New book follows the difficult journeys of student teachers

Student teachers at Edge Hill University are about to launch a book to inspire people from diverse or disadvantaged backgrounds to join the teaching profession.

I teach...is a collection of learning journeys written by Post Compulsory Education and Training (PCET) trainees, which will be available to purchase at a special event at the Institution on Monday 7^th June.

The students involved in the publication have had to overcome significant barriers along their learning journey and their writing conveys a passion to teach. Because of their own personal experiences, their words echo an understanding of the issues faced by other students who are socially disadvantaged or face particular difficulties in higher education.

Stories are interspersed with quotations from teachers and lecturers from a wide range of teaching environments and the idea behind it is to promote social inclusion and encourage people from a variety of different backgrounds to join the profession.

Vicky Duckworth, a Senior PCET Lecturer and course leader and who co-edited the book with trainee teacher Catherine Shiel, Bernard Sheridan and Craig Belling, said: "The book reflects the different journeys into teaching and shows people that you can overcome barriers to make it in the profession. The students featured have not always followed a conventional path but despite personal difficulties they have persevered in a competitive career field and I'm sure their words of encouragement will inspire others."

Already the book has an excellent review from Jonathan Tummons, an academic from Tee Side University, who said: "The stories and histories collected in this volume reflect the richness and variety that is to be found within the PCET sector. Perhaps the most striking theme to emerge is the sense of commitment to their profession, and to their own professional learning and education that the teachers in these stories embody. This book fulfils an important role, in allowing teachers from the PCET sector to talk about why they do what they do, and what it means for them, for their families, and for the students with whom they work. Reading this book is uplifting, and it deserves to be read widely."

All royalties from the sale of the book will go to the Helena Kennedy Foundation, which is a charity established to encourage social inclusion and widening participation in further and higher education by awarding bursaries to deserving students.

The event will be opened by Robert Smedley, Dean of Faculty of Education, at 12.30pm in room SPS001 Social and Psychological Science Building on the Ormskirk campus.

If you would like to come along, please email paul.hutchinson@edgehill.ac.uk or Russell.sugden@edgehill.ac.uk.