Claire is PCET Networks FE Champion this month!

FE CHAMPIONS NOVEMBER 2006

Claire Lovatt

Biography

Claire has spent most of her working life, after leaving polytechnic, in administrative roles, but after a long career break, to have her two children, she decided to retrain and work in adult education.

She has been a sessional tutor for just over three years. She originally started out teaching literacy to basic skills students, but has since branched out into other subject areas.

She still teaches literacy at an adult education centre in Sutton, but she also teaches ESOL and a Preparation For Work course at a local prison.

Interview

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

Claire:Adult education has quite specific features in comparison with teaching children.  The most important of which I feel is the fact that all adults have skills and experiences that they can bring to a class.  On the whole adult learners are there because they want to be and their motivation therefore, tends to be higher.  I have myself discovered that the end of school does not mean the end of education, it is a lifelong process and applicable at all levels.  I have found the teaching I have been involved with so far extremely rewarding and find that I am still learning about teaching myself.

PCET Network: How did you become an FE Tutor?

Claire:      I started off on a City & Guilds 9281 course (Initial Certificate in Teaching Basic Skills – Literacy) in 2002.  I had to, as part of the course, volunteer in a class for six weeks.  After this time I carried on volunteering for a further year and am now the permanent tutor for this session.  After the 9281 I took the City & Guilds 7307 –Stage 1 Teacher Training Certificate and then the 7407 – Stage 2 - Teacher Training Certificate. I have also taken the C&G 9485 Literacy Specialist Subject Certificate.  In September I plan to take my Cert Ed.  So no rest for the wicked – but it is a gradual process!!

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

Claire:      Whilst we are told that the key to a successful lesson is preparation, even the best prepared lessons sometimes go wrong.  Take it in your stride and learn from the experience, not every lesson goes how you would like it to.  Adult learners lead busy lives and it might just be that what is going on outside the classroom is having an effect on their performance inside.  It might not be your planning at all.    

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

Claire:    If the subject allows, go in and see how a course is taught.  In the case of Essential Skills, you may be able to volunteer in a class to see if it is for you.  Also talk to as many FE tutors as you can.  Remember different areas of adult education work in different ways and may deal with a different clientele.  Working in prison education is very different to working with adult learners in a college where there are a large percentage of over 45’s!! 
Be prepared for a lot of hard work – it is not an easy job, and you need to be willing to put in the additional hours for preparation and paperwork.  Also, don’t forget you will be expected to attend staff meetings and further training on a regular basis.

When Claire has time, she likes to make the effort to keep fit at the gym and she also enjoys spending time making her garden look less like a jungle. Although she is taking a break from it at the moment, she does enjoy pottery. Claire stated “I also run the usual taxi service for my children, ferrying them from one activity to another – of course they have a better social life than me!!”

PCET Network is pleased to introduce Claire Lovatt as the PCET Network FE Champion for November 2006.

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.