Hello, I’m Liz, and I founded Skills4Parents to support parents with the education of their young people, after working as a Maths teacher and Head of Maths for 16 years in secondary schools. People describe me as caring, compassionate, patient, kind, warm and fun.
Or as my assistant says I’m a ‘great big, welcoming hug’.
I’m passionate about improving education and life chances for young people, as my education wasn’t easy, you can read my story here.
I’m also an auntie to two wonderful boys and a godmother to two beautiful girls. I’m family-oriented and support all those young people with their education.
My evenings are spent watching TV with my two rescue cats, often with a glass of wine, beer, or tea. I’m a massive problem solver and have many puzzle books and apps on the go.
When I was teaching, I saw that parents aren’t taught how to educate their children, but that the best results came when the school and parents were able to work together. Unfortunately though, many parents were unsure of themselves and the curriculum. If I’d had a pound for every person that said either ‘I can’t do maths myself’ or ‘I don’t know how to help them’ I’d never need to work again!
Whilst teaching, I enjoyed running workshops for parents with their young people, giving ideas and support.
However, teaching was hard and there was a lot within the education system I couldn’t agree with, and eventually I decided it was time to move on.
I continued to tutor maths and I loved that I get to spend time with young people and use the skills I had honed as a teacher.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, it was obvious that parents weren’t prepared for facilitating learning at home, so I decided that it was time to launch the idea that had been forming in my head for a while.
I started blogging, running workshops and webinars to provide skills for parents to help their young people and know how to homeschool, as well as continuing to tutor online.
I believe that we can achieve more when we work together, so Skills4Parents isn’t just about me.It’s also about collaboration with parents, schools and others. I work with Sarah and Lou, my Skills4Parents Partners, to run a free facebook group to support parents with education.
We provide ideas, education advice, and provide support wherever it is needed.
I love variety, and so Skills4Parents isn’t the only work in my life. I’m CEO for a charity that works with adults with autism and learning disabilities, and I’m a ChurchWarden. I’m a ‘Jack of all trades and master of some’ with so many different skills accrued from a range of different jobs and hobbies, including sound engineering, mentoring, tech support, teaching, creativity, and management. Just don’t ask me to cook!