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Hi Cheryl, thanks for writing up a summery of our discussion (Below link). Been a joy to work with you

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I dreamed a dream

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Thoughts on in class session

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Last Wednesday I attended the Post Grad Certificate in Academic Practice.  To be frank it was an experience I wasn’t truly prepared for (and possibly couldn’t have prepared for).  Having worked in the NHS since 2002 I had become accustomed to the ‘paper exercise’ of training and mandatory courses.  Just another hurdle to jump to prove my practice.  Although I am a firm believer that such training is essential to keep skills and knowledge up to date I think I had become a bit jaded in how I perceived such courses. 

That assumption was very quickly dispelled in the module introduction, where I was informed at the outset that I would be challenged to think independently and feedback creatively throughout.  Chrissi enthusiastically detailed the need for dynamic teaching strategies within the current education system, and encouraged us to be prepared to think about our own practice for today’s consumers of education.  I found it myself enthused that throughout the course we would be challenged to think about how delivering a session can engage students, how using the environment can facilitate learning and the need to access the theoretical underpinnings behind teaching for a praxis in our practice.  

I was also impressed that Chrissi’s own teaching strategies were true to her convictions, as before we could get too comfortable listening to her rhetoric we were abruptly herded to the middle of the room for a ‘speed dating session’.  We found ourselves all lined up with three minutes to introduce ourselves to our partner.  Bell sounds.  Do it again with a new partner.  The activity was really useful as an icebreaker to get to know each other, but it also allowed me to empathise with the student perception of starting a new course and meeting new people.  Very valuable experience as my first year of my undergraduate is already a distant memory.  The main thing that I took from this however,  was that I better be on my toes throughout this course. 

After the session I spent some time reflecting on the course, and its aim in viewing teaching as a partnership with students rather than the ‘jug and empty vessel’ approach.  This struck a chord with me as I have never been a passive student (as my old educators would be quick to tell you).  I think the remainder of the course will be an interesting experience.   I look forward to where it is going, how it will develop my teaching, and as said by Ford in this blogs title, staying young for a few more years.