Margaret Barnfield
Headteacher, Shaw Hill Primary School, Birmingham
I have worked in Birmingham since 1978, as an English Language Teacher, a class teacher and as a senior leader in primary schools.
I have been involved in Tide~ since the early 1980s. At first I was interested in their strategies for enabling children to discuss difficult issues. I took part in a study visit to The Gambia and have also been involved in a science publication for Tide~. I like to support the work by my involvement in the work of the Management Committee. |
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Rita Chowdhury Chair
Senior Inspector, Wolverhampton LA
I currently work as a School Improvement Partner/Adviser with a number of secondary schools and PRUs within Wolverhampton. I also have a responsibility for Citizenship and it is within this area that work with Tide~ has been particularly valuable. I have been the Chair of Tide~’s Management Committee for several years and am an unashamed devotee of the work it undertakes with teachers in developing the curriculum to take account of global issues and challenges. |
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Roland Clark Vice Chair
Adviser; ethnic minority achievement, Staffordshire LA Children and Lifelong learning Directorate School Improvement
I am a teacher who has always been interested in active learning, talking to learn, the Early Years, and languages in and for learning. Diversity delights me. What is education for if not to increase options, broaden horizons and make this world an attractive and sustainable place for everyone?
Tide~ makes teacher collaboration and co-operation possible, independently of prevailing State agendas. Tide~ shares teachers’ ideas as an outcome of creative thinking and classroom action.
I got involved with the Development Education Centre in the mid-eighties. It was the international dimension and the consistent authenticity of materials and direct experience which coincided with my increasing professional interest in multicultural and antiracist education. I suppose that’s 20 years. But there are constant challenges to evaluate thinking and reaffirm relevance to evolving issues, personally and professionally. |
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Lisa Davies
Teaching and Learning Consultant [Secondary], Wolverhampton LA
My involvement with Tide~ began 18 years ago when I began my PGCE Geography course at Birmingham University. My tutor, Roger Robinson, involved student teachers in Tide~ activities and these continued throughout my teaching career at Cockshut Hill Technology College in Birmingham. I have contributed to a number of Tide~ publications – ‘City for people’, ‘Globalisation’ and most recently ‘What is development?’ which strengthened the global dimension within my geography teaching. As a Teaching and Learning Consultant for Wolverhampton LA I support a range of foundation subject areas and have found Tide~ resources invaluable for stimulating debate with pupils and teachers alike. |
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Dennis Edwards
Advanced skills teacher Citizenship, Hamstead Hall Community Learning Centre, Birmingham
I have been a History and Citizenship teacher for the last 32 years in Handworth. I have been involved with Tide~ for about 10 years, and have been particularly interested in the Let’s Talk project. |
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Claire Finkel
Literacy Coordinator and Year 6 teacher, Brookvale Primary School, Birmingham
I have been teaching for 6 years having worked in other fields before deciding to retrain. I have been involved with Tide for most of that time. I initially started by attending the monthly book club and then have been involved in other courses including a week long study visit in The Gambia.
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Gill Fox
Headteacher, Kings Norton Girls School, Birmingham
I have been involved with the organisation for the whole of my teaching career, and have benefited greatly both personally and professionally from the experience. Being involved has provided a constant source of inspiration and many opportunities to work with a wider network of professionals than I would normally come into contact with. Working on projects with other teachers, and through study visits, I have been able to appreciate alternative perspectives and draw on these in working with young people and adults on issues around development. I am currently a member of the Management and Finance Advice Groups. |
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John Hopkin
Adviser, BASS [Birmingham Advisory and Support Service]
I've been involved with Tide~ now for over twenty-five years, participating in or leading a range of projects, most of them with a geographical dimension. That reflects my main interest in Tide~ – helping young people to think about and connect with the wider world, and to get involved in developing a fairer and more sustainable world for future generations. |
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Darius Jackson
Lecturer in History and Citizenship in Education, Deputy Director of Studies [Head of Secondary Initial Teacher Education] School of Education, University of Birmingham
After nineteen years as a school teacher I have now moved into initial teacher training. Though I used Tide~ resources as a teacher, I’ve been actively involved with Tide~ for about four years. I am interested in the way that Citizenship teachers are constructing professional pedagogic practice and how Tide~ can support this new subject's growth. I am also interested in the way that education needs to help people understand the implications of an increasingly global society and economy; and become agents in creating a more just world. |
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Phil Leivers
School Improvement Adviser, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
In my role as a School Improvement Adviser, I take responsibility for developing Geography, RE and Citizenship in Solihull Local Authority Schools. I have been interested in Tide~ since I first began teaching and wanted resources to help me in the classroom that would engage students in real issues. Tide~ not only had the resources but through involvement in some of their projects, I had excellent professional development. That was over ten years ago and now I try to promote Tide~ whenever I can. |
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Roger McBrien Treasurer
Deputy Head, Moseley School, Birmingham
I started teaching 1989. I taught in the Caribbean from 1991 to 1993 with VSO. On my return I undertook some research on technology teaching and development education. This led to a project with Tide~ and the publication ‘Changing Technology’. I joined the management committee and the finance advice group following this and became Treasurer more recently. |
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Jeff Serf
Associate Dean, Initial Teacher Education, University of Wolverhampton
I taught geography in a number of secondary schools across the West Midlands and became involved with Tide~ in the early-1980s. My initial interests in geography, development education and human rights education have evolved into the areas of education for democratic citizenship and global learning. |
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Balbir Sohal
Advisory Teacher Citizenship, PSHE & Equalities, Services for Schools, Coventry LA
I have been involved within the education field for over twenty-five years, both as a teacher and trainer. I am particularly interested in the areas of social justice and equality, learning and teaching, Citizenshi and PSHE and developing and nurturing professional development amongst fellow practioners. I have been involved with Tide~ for over twenty years, this has ranged from personally accessing professional development opportunities to leading and co-ordinating curriculum projects. |
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