Hi, my name is Tiffanie, and I have been teaching for more than 20 years. I first discovered Forest 1st through a Facebook post by Nicola and was immediately drawn to her warmth. As I learned more about Forest 1st, I was also impressed by how caring, professional and well organised the team was. It simply felt like a lovely place to work.
I teach a broad range of ages and subjects, but I have always had a particular love of English, and I also really enjoy teaching Functional Skills. I particularly enjoy helping children and young people rebuild their confidence and recognise what they are capable of. I take time to build trust, understand what may be getting in the way and make learning relevant. I use patience, humour and honesty, alongside clear and fair expectations. Whenever a student says, “I don’t know it,” I remind them, “You don’t know it yet.”
I hold QTS, a PGCE and a TEFL qualification. My career has included Head of Year and literacy leadership roles, international-school teaching and alternative provision. Teaching children from many cultures and language backgrounds taught me to adapt, explain ideas in different ways and recognise that no single approach works for everyone. It also showed me how much children can flourish when creativity and fun sit alongside structure and fair boundaries.
Outside teaching, I am a nature-loving homebody. I love plants, trees, forests, animals, films, reading, technology and collecting quirky treasures from around the world. I have even been known to hug a tree! For me, the greatest reward is seeing a young person’s trust grow, watching their self-doubt fade and witnessing that wonderful moment when they realise, “I can do this.” I genuinely think that is glorious.