logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2020
9m 23s

On Being a Student Again

Martine Ellis
About this episode

Episode 80 of The Teaching Space Podcast is about being a Master's student while working full-time in further education.

Introduction

I believe there’s no better way to improve your teaching than to be a student as often as possible. It’s probably a good thing I hold this view as (a) part of my day job is leading professional development at my local FE college, and (b) I started studying for a Master’s in Education with the Open University in October 2019. In today’s episode, I want to tell you all about my first few months of Master’s study. If you are considering furthering your education in a similar way, then this episode might be a good starting point. If you are not, I still hope the episode is a timely reminder of what it’s like to be a student.

My Education Background

Because I work in FE there is no requirement for me to be a graduate. I have, of course, achieved my level 5 Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (known as DTLLS), followed by QTLS status (Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status) and most recently, ATS (Advanced Teacher Status). But, due to personal circumstances at the time, I never took the traditional ‘degree route’ into teaching. While I regretted not going to university and doing a degree from time-to-time, it never seemed to negatively impact my pre-teaching career progression. To be honest, it never really affected my career in education either.

However, as I mentioned earlier, my job current role is professional development lead, I am also expected to promote scholarly activity, as well as managing our teacher education provision. I felt a little unsure where to start in terms of promoting scholarly activity, so I began investigating degree courses with the Open University. After a few chats with my (very supportive) principal, who is currently working towards a PhD, I decided to find out whether the OU might accept me on a Master’s course. It turns out, they would.

Master’s Choice

I started a Master’s in Education in October 2019. There were various pathways available with the OU but I opted for leadership and management. This is not an obvious choice for me as I recognise that the higher in the organisation you go (e.g. faculty director, vice principal, principal) the less teaching you do, and I love teaching. That being said, I am in a leadership role and it was the only pathway to include the subject of professional development, so I decided to go for it. I am also interested in the role of ‘teacher as leader’.

In terms of universities, the OU was recommended by my government department (the body to whom I would apply for funding) so it seemed sensible to go with them. I was lucky enough to receive some funding support for the £9000 + fees (paid a year at a time so approximately £3000 a year).

Being an OU Student

It has only been a few months but so far, I am very impressed with the OU’s internet portal and, in particular, their online library. The course is very structured. You know exactly what you need to achieve every week. My tutor is accessible and the interaction with my classmates via our online forums is great. The workload is high. I’d guess around 15 hours a week, but I am managing through a combination of a few early mornings a week and some time at the weekend. I think I am spending the most time reading and trying to decipher challenging academic journal articles.

I’ve taken one study day already (my employer is very supportive of my professional development) and passed one assignment. The feedback from my tutor was detailed and supportive. I’ll have another assignment due over the next couple of months.

In the interests of full transparency, downsides of studying with the OU are that it is a lot of work. The reading is TOUGH. As a non-graduate I am also struck with imposter syndrome regularly (although this is all on me, not the OU!) I think all of this will get easier though.

My Top Study Tips

My top three tips for teachers and trainers studying while working would be:

  1. Find a study buddy - I am lucky enough to have a colleague studying the same Master’s degree (although a different pathway). We meet regularly to keep each other accountable. We also…
  2. Set goals. My study buddy and I do this via WhatsApp and again, it is a good way to stay accountable.
  3. Plan your study but leave room for experimentation and flexibility. I thought I would be someone who did all of her study before work, leaving weekends free, but actually, I tried it and it did not work for me. I only really have an hour and 15 minutes in the morning to study (I don’t want to get up any earlier) so this did not allow me enough time. At the moment, a few mornings a week and a chunk of time at the weekend is suiting me better.

Wrap Up

What about you? Are you studying at the moment? If so, what and how? I’d love to hear from you. Please listen to the end to hear about a new way to chat about podcast episodes.

Support the Show

If you have enjoyed this episode please consider supporting the show by making a small donation towards the running costs on my Ko-fi page which you can find at ko-fi.com/theteachingspace. Alternatively, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or whether you listen to the show. Thank you.

Questions? Comments?

If you have any questions about this episode or thoughts you’d like to share please join The Teaching Space Community: community.theteachingspace.com. At the time of recording, the community is free to join. It’s just launched so I’m very keen to get some members in there to test it out and give me some feedback.

The show notes for this episode include any links I’ve mentioned; you can find them at theteachingspace.com.

Thanks for listening and I hope you’ll join me for the next episode.

