I’m doing a ‘Lucy Kellaway’ and training to teach

My news: I’m doing a ‘Lucy Kellaway’ and training to teach. For those who don’t know Lucy, she’s a well-known UK journalist who writes for the Financial Times. She’s retraining, although on a different scheme to me, to become a maths teacher, and has created something of a storm since she announced her plans in 2016.

I’m starting a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in September this year. I will be diversifying my skill set so I can be a librarian & a qualified secondary school (11-18 year olds) geography teacher.

I thought long & hard about what to call this post. Initial thoughts included the obvious George Bernard Shaw quote ‘He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches.’ (Man and Superman. 230. Education). But decided this was cliched. 

Why choose the Lucy Kellaway reference? Well, most of what Lucy has said about why she is becoming a teacher is similar to my reasoning. We’re just following different routes. 

We are of a similar age – in our 50’s- & both poster children for taking up teaching at a later stage: she’s poster child for Now Teach; while I’m a poster child for RGS-IBG – Royal Geographical Society – as a scholarship recipient. Career changers have lots of transferrable skills and experience to offer. I’m looking forward to the challenge of gaining new skills and utilising my information professional skills in a school setting.

Roll on September and the start of my course.