Jemma Rockliffe
Mentor
Hi Everyone, I’m, Jem!
From the age of four, I wanted to be a teacher. There’s a video of me, looking like little Annie saying how ‘I want to make learning fun for everyone’. Looking back, it breaks my heart that I had so many years to come in an educational setting; which is why I continue to stick to the promise I made myself all those years ago.
I began this journey at sixteen as a youth worker, I wanted to be the person I didn’t have when I was younger. This led me to create ‘Positively Sunshine’ during my undergraduate degree running sessions in various Day Centres across Merseyside. I felt so many people who would really benefit from the arts, especially to support communication and confidence skills were unable access them. So I did my best to bring as much as I could, in a way everyone could be a part of!
With a first class degree in Creative and Performing Arts, I continued my journey back to the classroom as a Teaching Assistant in SEN schools. I wanted to get as much experience as possible before my PGCE, working through from Early Years to Post 16 it took me 7 years to leave the pupils I’d built such strong relationships with.
Completing my SEN PGCE with a First Class, I returned to the school I had left as a TA. I was able to combine all the skills and experience I’d gained over the years to support pupils in a way which was, fun, engaging and beneficial to them as an individual. I love to learn and with teaching, you learn every single day. Whether it be a new fact, more about the pupils or even things about yourself.
It was a pupil of mine who first asked me if I’d been diagnosed because ‘I just get them’ and that’s when everything clicked and after a long wait, I finally got my ADHD and Autism diagnosis. This confirmed that I definitely needed to be the person I didn’t have when I was younger. I decided to leave the classroom and become a EOTAS teacher. I wanted to give pupils who loved to learn the chance to learn in a way they love.
Then I discovered MindJam, the perfect hybrid of everything I needed in the past and wanted for the future. As well as an avid fan of the arts, I am an avid gamer and have over 5000 hours on The Sims 4 alone, let’s not talk about Minecraft! Games are a place I feel safe in the escapism and being able to share that with someone is a magical place to start!
I am DBS checked and up-to-date with training in safeguarding, online education safeguarding, data protection, child mental health awareness, PDA, Autism, ADHD and ASDAN amongst other relevant training.
Favourite Games
Minecraft, Sims, anything Mario, Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, Beat Saber, Dreamlight Valley, Crash Bandicoot, Legend of Zelda, Bloons Tower Defence 6, Luigi’s Mansion, Board Games (Monopoly, Cluedo etc), Card Games!
Hobbies
My Pets
My wonderful little Alabama (pink nose) and Bowie (black nose) ??
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If you would like our team to get in touch with you to discuss how we can help you and your young people through our services, please feel free to fill out our contact form, and we will be in touch as soon as possible to talk you through enrolling with one of our mentors or counsellors