I’d rather be a comma, than a full stop....

Coldplay of course get credit for this wee beauty not me. Beware an Admin and IT post coming.

June 14, 2025

I LOVE teaching Admin and IT — but I know I’m in the minority. Whether you’re new to the classroom or a seasoned pro, there’s often a wee bit of fear when it comes to the subject. Yes, yes — spreadsheets and databases can feel like beasts to the uninitiated, but honestly, it’s all about practice. And that includes you, the teacher, getting stuck in and building your own confidence.

Cast your mind back with me — way back — to my first student placement. The very first thing I was asked to do? Check a bought-in Intermediate 1 Admin and IT prelim for errors. Cue: the look of horror on my face. I had joined the profession full of dreams of teaching Accounting — my school-day favourite — and here I was, elbow-deep in formatting marks and dodgy mail merges.

But here’s the thing: it was the best thing that could have happened. That hands-on trial by fire meant I was ready when I arrived at my probation school — one that delivered only Admin and IT. I had no choice but to get stuck in, and I quickly realised I knew far more than I gave myself credit for.

And now? I genuinely enjoy teaching Admin classes. There’s real joy in helping pupils master tools they’ll use forever. So don’t write the course off before giving it a fair shot. You might just fall in love with it too. Before long, you’ll spot the difference between a two-space-after-a-full-stop and a one-space-after-a-comma at a glance — and that, my friends, is your true sign of conversion.

What can you do to help yourself?

  1. Can you touch type? It’s not a prerequisite but it’s a bloody useful skill to have! It also makes for an excellent lesson starter. The young team may have excellent mobile typing skills but when it comes to keyboards - well, they need the practice. Some great sites out there to try - https://www.typingtest.com/

  2. Check out the Microsoft Educator programme and the Microsoft Learn platform - lots of short courses to help lift your skills and knowledge.

  3. Check out some of the courses offered by Build your Skill - https://buildyourskill.co.uk/

  4. Go on and try some of the past papers on the SQA website - all the necessary files are there too.

  5. Have a bit of fun with it! Some of the best introductions to spreadsheets have been with Pixel Art - https://youtu.be/HdKlxFIUvyg?si=o_GxCcNO4qTy5COr