We spoke to Nikki White about studying at college to achieve her certificate in education to teach post 14’s. We hope you feel as inspired by Nikki’s story as we did. We wish her all the best with her future studies and with her career in education.
What did you study and why did you choose to come back to college?
“I studied secondary school education at the college for 2 years. I was already a teaching assistant, I did my teaching assistant qualifications, I worked in a primary school for a few years and then moved to a secondary school. I wanted more, more for my kids, rather than just supporting them.
I am ADHD myself and dyslexic. Going back and doing my GCSE’s so that I could go to university and do my course was terrifying, but the first step was doing my GCSE’s at college that I did 4 years ago. Then I did my certificate of education to teach post 14’s.”
How did you find studying again as a mature student?
“When I first started the course, it was exciting and scary but after a few weeks it settled down and then the pandemic hit after the September term. We did quite a lot of the first year online. The micro teach that I had set up, all had to be virtual, and it wasn’t geared for online which was quite stressful.
Distance learning for me was always going to be a challenge as I need to see something physical to learn and put it into action myself. I can’t learn from reading books or writing off the board. I’m not made like that. I have to see it in action and put it into practice myself. I’m very hands-on, it needs to be tangible for me.”
Did you feel supported through the duration of the course?
“The assignments were a massive challenge but all the support from college and Derby uni has been absolutely fantastic. They did so many different things to help. There were so many times I wanted to give up but Anna kept me on the course and told me that I could do it.”
What opportunities has the course given you?
“The course has bought me a lot of opportunities. I am wanting to diversify into other areas, I love English, I have a unique way of seeing it, so I have a unique way of teaching it. Especially with the SEN students. I want to diversify into food technology, so that’s the next avenue I want to look at.
I have got a taste for studying now, yes it’s hard and yes it’s stressful and there have been many times I’ve wanted to run away, but I want to specialise within my teaching qualification.”
What are you doing now that you have finished your course?
“I am still a teaching assistant at the minute and I love my job. At the moment I’m staying put until the right opportunity comes my way. It has opened loads of doors and there have been loads of opportunities come my way, but I have the luxury of being a bit pickier now about what I want to do.”
What would you say to others debating whether to go back to college?
“I would recommend going back onto education. At first, it feels like such an enormous task as you are stepping into the unknown and this can cause a lot of anxiety. You do get a lot of support and you do get a lot of help. It will settle down and when you look back to where you were 3 months ago and now you are comfortable, made friends, got the support there. It feels so foreign and unknown but once that goes, you’ll love and enjoy it. I’ve got a bug for it now.
Even though do have an appetite for it, I’ll still have those fears like I did when I first stepped through the door to do my first course. That doesn’t go away but you have experienced it before so you know it will go away and you know that you’ve made the right decision.”
Are you happy to be graduating?
“I never thought I would graduate. It’s not something I thought I would achieve in life. For me, having a cap and gown is the biggest thing ever. I didn’t think I’d ever get there, I never aspired to it, I didn’t think I’d achieve it. My school years weren’t the best, I often got told I wouldn’t make anything of myself and that I didn’t have the ability. Proving everyone wrong is a really nice feeling.
My mum, husband and daughter are all coming out with me for a meal after, I’m going to get my hair done for the day, wear something nice and make a day of it.”