I enjoy teaching courses at Birkbeck for two main reasons. The students are often self-motivated and thus fully engaged and they bring a range of experiences to the classroom. These elements produce very stimulating class sessions and provide the valuable opportunity to blend theory and practice seamlessly. This makes both teaching and learning a highly rewarding experience.
I have been teaching Mathematics at Birkbeck as a part-time associate lecturer for a long time now. When I started I had not expected to stay so long, however I stayed because I found the work challenging and interesting. I enjoy teaching the wide range of students, some in work, some unemployed, with qualifications ranging from GCSEs to Masters degrees.
I have taught professionals such as chartered accountants and solicitors who wanted to change their profession for various reasons. Some younger students plan to study for degrees such as engineering, mathematics, pharmacy, physiotherapy and pure sciences, while others just want to acquire a flavour of the subject.
The cultural spectrum of students is very broad including students from Africa, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Far East and Australia.
Staff development programmes and student-staff meetings enable me to remain up-to-date on current developments.
Course managers and other support staff are extremely helpful and friendly.
I have gained a lot from Birkbeck and my overall experience has been enormously rich.