Tell us a little about yourself.
I joined the University of Cumbria in 2017 and have enjoyed a few different roles since then. During my time as an assistant principal in a 5-form entry primary school in New York City, I found myself increasingly supporting and coaching our newly qualified and struggling teachers. I have a passion for enabling the newest members of our profession to be able to start their careers with the confidence, knowledge and skills they need to be able to support and educate our children. I trained to be a primary school teacher at St. Martin’s College and so coming back to the University of Cumbria as a lecturer has been an ambition of mine since being a student myself!
Let us know more about your industry/practice background.
Since I graduated from St. Martin’s University College in 2000, I have worked as a primary class teacher across a range of year groups, supported teachers in my role as key stage leader and lead two schools in my role as deputy head. Nine of those years were spent teaching and leading at Success Academy Charter schools where I was privileged to serve an amazing community of children and teachers in Harlem, New York City. In addition to this, I have worked as a teacher trainer and school leader consultant in The Gambia, Nigeria and Ghana through my involvement with Voluntary Services Overseas and Universal Learning Solutions. It is through these roles as coach, mentor and leader that I have transitioned away from educating children and into Higher Education (HE) where I facilitate the learning and development of our future teachers.
What research area do you specialise in?
I am currently completing my PhD in Higher Education: Research, Evaluation and enhancement at Lancaster University. My areas of study are widening participation in HE and in particular ITE. I am passionate about supporting the underserved students in our community and work across modules to embed a culture where teachers challenge disadvantage in our schools and universities.
I completed my master’s degree in education and international development at the Institute of Education, University College London. My dissertation focused on the impact of teaching early reading with children for whom English is not their first language.
What modules do you teach and what is your favourite part of these?
I teach and lead on modules focused on primary English and pedagogy. I am the module leader for the Inclusive Teaching and Learning Modules which is the spine of our undergraduate 3-year degree in primary education. We learn about inclusive approaches to learning that help all children overcome barriers to learning.
I also am part of the English ITE team, and we deliver a range of primary English modules that focus on spoken language, phonics, effective teaching of writing and supporting diverse learners in the English curriculum. Through my work as a tutor on the ITAP (Intensive Training and Practice) team, we have designed and facilitated intensive training weeks that take a deep dive into four different aspects of teaching. Through a combination of campus based and school-based experiences we support our students as they learn about behaviour management, adaptive teaching, assessment for learning and how to structure learning.
What makes your course different?
Our UG and PG Initial Teacher Education course team consists of passionate educators with a wealth of experience in primary education. We are all specialists and bring a variety of experiences that we bring into our teaching in HE. I am also actively involved in schools through my work on placements and so I am up to date with the challenges and opportunities that occur in today’s classrooms. Our course offers different specialisms but also equips all students to be prepared for the world of teaching. All of our students are students on SEND and this is a real strength of our inclusive approach to teaching and learning.
What advice would you give to students considering studying on this course?
Go into a local primary school and do some volunteer work. Get some experience of what it is like to be a teacher and see if you love it! Teaching is a tough job but a hugely rewarding one. Our students who have spent some time in classrooms before starting the course start with their eyes open and can use that experience in the first few weeks of the course before the placement begins.
What’s your favourite thing about teaching at Cumbria?
The staff and the students. I love working with my Initial Teacher Education Team – they are a hard-working, intelligent bunch who are passionate about the role of education and the difference it can make to young people’s lives. Our students are amazing. It is a real privilege to work with them and help them on this first part of their journey to becoming a teacher.
And, finally...
Can you tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
I love signing myself up for races. I love to run and have run the New York City and London marathons. I often take part in fell races in the lake district too. I am not fast, but I have stamina and can knock out the miles! Running is where I do my best thinking and I often plan great sessions or generate ideas for research whilst out on a long run.