Psychology Matters: “I work with wonderfully supportive people who share my goal of making a difference to people’s lives.”

Why do you think Psychology Matters? 

Psychology matters because it touches every part of the human existence. Our memory, perception, mental health, education, crime, climate change, inclusion, social change, work lives - psychology is linked to them all!  

In my role as an educator, so much of my understanding of what makes a good learning experience comes from psychology. When I was eight months old, I developed a rare neurological condition. Although my treatment was successful, I lost two years of development. 

It meant that I found practical subjects, such as PE more challenging, and I remember wishing that some of my teachers had a better understanding of my learning needs. Now when I'm teaching students, I listen to them and ask questions about how I can best support them, so that I can adapt my methods to meet their individual needs.  

Psychology matters because it helps us to understand the different ways that people learn, particularly for those who have special educational needs.  

For example, a former neurodiverse student of mine said that our A-Level lessons on memory models gave her an insight into why she learns the way that she does. I think that was a really eye-opening moment for her. 

Tell us about the impact of your own work in psychology. 

I'm a psychology teacher and have been teaching learners aged 16 and over on a variety of courses from QCF Levels 1 - 6 since 2002. 

My students come from a variety of social backgrounds and have joined my courses with varied educational experiences. Some of them come to my classroom with five or more high grade GCSEs, some have come back to education after a break, some are neurodiverse, and some are English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners. 

One thing that almost all of them share is a curiosity about what psychology is. They have questions about their ability in the subject or how it links to their other interests or career plans.  

All have left my classes saying that they were glad to have studied psychology with me and that the learning experience will make a positive difference to their lives in some way! They agreed that psychology and pre-university courses are valuable and should continue to be regarded as such. 

For example, a former neurodiverse student of mine said that our A-Level lessons on memory models gave her an insight into why she learns the way that she does. I think that was a really eye-opening moment for her. 

What makes you proud about working in psychology? 

I'm proud to have met and worked with wonderfully supportive people, who share my goal of making a difference to people's lives. My A-Level psychology teacher's enthusiastic and interactive approach inspired my love of psychology!  

The incredibly supportive teaching community is also inspiring, as colleagues and friends from professional networks have encouraged me to do things that I might not have put myself forward for. A colleague from a network I'm a member of helped me pursue chartership and supported my application. Another colleague supported me in putting myself forward for editing a network's magazine and to take part in interviews to raise the profile of psychology education.  

My work feels challenging but extremely rewarding - even more so since becoming the Chair of Standing Committee on Psychology Education in Schools and Colleges because I can do more for psychology students and teachers on a wider scale. 

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