Consulting & Coaching
Courses & Consulting
1. Computing 4 small businesses
Qualifications: MSc and PhD (Data analysis/informatics)
Years Experience: Self-employed Coaching + Consultancy (2015 - 2019).
Self-employed tech consulting for small biz/sole trader.
I've worked with a number of small businesses to get together business administration systems which work for them.
This can involve configuring spreadsheets for all their accounts and sales needs, writing labour saving scripts, making a harmonious file system for managing the flow of a process and outputting all the tables and figures needed to track the business progress from design to tax/accounting stages, getting a business online, considering social media strategy and marketing materials, etc.
I am very flexible and interested in all control points in the process flow. I've found there are always
simplifications possible that can save hastles and make the work much more enjoyable.
I am good at seeing the bigger picture for the needs rather than being a purely details person. I'll tend to "back up " a little bit talk more around the issues and hopefully that way settle on something decent.
I try to also take into account things, such as "cognitive style" (owing to time spent as a teacher, and, getting to grips with my own styles) , which might be ignored - but makes a huge difference if deciding what kind of flow of work is going to work.
2. Course & resource prep/planning.
Qualifications:
P.G.C.E, Q.T.S (2ary Maths Ed).
Years Experience:
Three years secondary teaching (state 11-18 and sixth form)
Adult Education
I've delivered online and face to face tuition for software (and also just "how to relax better for work") for various. This was a great way to learn more about business financials with individuals from places as far flung as USA and Australia.
I've helped out in preparing presentations which are heavy on statistics and charts and where professionals are not feeling steady on their feet. I like getting to know the true character aswell as the student as it can lead to feeling more relaxed for picking up the material if there is decent rapport. I'm quite good at "talking in your style" and making things seem pretty natural or finding a good work around: if a Method A does not work for you then find a Method B.
16-18 courses (past experience)
I enjoyed teaching teenagers - they have lots of "spark" and creativity and can be very funny. I think it is a shame though that so much is "teaching to the test" and not allowing either teachers or pupils more freedom in between so many rounds of examinations these days.
I spent 4 years in the 6th form system though, the first year training in two comprehensives, and then 3 years as a teacher at a sixth form college.
I have delivered G.C.S.E. resit courses. I've also delivered the AE (advanced extension) & STEP paper awards (the tricky ones some universities demand) - those problems are really hard but it was a great experience to have to understand them deeply enough to explain them.
With maths and electronics concepts found that teaching really made you think. And was discovering new ideas in stuff i had just "Taken for granted" during my own studies or raced through while doing exams earlier in life. That's one reason i did it too: Realised after first degree didn't really understand much. So went back to the start and for sure it did me good, helped to keep feet on the ground, and had a lot of good classroom dynamics and good results aswell.
Future ideas:
(1) I'm interested some day in looking into special styles such as music + other subjects for students in various groups: maybe towards autism spectrum, ADHD, behavioural issues, or self-esteem problems, aswell as general concentration, focus, and creativity tricks, in the time of so much social media and pressure to conform.
(2) Have chatted to teacher friends inc. London inner city about all sorts of things to do with modern schooling.
I believe kids should have the chance to be kids and not put through as much testing. And that teachers should have more support from central educational resources departments to help with lesson deliveries because responding "all at once" to modern world internet etc while juggling all the other teaching demands it's a lot to ask ; and also more freedom to vary their approaches (some time set aside for that maybe). So, might pick up some projects some day to do with that.
