During Zak Munton’s (Year 3 BSc (Hons) PE and Sport student) secondary school placement he was invited to support and supervise a two-week summer term trip to Morocco for pupils aged 12-16. This was a fantastic opportunity for Zak which enabled him to develop his teaching related skills. It all came about because of the impact he had during his school placement – well done Zak!

Q: How did you get your opportunity to support the school with their extra-curricular trips?

During the second year of my Physical Education and Sport course I completed an eight-week placement at a local secondary school. I gained good relationships with members of staff at the school and during my time there I was invited on a school trip to Morocco, as a member of staff. The trip involved consisted of 17 students aged 12-16 years old. The second-year placement as part of my course was essential in helping me gain this opportunity because without having the chance to work at the school the staff would not have put their confidence in me to help with the trip and I’d never have had an amazing and surreal experience.

Q: What were you doing during your time there?

During the two week trip we were trekking in the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco, in and around the Berber village of Imlil. The time spent in the Berber villages consisted of experiencing life within the villages and witnessing a different way of life. This consisted of preparing dinner, fetching grass for the animals but also integrating ourselves into the culture. We also had an opportunity to help with a community project by building an irrigation system to promote the growth of food crops; a process which would take nearly six months because there were so few villagers able to complete this work. However, with the 20 of us helping it allowed the project to be months ahead of schedule. We made many friendships with the locals and their children: it was amazing to see that a language barrier cannot stop games such as ‘head, shoulders, knees and toes’ or ‘duck, duck, goose’ and other worldwide traditional games being played. Before leaving the Berber villages we had time to give out presents including one to a village of a football jersey, which had been donated by sponsors of the trip, and also had a game of football with village members at over 2500 ft. We also had the opportunity to experience the city of Marrakesh and spent time in and around the hectic souks, getting a taste of different foods and spices by dining at a range of different restaurants. At the end of the trip, we spent two days in Essaouira for time to relax and reflect on our time over the two weeks.

Q: What skills have you been able to develop as part of this experience?

This opportunity was something that was out of my usual comfort zone but I’m glad I experienced it as it has built my confidence as an aspiring teacher. It has also enabled me to understand that people are different and there are different ways to motivate students to keep the spirits within a group high. It has helped me develop as a leader by leading a small group of five students throughout the two-week trip and has made me a stronger person to be able to deal with what it takes to become a successful teacher.

Q: What challenges did you face?

I had to deal with a lot of emotions from the students on the trip. We had many ups and downs, and I had to deal with illnesses and injuries and exhaustion from the heat. I also had to look after myself and having to deal with altitude sickness during the five days trekking around the Berber villages. I had to demonstrate leadership and not let how I was feeling ‘show’, ensuring that my personality and attitude remained positive to get the students through the difficult terrain and exhausting heat, even though I was feeling terrible on the inside. The biggest challenge for me was being responsible for and leading a group of five students for the duration of the trip. This was a completely new role for me and my inexperience (and being in a different country) meant this was a daunting challenge. I’m so glad I took up this challenge though as it has helped me grow as a teacher and a person.

Q: What would you say are some of your key achievements during this experience?

A big achievement to take away from this experience is that I can be proud that I successfully helped lead a group of student around a foreign country and developed vital leadership and confidence attributes to help me grow as an aspiring teacher. A personal achievement to take from the trip would be that I had the opportunity to help others with the challenges they faced and help create a positive experience for the students. I knew I’d achieved this from thanks and praise from parents months after the trip had concluded: parents thanking me for my positivity and the reassurance provided to their children whilst on the trip. Parents commented that without me being there their child would have struggled at times and that I helped them remain positive on the trip. As a result of the trip the students have developed socially and personally; their kind words have made me feel incredibly proud. Another achievement would be stepping out of my comfort zone and learning about a totally different culture and way of life, an experience I wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t been given such a great opportunity and one I will be forever grateful for. To be trusted to take such an important role on a residential trip makes me proud and I will always be thankful to the staff at the school for making me feel welcome and giving me an eye-opening and rewarding trip to be part of.

Q: Sum up your experience in three words for us.

Intense. Rewarding. Unforgettable.