(Equalitas) What is your background prior to joining Equalitas?

(CF) My degree is in Intelligent Systems, which is maths, Computing and Psychology; this led me directly to a career in secondary maths teaching. I spent eighteen years teaching students from year 7 up to further maths A-Level, with 9 years as a Head of Department. As Head of maths, my department was successful in increasing the number of students taking the subject at A-level, achieving consistently high grades. I have written and run masterclasses for the Royal Institution, and I’ve always been driven by the goal of increasing the popularity of maths in schools. More recently I co-founded a successful national maths and physics SCITT. Alongside this I completed a 2-year master’s degree in Teacher Education at the University of Oxford, which I really enjoyed. My dissertation was focussed on mentoring and the relationships between trainees, mentors and teacher educators.

What drew you to your role with Equalitas?

It is well documented that there has been a shortage of mathematics teachers in the UK and I strongly believe in education as a means of social justice. My role at Equalitas really ties those factors together. I genuinely find it interesting to work with trainees, learning about their motivations for getting into teaching. That is inspiring and motivating to me, as trainees bring new ideas and perspectives. Joining Equalitas provides an arena for me to use my skills in training aspiring teachers, while enjoying these aspects of ITT that are so rewarding. Equalitas is a well-established community of teacher educators, which I am really excited to be a member of.

What do you enjoy about educating the educators of the future?

A teacher should be reflective, stepping back and looking objectively at their work, with a view to continually improve their teaching. Educating teachers, specifically in maths, is important in ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity at school. Something I would like to challenge is when it seems to be socially acceptable for adults to say they either don’t like maths, or that they are rubbish at it. I think it would be a positive step to eradicate that in the future; this is something I talk to my trainees about. My goal is to educate my teachers to make their classroom a place where everyone feels happy to discuss ideas and volunteer answers, where it doesn’t matter if their answer isn’t correct first time.

What do you consider essential qualities in a good teacher?

Enjoyment is essential for a good teacher: they must enjoy their subject and enjoy working with their students. I strongly agree with Equalitas’ Curriculum Intent that intellectual curiosity is a vital quality in an educator. Alongside this, I would say that a high level of emotional intelligence is equally important.

Which areas of maths could be most challenging for trainee teachers?

Teaching maths for wider understanding is something trainees must grasp from the start. While there can be value to teaching parts of maths as algorithms and rules, it is more important to appreciate the fundamental underlying concepts. Strong subject knowledge is key. The challenge is understanding the pedagogy of maths and then teaching it in a way that gives students a deeper grasp, rather than just rehearsed algorithms.

How did your own teachers inspire you?

The teachers who inspired me were those who really took an interest in our success as their students. Students respond positively when a teacher takes a genuine interest in their work and is pleased when they do well.