Maria returns to Middlesbrough

Maria Hutchinson first started her teaching career at St. Richard’s RC Primary School in Woodlands Road, Middlesbrough. Over thirty years later, St. Richard’s school is no longer there, but Maria has returned to study part-time in the same area, at the University of Teesside. She has now achieved a Post-Graduate Certificate (PgCert) in Professional Studies in Education (Foundation Stage), delivered by the University’s INSET Unit.

INSET (In-Service Education of Teachers and Support Staff), offers the opportunity for continuous professional development through part-time study to both qualified and practising teachers and support staff in schools and other educational settings.

Mother-of-two Maria, 52, from Darlington, works as a reception teacher (four to five year old children) at Holy Family Primary School in Cockerton, Darlington. She said: “My first interview with the then Middlesbrough Education Authority in 1972 was in a building off Woodlands Road, which now actually belongs to the University. The whole area of the old Polytechnic is very different, and the campus really impressive.”

Maria decided to enrol on the PgCert after hearing positive recommendations from the School’s local education adviser. She said: “Every foundation teacher (nursery and reception) should go on this course, it gives you everything you need and deals with every aspect of the foundation stage. I’ve recommended it to my teaching practice student from last year, and she’s going to enrol. The course is very practically based, for example the importance of play and home-school links are explored, and its leader, Carole Goodchild, is enthusiastic and brilliant.

“Now I’m going to use what I’ve learned from the course to change the way I set out my classroom. For the first time I’ve also had the opportunity to share practice and ideas, as we visited other schools and saw some lovely ideas. As a group of students we got on really well, everyone was supportive.”

The PgCert was Maria’s first lengthy course since qualifying as a teacher, and taught on Tuesday evenings. She added: “I’d done lots of short professional courses but hadn’t written an essay since I was 21. I consulted my youngest son, Andrew, who’s in the final year at Brighton University about writing a bibliography for my first essay, but he has an entirely different approach to essays! I also spent several Sunday mornings in the University’s Learning Resource Centre, the staff there are very helpful.

“It was nice for my class to know I was going off to study, that education doesn’t stop for adults and we’re still prepared to study. Combining the course with teaching wasn’t easy, and all of my assignments had to be completed in the school holidays. But I’m really pleased to have completed it and will definitely be going to my graduation at Middlesbrough Town Hall.”

For more details on INSET courses at the University of Teesside please call 01642 384019 or 384086 or check the University of Teesside’s web site at www.tees.ac.uk

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