Welcome
Closing in on thirty years within education, working as a teacher, trainer and support staff, to students, adults and even career staff, on accomplishing thier goals and accomplishments.
Education has played a majopr part in my life, enabling me to learn from my childhood experiences, and transferring these, into the current education system, where ever I am. The establishment of postie educational environments, continues to be one of the greeatest challenges, providing studnets with the right support and techniques in which to suppor their own goals and achievements.
My educational development into teaching
In the basking heat, the green grass transformed from lucious green to burning brown pastures, as the scorching heat, dehydrated the plains of Zambias landscape flittering through the spring and summer season.
October 1995, two white Toyota trucks sped through the baking tarred roads, flying towards their destination, two young men in one, a jesuit priest in the other.
The landscape changed, from a small impoverished capital city of Lusaka, to the plain landscape of the Zambian wildlife. The scenary was breath taking, the feeling of anxiety and anticipation grew, but not all was to go as planned.
Mid journey, as both men followed their guardian, a sudden and abrupt pop occurred, the rear tire blew, the inexperience of the young driver, planting an anxious foot down on the brake, unpredicating what would be life changing for both.
The car following physics, undertook an acrobatic display, lifting it into a rolloing position, not once, or twice, but thrice, ending its entertainment with half the roof hammering onto a nearby rock, underneath, an unaware and inoccent participant.
The jesuit, viewing from a far, immediately took to return at great speed, undertaking a great challenge, to relieve the passengers of their blight and take one to the closest hopsital for urgent treatment.
Driving like a demon, with a condemend passenger in the rear of his truck, he drove like the wind
hitting high speeds and willingly offering penalties, on unpredictable roads, to ensure hopsital treatment was gotten to this man in time.
Monza was a bust, the deflated and fatigued doctor, unable to rise in time,the Jesuit, undertook the road again, as miraculously, in Mazabuka, found a fellow jesuit, with experience of head injuries, was able to provide the neceesary aid to save this young life.
The name of this young man, the passenger in the vehicle, who on his inaugural day, in Africa, was Francis. Yes, that's right, this was the commencement of my educational life,
After the accident, several days of comotozed and forgotten actions, I was freed from hospital, with a further few blistering hot days, which reached 52oC, spent moving back to Lusaka, where a flight home was provided, under a twelve seated bed and the assitance of a nun, who had never been to the U.K. What a chance she had!!
The screeching cries of ladies, mourning their families deaths, the unknowing future of my health and the dissappointment of not achieving my planned goals, were soon over as I retunred to the U.K. with a heart filled with sadness at what had occurred. This was not just a suffering for me, but also my colleague, the Jesuits who had cared for me, as well as those expecting me to arrive.
It was not long though, before I had gained greater strength and with that, was fighting to return, although maintianing headaches bore my daily routine for a year, it did not prevent me from developing the strength, desire and dependance to return, I had a goal to fulfill and it was my intention to complete it.
Several months later, and with both grit and determination, as well as being somewhat a pain, the chance to relive this venture, was awarded to me. On my return, having a few days in Lusaka, and then finally meeting my colleagues in the heart of Zambia, in a small community called Namwala, I truly began my educational life.
A year of teaching students English from ages 6 to 20 flew by. Over fifty students in some classes and even three times that, when it came to Physical Education (football, volleyball and netball), the year drove with blissfulness, adventure, romance and even personal educational experiences. The memories never surrendering, the thoughts of sitting under the magnitude of stars, shining in the bright clear skies of the outback, will never be obliterated from my mind. It was an experience that lives fulfilling and happily within my mind.
The returning to reality though, then took me on further educational and career learning journeys. Firstly, part time work, moving from post office sorting work, to waitering, to kitchen hands, even to dropping water down a toilet, it was all educational in one way or the others, prior to my move to the NHS. At the Royal National Orthopaedic Hopsital, Stanmore, empolyment was undertaken in the Medical Records Department, sorting files, collecting and delivering, as well as earning the responsibility and reliablity of senior and junior doctors, as well as nurses and other ward staff, further building some good friendships and connections, as well as training staff from all areas in certain computer programming situations and medical records requiremetns, prior to my departure.
This experience encouraged me to return to education and in 2010, with the positive support of family and teachers, I graduated from Middlesex University with a B.A. in Education & Religious Studies. What occurred then, took even me by surprise.
Struggles to find full time emplyment, working asa teachiner assistant in local schools both in north and south London, as well as some special needs, continuing pursuit of work was rewarded, and in 2011, stepping on a flight from London Heathrow, to Hong Kong and then Guangzhou, China, my teaching career truly took on shape.
Now, thritty years on, my life has seen many changes, challenges and developments occur, but it continues to be a challenge, as the educational environment changes, as do the students and their abilities and skills.
