Bea Groves

My bio'!

Transcript

1. /home/bea/Documents/T2C/Bea's Bio.odt Beatrix E. Groves BA Hons (Educ) LCGI MIFL QTLS I was born in 1956 in Longbenton, and have lived all my life on Tyneside. I came back into adult education in 1980 when I started taking courses with the WEA (Workers' Educational Association). Within a year or two I had been recruited as a WEA volunteer, and shortly afterwards was Secretary of Whitley Bay WEA Branch, helping with the organisation and planning of courses for adults. Thereafter I was Chair of Newcastle WEA Branch, and was taking part in WEA affairs both regionally and nationally. I first trained as a tutor in 1986, when I completed the C&G 730 Further Education Teachers Cert, and straight afterwards took the RSA Teachers' Cert in IT. I was also, at that point, part of the teaching team for North Tyneside College (now Tyne Met) C&G 730. Later this led to doing the Vocational Assessor's Award and a Licentiate with the City & Guilds (LCGI). By 1997 I had completed my Degree in FE with Sunderland University (with first-class honours). Throughout this time I spent my career teaching ICT, Teacher Education, Philosophy, Politics, Science, Music History and Gender Issues. I've worked almost continually as a contractual part-time teacher, and have been employed by most of the FE, ACL and HE organisations in the Tyneside area. I still work (occasionally) for the WEA. In 2000 I was one of the prize winners in the NIACE national Tutor Awards. In 1995 I was the founder (and thereafter the General Secretary) of the Association of Part-Time Tutors (APTT) – a voluntary organisation set up to support, advise and train part-time tutors and lecturers in the further and adult education sector. The APTT still exists, and runs its own pre-entry training system for brand new entrants to teaching. We also were very involved in Open College Network accreditation. I was the author of the very first course accredited by Open College in the North East. By 2009 I had joined the Institute for Learning (IfL), and stood for election as a member of the Institute's national Council. I was elected to Council that same year. I also applied for Qualified Teacher, Learning & Skills – and was awarded QTLS in 2010. When the elections for IfL President came along, I decoded to have a try for the job. Much to my surprise, I was successful The President's role has given me a very wide range of experience and insight into how the further education system works, and allowed to meet a great many IfL members around the country. It's been quite an amazing education! Bea Groves (September 2012) Bea Groves 16/09/2012 Page 1 of 1