Ildiko Csiza talked to our Master of Arts in Creative Writing graduate, Emmanuela Voutsadakis, recently. Here’s her interview with a summarised transcript below.
Could you tell me a few words about you?
I am doing what I was doing before my Master’s degree with Warnborough, which is teaching. Before I used to teach mainly drama, but now because of my Warnborough knowledge I am also teaching English at IGCSE and IB levels in secondary schools.
What do you enjoy most about these roles?
I’ve always loved teaching. I’ve been teaching for 20 years and I like the interaction with children and the educational part of it, the planning.
Being an educator yourself, what was your overall experience with Warnborough?
It was very well-structured . The time allocated for me by my personal tutor then, Maria Jacketti, was excellent. She had a lot of time for me, for my questions, for my marking an d to assist me. The way the program was structured was aimed at adults who are keen to do well and organise themselves. I like to think I’m those things, which is why I did well. As an educator, I was glad that I knew what my expectations were, what my criteria were, and everything was clear. The feedback was very great.
How did Warnborough get you to where you are?
The MA qualification helped me to teach extra subjects.
How many hours do you teach?
I teach 21 lessons each week.
What do you recommend for other aspiring students in the same field?
Be creative. Read lots of books and read as many different authors as they can to succeed because a variety of stimuli is needed to do a creative writing course.
What authors are you reading at the moment?
(Laughing) At the moment, I have no time to read anything. I read whatever I have to teach. I teach lots of new books every year – Shakespeare, poetry and prose. Unfortunately there is so much marking and planning to do, there is very little time to read other things.
What advice wouldyou give your younger self?
To work even though sometimes things are not as enjoyable and to persevere. There are times in education where you have to do things that you don’t particularly love, but there will come a time when you study subjects and modules that you really enjoy. You will keep learning, so just have an open mind and thirst for knowledge.
Do you feel you have achieved what you planned for yourself when you were that age?
Yes, I think so.
Did studying at Warnborough College help you with that?
In a way. I think when I was studying at Warnborough, I had more aspirations to write. I’m not doing that. That’s got nothing to do with the university, but with personal circumstances.
Would you like to write in the future?
Yes, I definitely would.
Would you recommend Warnborough to others?
Yes, I would. It’s a good course and I learnt a lot of things. I was happy as a student there, and I received plenty of feedback. The course was very well and very clearly-structured. Especially as an adult learner, the benefits were great. As a younger student, it wouldn’t have offered a ‘student life’ because my course was entirely online.
What inspires you in your free time?
I like going to the theatre, reading, and cooking.
What do you like cooking?
Anything. I cook a lot of desserts and main meals as well. I like cooking international cuisine.
A few words on your future?
At the moment, the future is a continuation of what I’m doing right now which is working in the school, teaching, and bringing up my two children.
For more on our creative writing programs, see below:
- Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma in Creative Writing
- Master of Arts (MA) in Creative Writing
- PhD in Creative Writing
Contact us for more information, or write to Program Director, Dr Sandra Hutcheson.
