Why Our Volunteer Teachers Teach At The Butterfly School

'For me one of the most rewarding things is just to see a child's face light up after a teaching session. It does make a difference to the children. It helps build up their confidence, and often the parents are enormously grateful - which makes this work so worthwhile.

'You have a real sense of achievement. It is lovely to see that what we do helps other people.

'I have been doing this work for three years now, and I have got very attached to it.'


Pam Clarke teaches the most advanced children at the Butterfly School:

'Having gone through the education system myself, and not having had the best education in the world, I felt basically that I had been failed. I can see a similar thing happening to my own children. And being the mother of boys I felt I had to put a lot of my effort into their education.

'I felt that if I ever had the opportunity to contribute toward teaching children the right way, I would do so. When the opportunity arose for me to teach at the Butterfly School as a volunteer teacher I felt that at last I could help and give the children something that I had never had.

'I've spent a lot of time in school with my children over the years, so I had a little bit of experience that I felt I could offer.

'I believe that we offer the children the best basis for reading and writing that they could possibly get. We offer solid whole-class teaching through a unique system created by Irina Tyk - which is a non-fail method.'


Mark Ivens teaches children who have just begun to read:

'I was aware of the Butterfly course when it was taught by the author of the course, Irina Tyk, as a two-week summer holiday pilot project. I was impressed with the results achieved over so short a period.

'I later then got involved, first as a classroom assistant, then as a teacher. It is very gratifying to teach such a vibrant and enthusiastic set of children.

'The fact that the children are tested on admission and at regular intervals allows me to ensure that I am doing my job and that my pupils are progressing. This proves to me that the time and effort I put in is worthwhile and is a great motivator for me.'