Inspired to Educate: Val Morse's PGCE story
Val Morse is a PGCE student at Coleg Sir Gâr who returned to education later in life after dedicating her life to her family.
With two daughters and two sons, including one son with autism, Val made the decision to put her career on hold to become a full-time mum.
Just over three years ago, when her children were old enough, Val took a role at Coleg Elidyr as a learning support worker which is a similar role to a teaching assistant.
She excelled in her role and was soon working her way up to provide higher level support to learners.
With very supportive colleagues, she was encouraged to apply for a tutor position that came up at the college and she was successful in her interview and opted to study for a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) to support her teaching development.
Living in Llandovery, Val accesses the PGCE course remotely as well as face to face and says that the support she’s received from colleagues at Coleg Elidyr and tutors from Coleg Sir Gâr have been invaluable in her development.
Val Morse said: “Coleg Elidyr encourages professional development and so it was a useful opportunity to pursue a teaching qualification with the support of my colleagues, who have always been there for me when I’ve been lacking in self-belief.
“Going back to an academic environment and academic writing was challenging, as was being one of the more mature students on the course, but it didn’t matter, we all got on and brought our own different experiences.
“The support I’ve received from my tutors and peers has been amazing and I’ve felt very comfortable learning amongst them.
“My biggest challenge was when my husband had an accident and at that point, I really didn’t think I could carry on with the course.
“The Coleg Sir Gâr team were so supportive and made sure my wellbeing was paramount by checking in on me and offering support, they did everything they could to help me and they gave me university approved extensions on my work.
“I have worked really hard during this course but without this support, I know I would have defaulted and who knows if I would have returned to the course and I don’t even think this was above and beyond for this team, this is just something they do.”
In Val’s role as a skills tutor, staff are encouraged to bring something new to their practice, which has resulted in Val’s nickname of Professor Morse by her students. In her science sessions, which include biology and physics, she dons a white coat and uses engaging teaching methods such as exploding volcanoes with the help of Bob the skeleton.
Val Morse added: “In the first year of the course you learn to embed a lot of theory into your practice in the second year, there is a lot of reflective work on your own practice.
“Within our group, we share schemes of work which has been an invaluable insight for me to look at how my peers approach their teaching or training roles.
“You’re never too old to do something like this, embrace it and the support that comes with it, I had self-doubt, I wasn’t confident at the start but this year I hope to be enjoying my graduation ceremony.”
As part of a course project, Val is researching ARP and the impact of a total communication widget task list on learner engagement. As a result, this is also being trialled at Coleg Sir Gâr.
Sue Hope-Bell, deputy head of education for Elidyr Communities Trust said: “We’re proud to have supported Val on her PGCE journey through a strong partnership with Coleg Sir Gâr.
“By working together, we were able to ensure she had both the practical experience and academic guidance needed to gain her qualification.
“It’s a good example of how meaningful collaborations between colleges can support staff development and ultimately enrich learning experiences for students at any stage of their lives.”
Josh Fretwell, training manager for Elidyr Communities Trust added: “We have been working successfully with Coleg Sir Gâr since 2015, putting our education staff through the PGCE.
“This is an invaluable qualification for any aspiring tutor and we are really pleased that Val has been able to achieve her qualification after two solid years of hard work. Well done Val!”