As a Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education, I have for many years been involved in English Education, including teaching English in schools in London as Head of Department and Faculty. I was an English Professional Officer at SCAA/QCA and part of a team developing both the national curriculum and assessment materials. Before that I was a Lecturer at the OU and developed the English online PGCE.
Currently, at the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education, I am responsible for developing and co-ordinating a blended learning MEd as well as co-ordinating PPD, and I am interested in the ways in which teachers develop and enhance their own professionalism and knowledge through research. To this end, I run a teacher research network, and am co-ordinator of the Practitioner Research BERA SIG and am research director of the BERA SIG on English teaching where we are exploring aspects of English teaching across the UK. I also work with projects in China and India looking at teaching in schools, so have an interest in international education.
I believe that education is about realising potential and that effective teaching recognises and enables the possibilities of all learners to engage with and develop ideas and ways of thinking which are informed and rewarding. Building professional relationships is central to that, whatever the medium of teaching, and working with adults is thus particularly rewarding in developing shared active and innovative teaching and learning.