I enjoyed the group dynamic and people’s willingness to discuss tricky subjects. The diversity and range of materials on offer, introduced me to some new writers which was exciting, even if I got somewhat hooked back on bell hooks’ writing. This time round, I found it harder to find the time for extra reading and writing outside of the workshops and Blog Posts due to work and other commitments.
I found the task of thinking about and planning for the Intervention to be a useful and clarifying task. It came at the time where I was planning and running Summer Short courses for UAL for students from China, which I am halfway through a block of six weeks. Nearly all of the students on these courses are aged 16-25 and it is their first time in London, so a pretty big culture shock combined with learning a new model of teaching.
It made me think about and really consider the importance of using accessible language and ways of communicating that are not just verbal. Using visual language and making my own examples of the work I hoped that they would make. Printing out and sending round material before the lesson starts has also proved to be a popular addition, allowing students to discuss amongst themselves the day’s making prior to being here. So far these simple, practical new additions to my teaching pedagogy have helped increase engagement from students compared to last year.
I hope Unit 3 continues to help my teaching practice evolve and grow.
