Cambridgeshire Festival of Education offers university students a chance to work with schools
Dr Corinne Boz, head of education and social care at ARU, explains why excitement is building around the Festival of Education, supported by the Cambridge Independent.
With one month to go, things are looking very exciting for the first ever Cambridgeshire Festival of Education.
The steering committee has identified five themes for the inaugural event on July 1.
One of the themes selected was Teacher Identity and Community. This is an important theme in education.
Constant changes to policy in education can challenge teacher confidence and their sense of self-agency. This is why the festival is particularly delighted that Dame Allison Peacock, CEO of The Chartered College of Teaching, will be a keynote speaker.
The Department of Education and Social Care at Anglia Ruskin University’s Cambridge campus will also be involved.
The department students study in the fields of social work, social policy and education. It is a richly collaborative environment and students can draw on knowledge and practices from across the disciplines to enhance their learning.
The department currently delivers two key undergraduate programmes in the education field – primary education studies and education and childhood studies. A new degree in education is starting in September. At postgraduate level, it offers an MBA in educational leadership and management for those working in or aspiring to leadership roles in the education sector as well as further postgraduate courses and research routes.
Students are optimistic about their future careers in education. They have a significant contribution to make in terms of shaping the direction of the field.
It is important that this positivity has an outlet in a climate where negative discourse becomes the media norm where education is concerned. It is also essential that our students are visible in the discourses of the discipline, are engaged in national debate and are in a position to form professional connections with local and national networks. This not only strengthens their learning and enables them to influence and inform but also enables them to draw on the stability of the community when resilience in the face of challenge is called for.
The department of education and social care at ARU is committed to supporting the Cambridgeshire Festival of Education. The festival builds on the strength of local partnerships and underlines their importance in effecting change – it represents an expression of community and affords the opportunity to raise a collective voice.
The festival is a fantastic opportunity for our students, alongside educators in the region, to be involved in events in local schools as part of festival week and to see some of the creative and inspiring work that is taking place.
The final conference day, being hosted at Anglia Ruskin, will also offer an opportunity for professional development, networking, building connections and for sparking new and exciting ideas to take back to academic and professional contexts.
For more information about the festival visit cambsedfest.com. To book tickets at a discounted rate of £15, click here and use the code Cambridgeindy.
