Sue is PCET Networks FE Champion this month!

FE CHAMPIONS FEBRUARY 2007

Sue Price

Career History

Deputy Education Manager at a Surrey based Cat C Prison.  I am employed by NESCOT who are contracted to OLASS to provide education for the prison services.  My position is 50% teaching, 50% managing.  I am head of IT and teach mainly CLAIT, CLAIT Plus and an Introduction to IT class.  My career history is varied.  Previous role was as an Operations Manager for Egton Medical Information Systems, a software house supplying 65% of GPs surgeries with a database for their clinical information.  My role was training a portfolio of surgeries on this software.  With numerous roles in between I started my career as a Medical Secretary in Westminster Hospital in 1975.

Interview

PCET Network: What do you enjoy most about teaching adult learners?

I enjoy giving adult learners the confidence to learn and pride in themselves when they achieve.

PCET Network: Do you have any good advice that you wish to share with other FE Tutors?

Its important to realise that aggressiveness or resistance when adults first return to education is nearly always a defence mechanism hiding insecurity and fear of the unknown!

PCET Network: How did you become an FE Tutor?

After bringing up my family and undertaking part-time secretarial/administrative roles I began to realise that the experience of bringing up my family had given me the confidence and patience to teach others.  When I gave up work to have my family IT was only just being introduced to offices and I kept up with its progress as a hobby.  I realised that I was able to impart my knowledge to other adults and that there was the opportunities available for me to do this.  I decided to do a JEB Teaching Diploma at night school and gradually took on evening casual tutoring jobs which I enjoyed very much.  When the opportunity to teach adults full time came up I jumped at the chance.

PCET Network:What would you say to someone that is thinking about becoming an FE Tutor?

It is very rewarding.  Students attend classes because they want to and they are often doing it because they failed to achieve when younger.  It really gives you a buzz when you help students to achieve.

PCET Network: Do you have any interesting hobbies or pastimes?

I swim early mornings, play badminton once a week, enjoy cooking, am currently doing a BA part time but nothing particularly different!

PCET Network is pleased to introduce Sue Price as the PCET Network FE Champion for February 2007.

Note: If you feel that you, or a tutor that you know, deserves to be recognised as an FE Champion, then please submit their name and email address to info@pcet.net – quoting FE Champion in the subject field.