Today’s novice teachers are joining the profession at a time when it’s facing huge challenges, from controversy – and negative depictions of teachers – around pay and conditions, to the pressures of Ofsted inspections, and how political and cultural events play out in the classroom.
“At Liverpool Hope it’s about focusing on how we build up their tenacity and resilience as they move into a profession that is really going to stretch them,” says Jo Evans, a senior professional tutor on the university’s secondary English PGCE course. ”We have to look for the positives and think about solution-based approaches. We want to focus on the idea of social justice and equitable educational opportunities for all learners.”
Despite the challenges, for these teaching graduates it’s ultimately a rewarding career, from the satisfaction that comes with helping children realise their potential to being challenged by new ideas from the young people themselves …
‘There’s no other job where you go from such highs to such lows’
Colin Hartley, year 7 teacher
Teaching, Colin Hartley readily admits, is not for the faint-hearted. He’s only been in the job full-time for several weeks, having completed his training at Liverpool Hope University earlier this year, and already feels like he’s seen it all.
He’s loved seeing year 7 pupils excitedly starting their secondary school journey, but has also had to deal with behaviour he describes as extremely challenging.
Yet for him that’s the beauty of teaching. “I believe there’s no other job where you go from such highs to such lows on a daily basis,” the business studies teacher says. “It’s the challenging aspect of the job that I really enjoy.”
For Hartley, who completed an undergraduate degree and PGCE at Liverpool Hope as a mature student, and grew up in the same deprived area of south Liverpool where he now teaches, there’s a sense of duty and purpose to the role.
“It’s giving the pupils the opportunities to access things they wouldn’t necessarily have access to at home,” he says. “To be a part of moulding the future of the next generation of the community is a big pull for me.”
And in a society where young people are often struggling as a result of inequality, he believes teachers can make all the difference. “Our job is to do what we can to make sure that when they come to school, the environment is a safe and happy one.
“Seeing young people who’ve really struggled in the past have really good outcomes makes the battles you go through worth it. Doing this job is the best decision I ever made.”
‘Sometimes the children help me learn’
David Fallon, secondary school teacher
It’s a sentiment echoed by David Fallon, who’s been teaching English in a secondary school for a year, having completed a PGCE at Liverpool Hope.
“I think teaching, especially English, can really help students see the bigger picture – whether it’s inspiring them to become writers, or encouraging them to read, or improving general knowledge,” he says. “It’s a force for good: it can really help shape the future path they take.”
For any teacher starting out, there’s the inevitable challenge of being a fresh face in the classroom. “Kids are always going to try and push it with someone new,” Fallon says.
He found his training at Hope invaluable in meeting that test head on: “They were really helpful in teaching us how to establish ourselves and giving us the best possible start to life in the classroom.
“They tell you to always use your classroom rules as a guide: what you expect from the kids, as well as what they can expect from you. The lecturers have years of expertise inside the classroom. I can’t speak highly enough of the support you get.”
What he finds most rewarding is seeing what his pupils write in their exercise books – whether that’s a whole essay or just one sentence – especially when they’ve developed their own interpretations of the subject matter. “I love it,” he says. “It doesn’t matter what the story is, it’s just hearing the kids’ ideas and seeing how they respond. Sometimes it’s almost like they help me learn, because their idea might be something that’s totally different to mine. And I think that’s the beauty of the subject.”
‘There are real opportunities for individuality’
Sir Christopher Stone, former head teacher and CEO of a multi-academy trust
Sir Christopher Stone trained as a teacher at Liverpool Hope 40 years ago, quickly rising through the ranks as a teacher, becoming a deputy head within a few years and then one of the youngest head teachers in the country. Later he was the global chief education officer for private school operator GEMS Education, and received a knighthood in 2013 in recognition of his outstanding service to education.
“It was just a very accepting place,” he remembers of Hope. “It didn’t matter that you were a little bit different. In fact, that was celebrated. And those things stuck with me.”
They were values that shaped him as a teacher, and later as a school leader, where he looked for teachers who were prepared to give more of themselves to pupils, just like the Liverpool Hope lecturers who would take students on field trips in their own time.
His career in education has taken Sir Christopher all over the world, and to encounters with high-profile figures such as Nelson Mandela, Ban Ki-moon, Bill Clinton, and several prime ministers. “All through teaching and education,” he says, “because all of those people recognise how important teaching is. It can save the world; it can make the world a better place.”
What’s the joy of teaching, for him? “Every day is a learning day. Children make you laugh so much. You’re a member of a team, and there are real opportunities for individuality as well.
“My friends from university all went on to become great teachers, and kind and thoughtful people, and they’re still giving back more than they’re taking out of society. And that came, I think, from being at Liverpool Hope.”
Explore Liverpool Hope University’s range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in teaching and education
