I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, with over 15 years' experience teaching students from a wide variety of backgrounds, ages and abilities.  I have taught life skills to young adults with learning difficulties, basic literacy to adults, English as a second language to students from 1 year old up to adulthood, poetry writing and performance in schools and adult writers' groups, and psychology, sociology and child development to undergraduates and postgraduate university students.  

Lecturing

I am a Principal Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Brighton, and a Associate Lecturer  in Child Development at the Open University.  Prior to this, I lectured in Psychology at the University of Gloucestershire, the University of the West of England, and the University of Bath, and Sociology at the University of Exeter.  I have taught a wide range of subjects at undergraduate and postgraduate level, including: the psychology of creativity and the arts, social psychology; social constructionism; developmental psychology; applied psychology; creative, arts-based and qualitative research methods; multivariate statistics; health psychology; clinical psychology; and introductory social analysis.  I have lectured to large groups, and run workshops and seminars for groups of up to 50 students both face-to-face and online.  The bulk of my current teaching focuses on social scientific research methods, critical community psychology, psychological issues and debates, and developmental psychology.  

Poetry Workshops

I also facilitate poetry writing and performance workshops for both children and adults, where students are actively involved at every stage, creating, performing, judging and above all learning.  Workshop participants are encouraged to find their own voice and write about what matters to them.  My children's workshops often incorporate a poetry slam or class performance.  These events give parents, teachers and other children the opportunity to join in and discover the wonders of poetry and spoken word.