Providing a personalised programme for each student's individual needs, helping them to fulfil their true potential.
Having taught English for the last fifteen years, across the full age and ability range, beginning with the demanding role of teaching English in a city comprehensive at Ousedale School, in Milton Keynes, you can be sure that you will be engaging the services of an experienced professional with an excellent track record.
As I entered teaching at the height of the first wave of the Literacy initiative, my training was thoroughly grounded in incorporating the NLS framework into my lesson planning. I also have experience in teaching Literacy as a discrete subject; delivering schemes of work designed to improve whole school literacy to KS3 pupils. I found this to be a particularly effective way of improving the progress of SEN students; as it not only applied different learning styles but focused on the specific and particular needs of students.
I believe that encouraging reading for pleasure does impact on pupils’ spelling and is recognised as a major factor in the drive for improving Literacy. As a member of the National Literacy Trust, I have also become interested in the recent research into ‘Talking for Writing’ and believe that developing spoken English is key to improving students’ writing skills.
Whilst at Ousesdale, I was promoted to Lead teacher for KS4 Literature and ICT Co-ordinator and had much success working with colleagues in developing the department in these particular areas. We worked as an effective team and together introduced and developed many new ways of using ICT in the classroom.
We live in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive market and I believe that I have a responsibility to ensure that all students in my care are exposed to a teacher that brings passion and enthusiasm to learning; teaching the skills to enable them to succeed in both the examination room and, ultimately, the ‘outside’ world. Developing independent learners with transferable skills; preparing confident, successful and responsible young people for life after education, is paramount.
I believe that effective learning and teaching is achieved through: clearly communicated learning intentions; thoughtfully planned and evaluated lessons, which employ a variety of dynamic teaching and learning techniques to take account of individual needs, and precise, focused assessment which can motivate and inform progress. For students to feel motivated to succeed, it is vital that they have a sense of control over their own learning and an understanding of how they can progress.
My teaching is characterised by a commitment to creating a stimulating but supportive learning environment in which all pupils feel motivated, challenged and in control of their learning. As a result, my pupils make excellent progress and my Value Added percentages, particularly with mixed ability and less able groups, have always remained high.