Charlie’s background has mostly been in some form of education having completed a degree in Early Years, an MA in Education, working in family support settings, teaching in Primary Schools, running her own childcare business, FE lecturing, HE lecturing and Teacher Training. Charlie’s Masters dissertation specifically focussed on the use of feedback by ITE trainees and how this could be approached effectively to support progression. Much of her research has been incorporated within practice and shared amongst staff she supports. Charlie has participated in numerous college and ITE Ofsted inspections during her teaching career, with the ITE and whole college inspection at Suffolk New College have been awarded as Good most recently, which has provided her with valuable experiences each time.
Charlie enjoys designing and creating workshops, programmes, and innovations within the ITE curriculum. Some of her recent workshops have focused on topics of social justice and Education for sustainable development (ESD). “Dialogic teaching for social justice” explored the use of dialogue and facilitation whilst discussing topical issues such as historical prejudice, It’s never ok campaign and LGBTQ+ rights. Topics relevant to young learners and the society we live in, and something practitioners have an opportunity to have a positive impact with. Within the sessions trainees discussed how to appropriately call in and out of conversations with learners, how to challenge and manage their own views, and how to nurture young people's attitudes towards topical issues through dialogue.
Most recently Charlie has been completing a Green Skills project and co-ordinating 30 members of staff’s individual projects investigating topics of sustainability and consideration of how to embed ESD more so into curriculum areas. Through her own research, Charlie is developing tools and resources that enable practitioners to evaluate individual values and views on sustainability first to understand how this underpins their pedagogy and practice.
Charlie strives to see potential growth in every learner, trainee or member of staff with a strong ethos that we should all have equality of opportunity. She aims to embed and role model societal ethics and values through all elements of her professional practice. The biggest reward Charlie receives from Initial Teacher Education provision is seeing trainees grow in confidence and skills, knowing that she has positively contributed to their journey into teaching.