Learning journeys to inspire

One learner dreamed of working in educational psychology. She completed a degree. She completed a Master's degree. She had dedicated years to preparing for the career she wanted.

Yet one thing stood in her way: a Level 2 mathematics qualification. Without it, she couldn't progress to QTLS status and couldn't work in the role she had spent years preparing for.

She told me that mathematics had delayed her career by almost four years. Today, she is preparing to take her maths examination again. This time, she believes she can succeed.

One learner had one dream. To move to Australia. Everything was ready. Except one qualification.

Without Level 2 mathematics, that dream could not become reality. After working together, she achieved her qualification. Today she lives in Australia.

One of the learners I will never forget was a young man I taught in prison. Before we had even started, he told me something very clearly: "I can't do exams."

So we didn't start with an exam. Instead, we worked patiently through individual questions, building confidence one step at a time.

One day, without realising it, he completed enough questions to have achieved a passing mark. Only then did I tell him what he had accomplished.

Eventually, he agreed to sit the real examination. He passed. As he left prison a short time later, he told me: "This will change my life."

Another learner continually struggled in class. When we worked together individually, I discovered something remarkable. He understood mathematics. He simply thought about it differently.

His methods weren't the ones being taught. But they made perfect sense to him.

Not every learning journey ends with an examination. One learner I worked with had significant additional learning needs. It was clear that a formal two-hour examination would never reflect his true abilities.

But mathematics still mattered. It helped him in everyday life. It helped him in his apprenticeship.

One day I asked him to complete a progress review. He stared at the page, completely overwhelmed. So I covered all but one question. Suddenly, the task became manageable. One question became another. Then another.