In this week's 'A Conversation With...' we had a chat to maths teacher and Sub Lieutenant in the Royal Navy CCF, Mr Charlie Pettifer. Mr Pettifer talks to us about why maths is so important in life and how he loves nothing better than getting out on the water in his kayak and spending time with his family.
How long have you been at Shiplake, what is your role(s) and what roles have you performed previously?
I am in my fifth year at Shiplake now and have been involved in many aspects of the College. I am first and foremost a maths teacher but also the assistant housemaster in Welsh House. I am a Sub Lieutenant in the Royal Navy CCF and, among other things, I run the sailing activity on the lake at Sonning. I have always lived on site so been involved with evening boarding duties and before Welsh I was in Gilson for a year and Everett.
What is the best thing about Shiplake College?
The opportunities available to both staff and pupils here is fantastic. Whether it is learning to drive a minibus (staff) or going on a CCF trip (staff and pupils) and everything in between there are a huge amount of opportunities to challenge yourself in various settings.
What inspired you to become a maths teacher?
It was a fortunate situation that my father knew the chap who, at the time, was almost solely in charge of helping retiring Royal Navy officers find a civilian career. I had a meeting with him after I had graduated from university and he painted a slightly rose-tinted view of teaching, but the seed was sown there and I've never looked back.
What is the best thing about maths in your opinion and why is it such an important subject?
The best thing about maths is that it enables scientists to answer the biggest questions about life and the universe. Everything, largely, is able to be described by mathematics and humanity has been using mathematics to uncover universal truths ever since its inception. The second part of the question is a bit more grounded, it's an important subject as it opens a lot of doors. A good GCSE in maths demonstrates either an ability to learn new skills or a naturally problem solving mind or both. It is also lots of fun.
Some pupils really love maths, but some have a bit of a fear of the subject. How do you approach teaching and reassuring these pupils?
Maths is a subject that you can learn not to love quite easily, it can only take a few poor test scores for a pupil to decide that they are 'bad at maths forever'. For pupils who struggle with their confidence in maths it is about trying to build that up with encouragement and showing them how often they are actually correct and have done the right thing by themselves.
What do you love most about being involved in the CCF programme at Shiplake?
On a sunny day in the summer term with some cadets sailing on Sonning Lake, CCF is a weekly delight but the trips are the best. A couple of years ago we did a sea kayaking trip to Barra, an island in the Outer Hebrides. The weather was amazing and the scenery was stunning. Exploring the island from the sea was great fun and we found some very inquisitive seals as well. I also managed to bring my play boat along and did some kayak surfing.
Now we are back in lockdown, how have you adapted your teaching to engage pupils remotely?
Trying to engage pupils is without doubt the largest challenge of remote teaching. When they are at home on their own and not surrounded by the buzz of a classroom it is much harder to stay focused. Many of the pupils I teach have continued to be highly motivated and I must applaud them for showing that kind of resilience.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Firstly I have two children who are five and three so they take up most of my spare time. As I've mentioned I have a kayak that I don't use as often as I'd like - it's a short one that is designed for doing tricks on waves. There is a really good weir at Hurley when the river is the right height so I sometimes go down there. Marsh Lock is massive at the moment, you can only play on it when there's a big wave like now; I've never tried though as you have to set up a towline to get on to it which takes quite a lot of planning.
What do you hope to do first when we come out of lockdown?
Meeting up with friends and family will be very important but I'm really looking forward to watching a game of rugby in a pub.
What does the future hold for Mr Pettifer?
My family is really important to me and with my daughter starting at Badgemore Primary where my son currently is I will enjoy nurturing their interest in life. My wife has just got a job at Rupert House so life will become more hectic soon.
