Saturday 30 October 2010

Returning from the UK

Yesterday I returned from my three-week visit to the UK.  These times are always tough on the heart and this was no exception. It's private stuff so I'm not going to elaborate here but I will tell you that feelings and events have caused me to re-think what comes after my next six months in Sri Lanka.  I've decided that I've got to go back to the UK, at least for a few years, before I do any more volunteering so far from home.

What I'll do work-wise is a bit up in the air. I'm attracted by the thought of getting a Post Graduate Certificate of Education or some such qualification which will allow me to go into formal teaching and give me classroom skills I feel I'm lacking.  I have a good BSc in Electronics and Computer Science and I have a natural liking of maths-based subjects and things with a tech bent. From what I've heard, male teachers are in short supply as are people with maths, though I don't know if more teachers, generally, are needed. But at what level would I teach? And do I need to specialise? My time in India has given me 18 months-worth of teaching experience with children aged 6 to 20, and my time in Sri Lanka has also allowed me to work with adults. And again, prior to India, I had some part-time experience of helping children in a Special Needs school. If I must specialise then some of this experience will surely help me making a decision and help me getting a position. Will it be expensive and can I get paid while I train? There's much to research.

I'm also drawn to is the world of development aid - organisations such as Plan-UK etc which seek the eradication of poverty through child education. Education again.

But I know that the employment situation in the UK is dire... this is not a good time for a 55 year-old to be looking for a job and career change. In fact, this sounds like the perfect time to be going volunteering! 

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing. I have really been wondering how your visit home had left you feeling. Interesting to read about how you have been drawn to education. It's the most meaningful and rewarding profession imaginable...

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  2. Hi Edna, I believe you are right about teaching being meaningful, no matter the context - metropolitan high school or mud hut in the back of beyond! Thanks for commenting again :)

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