Up next
Apr 2022
An Update from Martine - April 2022
Links I mentioned: The Wellbeing-Driven Productivity Podcast Notes by Martine Martine's Website Martine on Twitter 
7m 53s
Jun 2021
What's Next for the Podcast?
Hello, it's Martine here, I am recording this towards the end of June 2021 and I wanted to give you an idea of what's on the horizon for The Teaching Space - in particular, the podcast. Next year is the third and final year of my masters in education - my dissertation year. I kno ... Show More
6m 20s
Jun 2021
The Power of a Personal Weekly, Monthly and Annual Review
Highlights Notion has enabled me to conduct a yearly and monthly review consistently for the first time ever. I am also refining my weekly review process. This is the first time I have managed this behaviour consistently, and it is game changing. This is a personal review - but c ... Show More
14m 50s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2024
Tech-Savvy Approaches for a Differentiated Classroom with Dr. Clare Kilbane and Dr. Natalie Milman - 296
In this episode, educational leaders and fellow ASCD authors Dr. Clare Kilbane and Dr. Natalie Milman share expert strategies for using EdTech to personalize learning. Explore insights from their book, Using Technology in a Differentiated Classroom, and discover practical tips to ... Show More
22m 17s
Nov 2024
Mt. Joy’s Matt Quinn on Consistent Growth Vs. Overnight Success (And Which Is Sweeter)
In the age of virality and trending TikTok songs, Mt. Joy rose to fame through the band’s authentic storytelling and community building within the indie music scene. On today’s episode, Mt. Joy’s lead singer Matt Quinn makes his return to the Daily Stoic studio to discuss the ban ... Show More
1h 9m
Aug 2024
Gamification in the Literacy Classroom with Dr. Lauren Gehr - 281
In this episode, seasoned educator and instructional coach Dr. Lauren Gehr shares stories that illustrate the power of gamification in the literacy classroom and beyond. You'll hear how gamified learning fosters critical thinking, collaboration, and a deeper dive into content. If ... Show More
22m 52s
Jan 2025
Teaching and Designing a Taylor Swift Literature Course with Dr. Matt Kinservik and Rachel Lapp
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Matt Kinservik, a literary expert and professor, and Rachel Lapp, a self-proclaimed Taylor Swift expert and instructional designer, as they share the behind-the-scenes journey of co-creating a one-of-a-kind college course focused on Taylor Swi ... Show More
55m 47s
Dec 2023
Episode 170: The Role of the School Psychologist
Toni Rose is joined by Cassie Johnson to discuss the role of the school psychologist. Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog. Show Notes More info on becoming a Distinguished Modern Classrooms Educator Whole Child Theory Growth Mindset (from Carol Dw ... Show More
57m 21s
Nov 2023
141. Matt Higgins | Burn the Boats
The World’s #1 Personal Development Book Podcast! In today’s episode we have the pleasure to interview Matt Higgins author of Burn The Boats” Matt, is a highschool dropout who went from scraping gum off the bottoms of McDonalds tables and hawking flowers door to door to the young ... Show More
1h 23m
May 2023
Episode 138: La Revisión y las Pruebas de Dominio
For this episode entirely in Spanish, Zach is joined by Marlene Tapia Garcia to explain the MCP model and discuss how mastery checks facilitate revision in a self-paced class. English-Language recap of this episode is available on the Modern Classrooms Project blog Lea un resumen ... Show More
59m 40s
Apr 2024
Special Guest: Matt Beers - 3x Cape Epic Champ, South Africa National Champ – Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast 471
// SHARE AND RATE THE PODCAST! iTunes: https://trainerroad.cc/apple2  Spotify: https://trainerroad.cc/spotify2  Google Podcasts: https://trainerroad.cc/google // TOPICS COVERED (0:00) Welcome! (0:44) How did Matt get into Mountain biking? (02:00) Matt’s stats Height/Weight (02:31 ... Show More
54m 8s
Dec 2024
Episode 219: Student Voice (EC)
Zach is joined by Marlene Tapia Garcia and three of her first grade students, Olivia, Arya, and Ethan, to talk about their experience in a modern classroom Show Notes MCP Podcast episode 138: La Revisión y las Pruebas de Dominio (Marlene's previous episode, entirely in Spanis ... Show More
32m 51s
Sep 2024
Episode 354: Antiracism in Medicine – Episode 25 – Live from SGIM 2024: Best of Antiracism Research at the Society of General Internal Medicine’s 2024 Annual Meeting
  https://clinicalproblemsolving.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/CPSolvers-SGIM-2024-Episode-FINAL-91924-12.19PM.mp3CPSolvers: Anti-Racism in Medicine SeriesEpisode 25 – Live from SGIM 2024: Best of Antiracism Research at the Society of General Internal Medicine’s 2024 Annual Meet ... Show More
57m 38s