it generates itself from what you do day to day, and I found I could use a single piece of evidence in more than one section.

I have never been structured in my approach to academic courses until this one. I committed to 30 minutes every weekday reading, researching, maybe writing a paragraph and then a couple of hours on both Saturday and Sunday. Like I always say to my learners: what you put in is what you get out. What surprised me was that the Level 5 qualification didn’t feel like a burden, I never felt overwhelmed by it. Maybe the way I approached it made all the difference.

 
Photo by Chichi Onyekanne on Unsplash