To celebrate International Women’s Day 2019, Tutor Trust has been encouraging all of our tutors across Greater Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool to focus on the 2019 International Women’s Day themes in their tuition sessions, and utilise the resources from the IWD website where possible.  We have also been asking our team to share examples of inspiring female role models in their own education.

International Women’s Day aligns its aims with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.  They establish the ways that countries should end poverty and inequality, such as ‘Gender Equality’ and ‘Quality Education’.

Jemima, one of our English tutors, used a resource from the IWD website in her tuition session this week. She used their activity task cards, which required her pupils to write a poem about a famous female figure and to come up with a list of adjectives that apply to a female role model. “The cards were a great tool for my session,” Jemima said. “Not only did they get the pupils practising some English skills, but they made them think about International Women’s Day and the important role women play in our lives.” At the Tutor Trust, we strive to help children and young people get the most out of their education.  Our goal is to reduce educational inequality, providing access to good quality learning, and effective role models.

 

To mark this IWD, members of the Tutor Trust office decided to share examples of women they’ve encountered in their own education that have been inspiring role models;

Alice Taylor, Leeds Coordinator: “When I was at school I was lucky enough to have three amazing history teachers. They all pushed me to work hard and achieve my potential. Their collective passion for the subject inspired me to apply to a history course at university, Thank you to Miss. Knott, Mrs. Smith and Miss. Robinson!”

 

Will Baldwin-Pask, Tutor Coordinator: “As a teenager I was in awe of my Taekwondo instructor, Christie. She’d left Hong Kong to study Law at Oxford University, then gave that up to teach martial arts and set up a self-defence business. She instilled in me an immense sense of dedication and discipline, coaching and motivating me throughout my adolescence until I got my black belt. Most importantly, at about 5 foot 4, she had speed and strength to beat up anyone in the room if she wanted – she was a truly terrifying woman and I was constantly inspired by her.”

 

Beth Farrell, Alternative Provision Coordinator: “There are so many inspirational women in the world that it’s really hard to choose just one. Olive Morris, for example, who formed a self-help educational program for young mothers in Manchester and campaigned for a better education for black children in Manchester. But a personal inspirational woman in my life is probably my old English teacher, Ms Gannon. She was one of the best teachers I ever had. Her passion for literature and teaching inspired me to write better and read more. She was funny, kind, and engaging, and was the person who drove me to study English Literature at University.”

 

Joanne Meredith, Alternative Provision Quality Manager: “There are many influential women in life, but for me I thought long and hard about which women influenced me to be the woman I am today. It goes way back to a science teacher Miss Lamb, who really believed in me and encouraged me to study the three separate sciences. She was hardworking, passionate and made science exciting and accessible. Having taught science for over thirty years, I can only hope that maybe I too was able to influence other young women and act as a positive role model.”

 

Abigail Shapiro, The Tutor Trust Co-founder: “So much of my passion and commitment to education is thanks to my mum. Unfortunately she was ill as a child and spent countless years in hospital resulting in missing out on O-levels or gaining any academic qualifications. Yet throughout my childhood, whilst working full time, she encouraged both my sister and me to work hard and become the first in our family to go to University."

"I was so lucky to have someone support me in that way.  I want to try and support as many others as I can, through Tutor Trust providing access to inspirational role models; and at home to my own children.”

 

This International Women’s Day, Abigail is to join Smart Works Greater Manchester as a Trustee, a charity that provides interview training to unemployed women in need, along with high quality interview clothes.