My Almost Decade of Learning at FSC Preston Montford

Well, it is the end of an era for me this month. In March 2009, FSC Preston Montford recruited me as a Tutor to teach geography and biology. I spent the next 9.92 years learning about the power of curiosity, asking questions and using good quality data to inform environmental decisions. My personal growth is largely thanks to the boundless enthusiasm and diversity of the FSC community, students, staff and volunteers, of all whom generously shared their philosophy, values, knowledge and skills with me. If you are needing inspiration, then you can’t go far wrong spending some time at FSC Preston Montford.

My time started with a job interviewer who handed me a white tray and asked me to talk about the “exhibit” within it. Was it a conglomerate? No, a random piece of road rubble, that I was asked to be curious about. And that set the tone for my journey into fieldwork teaching. I have found myself in many random and curious places since: Enjoying the midnight sun in Finland with other European educators exchanging ideas; asking students to talk to the rocks up in the stunning Stiperstones; marveling at cross sections of mosses through a microscope; releasing a blue tit after seeing how it was ringed; capturing the solar eclipse in a colander with Bilborough College on the fire assembly lawn; acting out the story of the rock giant Tryfan (with voices!); sniffing otter poo on the river bank declaring that it does smell like jasmine tea! It has been a many and varied set of experiences. Even the estimated 400 journeys along Carding Mill Valley I hear you and countless GCSE students ask me? Well, the seasons are always different, student reactions are different, the river is different – no flow, flood flow, frozen!

Amongst the random and routine moments, I have learnt some amazing skills that will stay with me forever. I have learnt to use identification keys and now volunteer for the National Plant Monitoring Survey. I have so many bio-recording apps on my phone and have turned my appreciation for the great outdoors into a scientific pursuit. First Brimstone recorded yesterday! It feels good to know that the data is being used to help environmental decision makers. The FSC also trained me as a Mountain Leader, a remote first aider, a safety manager and a team leader, which helped me to become a better Senior Tutor and then Education Team Leader.  

All these skills and experiences will serve me well as I move on to Project Manage a heritage and conservation project at Lake Vyrnwy for the local community, RSPB and Hafren Dyfrdwy. It will be an interesting challenge to use the understanding from my teaching on habitat monitoring, place rebranding, carbon and water systems and my leadership skills to bring long term environmental, economic and social sustainability to this unique and special place.

And I go knowing this bunch of “outstanding” educators will be there for you, to continue to encourage you to be curious, look again, look more deeply and ask great questions.

By Angela Munn, Education Team Leader