Karen Kelly

First Job: Retail assistant at Dice Belfast.

What it taught me: At 16 I worked at Dice on Ann Street in Belfast, where I learnt the importance of hard work. People from all over Belfast came into the store and one lesson I learnt early on and still stand by to this day is that a smile and kindness go a long way. Sometimes in school, especially in the last year, a simple smile or act of kindness can mean more than anything else.

Family/status: Live with my partner Conor in North Belfast.

Best advice anyone ever gave you: "Don't be afraid to make mistakes.” During my teaching practice, like most trainee teachers I was really nervous to begin with. I always remember a senior teacher noticing and telling me not to be afraid to make mistakes, the world won’t end and it’s how we learn best. I've always remembered this and to this day I'm not afraid to try and think of weird and wonderful ways to connect with the brilliant young people I teach.

Best advice you could give someone thinking of a teaching career: Embrace every minute of it, the young people and your team in your classroom become your wee family away from home. Take time to get to know them and their families and it will make everything you do all the more rewarding.

I'm from New Barnsley in West Belfast. I went to the University of Ulster at Jordanstown and completed a PGCE after first doing a Ba (Hons) in Consumer studies. I went to school at St Louise's and here I first felt the itch to become a teacher. I had some fantastic teachers at St Louise's especially my Home Economics teacher Miss Gormley. When at the school I did my work experience at Oakwood Special School and loved very minute of it. After Uni I first worked in the civil service but it wasn't the career for me and thinking about my work experience I decided to go back to University and complete my PGCE. Since then I have worked in a range of schools across the North and for the last seven years have been teaching in Glenveagh Special Needs school. I love nothing more than getting out for a swim in the sea and spending time with family and friends walking in the Belfast Hills and further a field and a wee drop of Irish Whiskey to warm me up after!