It is ever too late to return to education? Not if you ask college lecturer and published writer Stephen Tuffin.
When asked what advice he would give to any mature student looking to come back to college or education, Tuffin replied with a firm “Do it” but before hearing more of his views on education let’s hear the history of Stephen Tuffin.
Tuffin entered our classroom happy and laughing, quickly putting the whole class at ease. As part of a journalism assignment, we need to write a crafted interview based on an interesting local character and luckily we had one down the hall in the form of Stephen Tuffin. After getting comfortable, Tuffin told us simply “Stop me if I waffle” and continued to make jokes about the many times he had gone off subject.
Breaking the ice, Tuffin was asked plainly, how he was. After mentioning he was fine, he elaborated by telling us that he had recently cut down his hours at work and due to that he now had more time to write. He had even created himself a writing room where he would spend hours, worrying his poor wife Teresa who he said often shouted to him to ask if he was ‘still alive’. With a laugh we were told how sometimes he didn’t answer simply to make things more interesting.
Ice successfully broken Tuffin was next asked about his influences and immediately we were told the story of Mr Marshall, Tuffin’s old English teacher at his school in Margate. Once Tuffin admitted he had not been at all interested in school and was more concerned with girls and football, but the homework set that day to write a red letter day story encouraged him to express his upset and outrage that George Best had just left Manchester United. Although Tuffin got the brief wrong, Mr Marshall read out his story because it was that good and he never forgot about the teacher who had been a fan of his writing.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Tuffin and his family moved to Swindon where his mother and sister lived. Back then, Tuffin informs us, “Swindon was glamorous,” the fastest growing town in Europe and it had the all important range of jobs that he was ultimately looking for. But again life threw a spanner in the works and after contracting an illness that is 99% hereditary and Tuffin being the unlucky 1% that just contract the illness, he had to leave his job as a carpenter on building sites and become unemployed as his condition would cause him to never work again. To say Tuffin and his family were saddened by the news would be an understatement. But with this new progression, Tuffin’s wife Teresa decided to return to college and do nursing while Tuffin was at home with their two children. After his wife received a bursary from the college for her course, she and Tuffin decided to go see Othello at the theatre. Othello was one of the texts Teresa had to study for her course and neither she or Tuffin had any idea what it was about.
Having never been to the theatre before, the two felt out of place thinking it was too posh and that they were going to be kicked out. But they weren’t and within the first five minutes everything clicked for Tuffin and his new chapter began. Tuffin came to New College and his wife started university. Although he was worried about coming back into education at the age of 40, due to his experiences when he had been at school, teachers had been very critical and humiliating so he assumed that this would happen again at college. But that was not the case, Tuffin attended new College before he went off to Bath Spa and did multiple degrees including an MA. He now teaches for both the Open University and New college, saying his illness was a blessing as he wouldn’t be where he is now without it.
Being labelled as a mature student myself, I had to ask Tuffin what his thoughts were on mature students and education, did he have any advice or words of wisdom? As mentioned before Tuffin’s immediate response to the question was “Do it”. Before asking if I knew anyone in particular who was thinking of doing so. When told that I was technically a mature student at the age of 24, we spoke a little of our similar circumstances before he assured me I was doing a great thing. He then went on to say that education doesn’t end at 21 it’s not just something you do as a kid and then forget or something you have to do but has no effect on your future like he had once thought it was. Finally, Tuffin tells us that he would always recommend coming back to education, so if you are considering it consider the success story of Stephen Tuffin. You can read Tuffin’s story by visiting nationalflashfictionday.co.uk.
And if you ever get the chance, ask for a story because he has some amazing ones to tell.
By Hollie Nevison
