Alison Walsh

St Teresa's Primary School

School website: https://stteresasprimary.org/
Subject:  Primary School Education.
Your place of birth: Belfast.
Studied at: Queen's University Belfast and University of Glasgow.
First job: Sales assistant in Curley’s supermarket, working at the front of store in the fruit and veg department.
What it taught me: How to work with the public. Curley’s was always a busy supermarket and being at the front of the store welcoming and assisting customers as they came into the shop was a brilliant experience. I love to talk, so those customer conversations flowed easily. I also learned valuable life skills along the way: teamwork, decision-making and organisational skills, all of which are vital in my teaching career now.
Family/status: I am married to Michael and I have three beautiful teenage children: Michael, Liam and Katie.
Best advice anyone ever gave you: Be yourself! Simple but true. In my job I aim to develop my pupils to be the best that they can be... I can only do this when I am being myself.
Best advice you could give someone thinking of a teaching career: Go for it! The job itself is very rewarding and to watch children develop and progress over the course of each school year is amazing. Take each day as it comes and go with the flow with your children. Some of my best lessons have come about after a conversation or discussion with my class. Also, no two teaching days are ever the same and children learn in so many different ways, so have fun with them.

I was born in Belfast and attended St Teresa’s Primary School as a child, to be back teaching here some 30-plus years later is amazing. I had a number of wonderful teachers during my primary school journey but it was my Primary 5-7 teacher, Mrs McConnell, who was my inspiration.  
I have so many happy memories of my time here. I continued my education in St Dominic’s Grammar School before attending Queen’s University Belfast to complete my degree in English Literature. However, teaching was always my main goal, so I spent a few years as a special needs classroom assistant working in Holy Trinity PS, Belfast, and St Joseph’s PS in Lisburn. This gave me an incredible insight into the everyday running of the classroom and only enhanced  my desire to teach even more. I moved to Glasgow in 2001 to attend Glasgow University to complete my PGCE in primary education. 
On returning to Belfast, I got a teaching post in St Anne’s Primary School in Finaghy and remained there for a number of years before finally settling, back where I belong, in my old primary school: St Teresa’s on the Glen Road. Over my 20-year experience I have been very lucky to teach all age groups, from nursery and P1 up to Primary 7 and I have to say, I have honestly loved the experience in every age group and believe it has helped me become the teacher I am today.