Meet LJMU staff and students

Spotlight On

Matt McLain

Head of Secondary Programmes, School of Education

What route did you take to become a teacher educator?

1989 to 1992 - BA (Hons) Architectural Studies - Liverpool Polytechnic 1997 to 1998 - Postgraduate Certificate in Education – Secondary Design and Technology (11-18) - Edge Hill University 2001 to 2005 - Masters in Managing School Design and Technology - Sheffield Hallam University 2010 to 2011 - Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education – distinction - Liverpool John Moores University I graduated in the middle of the building recessions in the 1990s, and decided to take a gap year after my degree with a youth organisation. Following that I worked in a rehabilitation centre in South Wales for two years, where I was given the responsibility for coordinating the education programme. I returned to Liverpool to get married in 1995, where I worked with unemployed adults and disaffected young people before making the decision to train as a teacher of design and technology. As a teacher I became a subject leader after 4 years, during which time I started my Masters with Sheffield Hallam. I went on to become one of the first Lead Practitioners for the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and an Advance Skills Teacher, before moving to LJMU as a teacher educator after 11 years in schools. Before becoming Head of Secondary Programmes in 2014, I led the PGCE Design and Technology programme for 5 years

What’s the secret to your success?

Hard work! I was never the most academic student at school, or on my degree, but I have adopted a growth mindset and am currently working towards submitting for a PhD by Publication within the next 12 months. My architecture background helps me to apply systems and design thinking to programme development and leadership. In recent years, I have developed my resilience through outside interests including running and hillwalking, mindfulness, tai chi and qigong.

What advice would you give out to somebody starting in education?

To be an effective teacher, you need more that good subject knowledge; the ability to articulate knowledge and empathy with learners are essential. Loving your subject is important alongside a love of learning and promoting learning with young people. I wish that I had learnt to look after my health (physical and mental) earlier in my career, and would encourage beginning teachers to see developing personal and outside interests as being essential to being an effective professional and having a sustainable career. Avoid blame, either of yourself or others, look for other points of view and solutions to problems.

What makes LJMU different?

We are interested in individuals, and whilst we want the LJMU Teacher to be inquisitive, creative and reflective, each does it in different ways. We value self-reflection as a professional practice and want our trainees to see themselves as leaders in education with a social conscience and a wider perspective.

Tell us about LJMU’s plans for the next 12 months:

We are currently reviewing our secondary ITE programmes and are looking forward to launching the new PGCE and PGDE in September 2018. The new programmes will promote the skills and dispositions of the LJMU Teacher, and are being developed with input from trainees, staff and teachers in the LJMU Partnership. We are also expecting Ofsted this year and data on trainees’ outcomes over the past three years is promising, with progress in outcomes for mathematics trainees and challenges to continue to improve in science.

Spotlight On Hayley Gee,

Primary PGCE Alumni

Role/school

SENDCo/ Teacher, Hope School

Your education

I completed my GCSEs and A Levels at St John Bosco High school. I then completed my first degree at Liverpool John Moores. My undergraduate degree was in Education Studies and the early years. I completed my PGCE also at Liverpool John Moores. In my NQT year, I was asked to take over from the former SENDCo. The following year I completed my SENDCo qualification also at Liverpool John Moores in partnership with School Improvement Liverpool Ltd. I am currently looking into completing my Masters.

What route did you take to become a teacher?

I started work as a 1:1/TA at Hope Primary School and after a year and a half of working there they asked if I would like to complete my PGCE via the School Direct route.

What’s the secret to your success?

I have always had very good time management and was able to meet all deadlines as a TA as well as a teacher. Having good time management meant I could continue to be a full time teacher as well as the SENDCo in my current school. I feel if you are well prepared that is most of your job done. I also thrive from a challenge; it gives me motivation to keep pushing myself and when you try new things you love your job everyday as it is a different experience and so you don’t become bored.

What advice would you give out to somebody starting in education?

To ensure they work as a team. When in an educational setting, come out of your comfort zone and do wider roles and responsibilities e.g. offer to do assemblies, after school clubs etc.. All this experience will be valuable when you go for a job. Ensure you have excellent time management; education is a hard job and if you let things slip it can be hard to get back in control of things and this is when the job becomes very difficult. Know the children/young people you are working with will really help with planning lessons and building a positive professional relationship with them. Have a background of SEND; more and more children are coming through mainstream with SEND and teachers need to know how to support them in order for all pupils to be included. ENJOY IT, it’s a fantastic job.

What makes LJMU different?

I found LJMU was really supportive, especially in my postgraduate courses when I was working full time and studying. They understood that being a teacher and a student was hard and so spread out assignments so we had half terms to complete them. This was really helpful for me as not only was I a full time teacher, I was also the SENDCo, which is a job in its own at times. I would recommend LJMU to anyone looking at teaching especially the School Direct route.

Partnership Matters learns more about the School Director herself - Di Lloyd!

The Incredible Di Lloyd

Image from: https://en.wikipedia.org/w iki/Edna_Mode

Di began her teaching career in ICT, Business and Economics and soon became department head, and later, assistant head of enterprise before becoming a senior leader. She then worked for the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust in London before moving into the Department for Education, working on the 14-19 curriculum nationally. After completing her Master’s in Educational Leadership, she acquired a taste for academia, starting at LJMU in January 2010 teaching on the PGCE Secondary. She now teaches on LJMU’s Master’s in Educational Leadership and has run the Salaried School Direct programme since 2013 when the course was new and only had 8 students. Di is now responsible for 33 Primary and Secondary school teachers on the Salaried School Direct Programme.

Meet Former Detective Jayne Pumford

History graduate, Jayne Pumford, found a job in the anti-social behaviour arena after leaving university and this career path eventually took her into the police, which she says was ‘challenging but rewarding’. After working for Merseyside police for nearly 11 years in various roles, including armed response, Jayne decided to pursue her dream of being a secondary school History teacher.

The School Direct route was the obvious choice for Jayne, who has commitments such as a mortgage to pay so a PGDE just wasn’t an option. It’s tough, she says, but it balances well. ‘It’s invaluable to spend time teaching and learning quickly from your mistakes. Schools get a lot out of it, too’. She was quite surprised that the pupils didn’t even realise she was a student teacher! This gives you kudos, she thinks. It’s good for career changers and she reflects that she might have struggled if she’d have gone straight from university into teaching. She now has more insight and relishes the responsibility, of having a form group, for example. Being accountable is frightening sometimes but she loves having an input on a higher level and being trusted as a teacher with ownership of her own classes.

A different kind of data for Jess

Jess Holden did psychology at university then got a job as the data manager for a school. After a year, she moved into the school library and did a spot of mentoring as well. When a TA opportunity came up, she took it and is now on the Secondary Maths School Direct. It’s the first time her school has been involved in School Direct but they’re doing it again and have employed Jess for her NQT year! Jess has the head of department as her mentor as well as her university mentor and says this works well. Coming to I M Marsh on a Friday afternoon is easy enough and Di makes sure that what they’re doing is not overwhelming to add to school pressures. Overall, it’s been a positive experience and Di is key to this, always there, working with you.