Being a young student at the local highschool was not for me. Secondary education was not my strong point. Although I class myself at being quite intelligent, I wasn't mature enough to study towards GCSE level nor A Level. However, some subjects such as Welsh and Maths came, and comes, naturally to me. Without revision, my GCSE grades were very good. French was also good considering my lack of attendance and revision.
Since being a young lad I've always worked. Started with a few paperounds and then went on to working in some establishments with people. Service. Caring. Working. Earning. And, that how it carried on. Moving from one job to another. Supporting myself to lessen the burdens that my mother faced. I have been quite independent from a young age although I totally recognise that my mum is my world.
Unfortunately, my father died when I was 6 leaving my mum to raise four children with me being the youngest. We were living in a deprived council estate with nothing much but we ate, we were loved and we were raised to be respectful.
However, although I'm a very respectful young man (at 30 years), I did some things in my youth that I'm not proud of. Saying that, my history makes my present so I wouldn't say that I regret anything that I've done as I have learnt from my mistakes and it has made me a better person.
At the age of 21 I met my first girlfriend. Nine years on we are engaged and are living together.
She worked with me at a local pub and we hit it off instantly. She was also on her first year at University and, at times, I went with her to the library and helped her with her work. I loved it! I decided to apply although my qualifications were limited. But, as a mature student with plenty of life experience, I was accepted to study the Welsh language. Until that first day, the Welsh language was more or less non excitent to me. I spoke Welsh, texted in Welsh (although it only started to trend when I was 10ish), I lived and thought in Welsh all my life. But you see, it was different. It was slang. There was a whole world of difference out there. The Welsh language is brilliant and totally different to the mother tongue at home. It has rules that wern't in my mind. It has sophistication. It has love and enthusiasm as well as intelligence and elegance.
Our mother tongue has too but I was genuinely learning a new language and new techniques and creative ways to use it with fabulous and well known enthusiasts and creative lecturers/teachers. It was an amazing challenge.
And, I won! A 2:1 degree with honours. Wow! What an achievement. I came from absolute nowhere to challenge the University and was very victorious.
I loved it. It was the best experience of my life and the most emotional time that I have ever experienced.
After the three year degree, I went on to complete a professional course called Post Graduate Certificate of Education. This was a twelve month course and it was the hardest thing I have ever experienced. I worked like a dog day and night and managed to complete and pass this very intense course.
The course is split into two units. Teaching Practise and Professional Studies. In teaching practise we learnt our craft of teaching our subjects and the theory behind education was covered in the Professional Studies unit. Both units had their own essays to be completed and we had to work in two schools.
We had to plan all of our lessons by the minute. Create the necessary resources for those lessons. Asses the students work and, adding much to our pain, we had to evaluate each and every lesson in detail.
I was challenged to the max by the University but I won. I really won. I was on top of the world.
Four years of reading, digesting, analysing and writing, something that I never thought that I could do until I met my partner, and I succeeded. God love her. She is the best!
I must have been working 100 hours a week solid. Not much social life involved, well, the odd one or two nights a week. It was my sleep, that I will never have back until I die, that took the toll. But, believe my words, it was all worth it. I was no longer a minimum wage hired help. I was a qualified professional teacher and I was looking forward to my future.
My life had changed when I met the young lady in the pub we worked at. Behind every good man, there is a good woman and that is no lie.
Without her, I would never have reached those brilliant goal posts.
I was now a Teacher of Young People.
Regards,
Myfs
my-fi@outlook.com
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