Meet Our Staff: Mrs Fox, English
Why did you decide to start teaching at the UTC?
I decided to work for the UTC as I wanted to incorporate my previous working background in manufacturing and UK and Export sales and marketing, alongside my teaching experience, in order to educate a fit for purpose workforce of the future.
What is it that interests you about your subject/area?
My subject area underpins every career imaginable, as I believe that we are not just teaching English, but also life skills, through a range of topics. We are very much moving away from simply teaching students how to read and write. We are focusing on teaching how to communicate, improve and thrive in a modern world, by implementing real world scenarios to help the students develop transferable skills needed for future workplaces.
How did you get into teaching?
I had never really planned to become a teacher in the past, as I previously worked at a large manufacturing multi-national company. During this role, I took a couple of days holiday to help out at my son’s primary school, in preparation for their end of year show. I worked with staff members at the school, including reception teachers, the deputy head and the SENDCo, where I helped the pupils, painted scenery, rehearsed lines and dance steps for the show. After this experience one of the staff members said to me, ‘If you do nothing else, you should teach’. I took their advice and here I am today!
What have you noticed since working at the UTC?
Since working at the UTC, I have noticed how different their approach is with the curriculum content, behaviour management and student engagement. Staff members are passionate about their subjects and enjoy engaging with students to help them learn.
What are your ambitions for your department/subject?
I believe that we can influence the students to engage with their learning experiences when teaching English, as we see the importance in developing their transferable skills. If we develop a more holistic approach to teaching skills that can be used in a variety of situations, then the students should engage more, as they are doing something that they need for their future careers.
What kind of projects do the students work on in your subject?
I believe cross-curricular projects are the way forward. For example, a project that students could work on could be to pretend they are a journalist covering international issues that include demographics and statistics. Another example is the students could act as a Marketing Manager who has to create a marketing pitch covering the growth of a particular product or service. I think these types of projects would encourage the students to learn more and their understanding would develop quicker.
What do you think are the strengths of a UTC?
I believe the UTC has many strengths, including the curriculum on offer, the wealth and calibre of our sponsors and the breadth of expertise that the staff have. UTC Derby is unique and encourages students to learn in a subject they are passionate about.
Why should students come to the UTC?
Come to the UTC if you wanted to be treated as a student not a number. UTC Derby encourages students to be challenged and educationally stimulated. Students will experience life-long learning in partnership with real life careers. Our UTC is ‘big enough to count, small enough to care.’