Lynne Anderson
Wellington College
www.wellingtoncollegebelfast.org
Subject: Home Economics.
Your place of birth: Belfast.
Where You Live: Saintfield, Co Down.
First Job: Teacher at Orangefield Girls High School.
What it taught me: Teaching is so much more than just being an expert in your subject.
Best advice anyone ever gave you: My Principal once said to me:
“Challenge pupil complacency and don’t accept mediocrity in the classroom.” A successful teacher sets high standards and challenges pupils to achieve beyond what they ever imagined was possible. The enthusiasm you display in the classroom, the belief you have in the pupils’ abilities to achieve and the praise you rain on them are key to getting the best out of your pupils. I have never forgotten his advice.
Best advice you could give someone thinking of a teaching career: In my view not everyone will make a good teacher. A teacher needs to possess a diverse range of personal skills and qualities to inspire and motivate young people. It’s a job that requires dedication, stamina and conviction, along with good interpersonal, organisational and creative skills. At times working with young people, especially adolescents can be tough and challenging work but the rewards come when you share your pupils’ successes both inside and outside the classroom and as you watch them grow into mature and independent young people knowing that you hopefully have been a positive influence in their lives.
Lynne Anderson is the Head of a very successful and high achieving Home Economics department at Wellington College, Belfast. Her passion for Home Economics stems from a love for the subject which developed while attending Strathearn School. Lynne continued to study Home Economics and graduated with a first class honours from the University of Ulster in 1986. She began her teaching career in Orangefield Girls’ High School while studying part-time for a Masters degree in Education.
In 1989 Lynne was appointed to Head of Home Economics at Wellington College.
During her time at the College she has also played a significant pastoral role in the school, having been a Head of Year and Head of the Junior School for many years.
Currently Lynne is the College’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) and a member of the Senior Management Team.
Lynne has been involved in the development of many educational initiatives and curriculum development projects in Home Economics. She has served on NICC working groups and BELB subject panels and is currently serving on the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) NI working party. She has been involved in A Level examining at CCEA where she has held the position of Chair of Examiners for many years. Lynne has worked tirelessly to promote Home Economics in schools as a past Chairperson and committee member of the Association of Teachers of Home Economics and as current chairperson to the South Belfast Area Learning Community Home Economics committee.
