This session was truly enjoyable for me. It is often challenging to find dedicated time for reading, analysis, reflection, and writing. Having an entire session devoted to these tasks felt like a luxury, and it was incredibly beneficial for me to get organized and prepared for submission.
The structured approach of alternating between writing and quick breaks worked well for me; it kept me focused without feeling tired or uninspired. Upon reflection, I believe this method could be applied to my teaching practices and how I structure lesson plans and presentations. I often feel compelled to communicate all my knowledge and expect students to enthusiastically respond to every piece of content and task presented, which is not always realistic.
I have discussed with peers from the PgCert program and my colleagues in womenswear the difficulty of teaching curiosity, one of UAL’s Creative Attributes Framework. There is also a tendency to try reinvent the wheel when structuring units and delivering content year after year, leaving little time for content research, which I believe should be a primary focus when not teaching.
The concept of allocating class time for hands-on activities and project work holds significant value and is something I aim to incorporate more into the units I lead or teach. This approach allows students to digest content at their own pace and achieve more rewarding results overall, benefiting both them and us.
In addition, it also made me think about my workload in the university and the importance of dedicating time to engage with tasks that often end up at the bottom of the list. Perhaps setting aside a dedicated hour each week for these tasks wouldn’t be a bad idea. PHOBOTLT (Power Hours of Bottom of the list tasks) 🙂