Role
Lecturer/Lecturer liaison
Career overview
I have spent my career working in early childhood and childhood settings in both the public and private sectors and have a passion for the benefits of good-quality early childhood provision. I initially qualified as an early childhood practitioner and spent the first three years of my career managing a baby room in a private day nursery. I would later go on to work in primary schools in a range of different roles and secured my Higher-Level Teaching Assistant status. I then joined a primary school leadership team at an exciting period of transition and improvement. As a mature student, I studied for a degree in early childhood studies and secured a teaching qualification shortly after this. This led to opportunities to work in a Further Education environment where I taught across early childhood and social care programmes. This opened opportunities to teach in Higher Education and I have designed, developed, and led on a range of programmes within these environments. My current role at NTU is that of a lecturer and lecturer liaison with a partner institution in Shanghai, China.
I teach across a range of courses at NTU including the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies and the suite of BA (Hons) Childhood Studies degree courses. This includes supporting research dissertation projects and I have a passion for research as a subject matter and activity. I have recently led a working party in the design and development of a new top-up online degree course in childhood and education studies which will be offered at NTU from September 2024.
Research areas
My research interests include gender identity in the early years workforce, professional love, creativity in early childhood pedagogical practices and the philosophy of education.
Doctoral research interests include the impact of discourses of power on the professional identity development of male practitioners studying for a career in early childhood settings.
External activity
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Publications
Rose, M, Smith, S. and Northall, M. (2023) Chapter 9 - Professional Development in Bradbury, A., Musgrave, J. and Perkins, S. eds. (2023) A Practical Guide to the Early Childhood Studies Graduate Practitioner Competencies. London: Learning Matters.
Forthcoming: Northall, M. (2024) Chapter 9 - Professional Practice in Hare, M. ed. (2024) Powerful leaders- The Early Childhood workforce as catalysts for change. London: Sage
Forthcoming: Rawson, K. A. and Northall, M. (2024) Chapter 6 - Where is the CPD and leadership support for those in early years. Networks? iin Hare, M. ed. (2024) Powerful leaders- The Early Childhood workforce as catalysts for change. London: Sage
Forthcoming: Hare, M.. and Northall, M. (2024) Chapter 4 - Policy and Legislation in Hare, M. ed. (2024) Powerful leaders- The Early Childhood workforce as catalysts for change. London: Sage
Where is the CPD and leadership support for those in early years. Networks?