Paula Armstrong
I have worked in FE and HE for over 30 years, progressing from a teaching role to Director of Academic Studies including development of quality assurance, developing new courses and developing strategies to improve performance. Having decided that I would prefer to work with students again rather than data and performance management, I retired from senior management, and I have since worked as a specialist study skills tutor and mentor with a range of students with differing needs for the past 14 years. I undertook training with The Dyslexia Guild at L5, and my CPD is updated annually across a range of areas, including dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, Autism and mental health support. For over 11 years, I have worked with students from the age of 16 to beyond retirement age.
In addition to my teaching & management career, I have also worked as a part-time voluntary bereavement counsellor for Cruse and as a volunteer at a local hospice in Worcester, supporting and befriending bereaved people. I have always been interested and inspired by supporting others and helping them develop.
In addition to my teaching experience and qualifications, and my management experience and qualifications, I have a counselling certificate, a certificate in Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), L7 coaching and mentoring certificate (master’s level) and I have mentored and supported both students and staff. As mentioned, I constantly update my CPD to better support my students, to improve the support I can offer and because I am interested in any new developments or research.
I was nominated for the Support Tutor Award at an HEI nearly every year throughout my 12-year student study skills and mentoring career within a university setting, being shortlisted for most years and winning the award once, which was lovely to know that my students valued my support as much as I enjoyed supporting them.
I am interested in people, human behaviour, mindfulness, and practicing meditation (which I do regularly), which is a great stress reliever. I enjoy developing and sharing strategies for helping students not only to improve their academic capability, but also to improve their health and wellbeing.
I enjoy spending time with my family, developing friendships, watching and participating in sports, walking, swimming, playing croquet, foreign travel, chocolate, cooking, good food and good wine!
Contact
+44 (0) 7583 406796
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