Welcome To The Armstrong`s Website.

The Teaching Years.

So how did I become an educator, teacher, lecturer or whatever they call it now?

I left school and started work at Thornley Colliery in 1954 / 55. With no qualifications whatsoever. School was just somewhere I had to spend the days of the week from 9.00 till 4.00 could not wait to leave, horrible.

I realized almost immediately that I needed an education and went to Wellfield Grammar School at Wingate three nights a week for a couple of years. J1 and J2. Then I went to Durham tech for a year night school twice a week.

Fortunately for me we had a very good training officer at Thornley Henry Hubbard and he got me into a day release program allowing me 1 day off work with pay per week to study at Sunderland. West Park College of further education. Principal was Jack Rothwell.

I attended for several years and eventually was offered a job there teaching. I felt a bit guilty leaving the pit after they had paid me to get educated, but I took the teaching job anyway as it was a great opportunity to get out of the pits.

Once I had the job I was sent, by Sunderland LEA. to Durham and Leeds university to obtain the obligatory teacher training certification,that took another few years of education and of course all this time mixing with educationalists, professors and educated men and women did not do me too much harm. Broadened my outlook. I was teaching for about 12 years and I enjoied it,very much.



This is where it all started, well at least West Park College used to be here. Just between the church and the civic centre. looks like it is just a car park now. That`s life.

MUCH MORE TO FOLLOW

BACK TO HOME PAGE