My name is John and I am the owner/director of DTResources Ltd, I am also a full time Head of Department at a lovely school in Bolton.
I have thought to start a D&T Blog here for a while now, I'm going to try and write something every week and thought to 'kick off', I'd write a little on my background and the company I set up in 2016.
Getting into teaching
After finishing my GCSEs, I focussed on Science A-Levels and D&T. I actually loved D&T so much, I dropped an A-Level and used my gained free lessons to team teach Y7 & 8 lessons. I loved the subject so much I knew I wanted to teach others too.
I used to always think that to teach students D&T, and to have them as excited as I was to go to school that day for the lesson; well, it must be the dream job!
I am now 43 and am as excited about the subject now as I ever have been.
After finishing my A-Levels I went to Sheffield Hallam University to study a three year route into teaching that also gave qualified teacher status. The course was amaizing, as was the university and my course tutors.
Over the years, I have had the most amazing teachers and tutors:
(I thought it nice to list them as I have not forgotten the impact each one has had)
Mr Tracey and Joe Grieve for KS3 and GCSE.
Dave Milne and Mike English for A-Level.
Marilyn Kenny, Rowan Todd, Dave Mitchell and John Lee for my Degree.
I then got my first teaching job at just 21 years of age and am still loving what I do 22 years later. There is no doubt, the job is tough and some days I still like a new teacher, but being a D&T teacher was a real 'calling' and I can't think of another job I would rather do.
DTResources Ltd
The company was first set up in 2016, it pretty much happened by accident. One day I was supervising a student that was unable to go on a school trip to Alton Towers, no cover work was set for the student, so I decided to spend a day sketching a making with him.
We started with some sketching using vaious sketching aids and stencils, but the student couldn't work out which way to turn this particular stencil. We ditched the stencils and started with joining dots I'd placed on a page....the DTDOT® drawing stencil was born and marketable. It was from this point that a company needed to be formed and website built.
Nearly seven years on and DTResources has become the 'one stop' shop for many when it comes to buying stencils, components and CPD.
What's new for 2023?
CPD has always been a passion of mine and delivering high quality CPD to teachers is the current focus for the company.
Getting out of school for CPD is tough these days, costs are high and cover is either expensive or hard to find. Then there is the issue of setting work and coming back to finding your room wasn't quite as you left it!
Whilst eveing CPD isn't for everyone, it has been for the many (thank you!) who have joined me since the CPD provision started in October 2022.
So far, every single course has sold out. I guess that will happen if the price is low, seats available are low and the value is high. That simple business model will remain to provide fun and relevant CPD with minimal fuss and organisation on your part.
There are too many course ideas that are being worked on to make them all available this year.
Keep checking back if you are interested and sign up if a course seems right for you.
Thanks for reading the first blog from DTResources - John