Catherine Morgan

- degree in Liberal Arts (Religious Studies) St Mary's University College, Belfast. I am 22 years old, almost 23! I think from an early age RE has always been a huge part of my life. I come from a Roman Catholic background in Northern Ireland and very often people in Northern Ireland think that religion is just protestant and catholic. However, I believe that RE teachers can help to break religious divides. In a gap year between my second and third year at uni, I took part in the BEI programme. I had to take largely business classes. However, I got a feel for standing up in front of the classroom and giving presentations and one of my teachers said that I would make either a good public speaker or a teacher. Her presence as a college lecturer affirmed for me that teaching is certainly my vocation. I have had some amazing teachers with such kind qualities and whilst doing the programme in America I had the privilege of working with some very under-privileged children whose parents were either in jail or provided a really bad home life. My future plan is to complete the PGCE, stay in Liverpool for my NQT year and then teach in a country in SE |Asia where children are taught with minimal tools.