The Power of Vulnerability | Brene Brown | TED Talks

Brene Browns work is my latest obsession. While not directly related to education it is about connection. Connections however are essential for learning. I really enjoy Brene and her take on shame and vulnerability. Take some time to watch her TedTalks.

Infographic for GIFT: Group Instructional Feedback Technique

I recently made my first infographic. I chose to develop one to outline and summarize the Group Instructional Feedback Technique. It was a digital feedback assignment for the PIDP 3260 Professional Practice course I'm just wrapping up. I'm proud of how well my first attempt at an inforgraphic turned out. I'm sad to see the course end but now it is time to get busy and finish my final capstone project! https://infograph.venngage.com/p/54658/gift-group-instructional-feedback-technique_1_1

My Journey Through The Provincial Instructors Diploma Program:

During my first few months of teaching I received a very nice compliment from my Department Head. She told me, “I was a natural instructor and doing a wonderful job with my students”. She however, suggested I would be an even better instructor once I have completed my PID. I could not have agreed with her more. Unfortunately, in my department there is no real training or guidelines for new instructors to follow. I was given a class to teach with a skeleton like curriculum; it had no substance or direction. I realized as an instructor I needed to develop my own support materials and my own brand of instruction. I remember thinking to myself, “fake it until you make it”.  It became very clear to me I needed instructor training.

            So I enrolled in the PIDP 3100 Foundations in Adult Education course online. The course introduced me to many learning theories and models, the core of adult education. After a lot of reading and many papers I began to have an understanding foundations of adult education. The course created a hunger for more knowledge and I couldn’t wait to take my next course. As a full-time instructor and a part-time hair stylist I struggled to find time to take course or an intake that worked with my schedule. One year after taking my first course I enrolled in and completed PIDP 3210 Curriculum Development course. This course brought me a great understanding of how to create curriculum documents and actually read the curriculum documents that I had encountered in the Hair Design Department. The 3210 course was really a turning point in my thinking and understanding of all things instructional. I began to really get it.  Again, I couldn’t wait to take the rest of the PIDP courses.

            One year later I realized that I had not taken any further PIDP courses. I had been teaching back to back, putting my professional development time and holiday time on hold.  Suddenly there was a short fall of work in the department and I had plenty of banked time to be utilized for professional development. In 2015, I enrolled and completed PIDP 3220 Delivery of Instruction, PIDP 3230 Evaluation of Learning, PIDP 3240 Media Enhanced Learning, PIDP 3250 Instructional Strategies, and soon to be completed PIDP 3260 Professional Practice.  It has been a busy and incredible journey, one that has shaped and developed my career as in instructor beyond belief. I have grown and improved my instructional abilities in so many ways.

            I have learned how to create an inclusive classroom, where I can not only welcome everyone but also find ways to help everyone learn in a way that works for them. I have learned to put the students at center stage in their learning. I believe students must take ownership and responsibility for their own learning.  To me the most important thing I’ve learned and now become my mantra is “there is no such thing as a bad student, just a student that has not been engaged or challenged in the right way”. Since taken the PIDP program I have found myself trying really hard to reach the students who are struggling in the program. Most importantly, I have realized I now have the tools to help them.  I really credit the PIDP for developing, refining, and preparing me for my teaching career.

Reflecting on Chapter One: Experiencing Teaching from The Skillful Teacher By Stephen D. Brookfiel

As I’ve mentioned previously, I simply adored The Skillful Teacher by Stephen D. Brookfield.  The book provides a lot of perspective and teaching concepts but most importantly they were supported by the authors personal teaching experiences.  While I enjoyed the entire book I’d have to say Chapter one grabbed me and reeled me in.  I was hooked on this book from the first chapter forward.

Chapter one filled me with a sense of relief, as I was not the only instructor who felt like an imposter as they fumbled through their first days as an educator.  As an instructor we are assumed to be an expert who can present a lesson with enthusiasm while pleasing the audience and keeping them all engaged. To be a clumsy amateur incapable of gaining the classes attention or respect is simply not welcomed. Yet, when we first start teaching or presenting a new course for the first time it is quite common for things to not be seamless, or one of our best performances.  Chapter one helped me to realize I was not alone in my early teaching career with feelings of anxiety and shortcomings.

Additionally, chapter one firmly reminds us that as educators we can never possibly be ready for everything that transpires in today’s classroom. What may work or be of use to one type of student will be completely irrelevant to another.  Stephen D. Brookfield (2015) states, “ It seems to me that classrooms can be thought of as arenas of confusion where teachers are struggling gladiators of ambiguity. Just when we think we have anticipated every eventuality, something unexpected happens that elicits new responses and causes us to question our assumptions of good practice”. (p-7). To me this was a powerful and accurate statement that defines the daily struggle we can face as instructors in the ever-changing classroom environment.

Now that I’ve nearly completed PIDP 3260 and have finished all the other program courses I can safely say this book was my favorite. I will definitely be keeping it on my office bookshelf.

References

Brookfield, S. (2015). The skillful teacher: on technique, trust, and responsiveness in the classroom (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers

The Importance of Lifelong Learning:

Many times in my life I have taken courses or seminars only to encounter an instructor who seemed out of touch with what is going on in the real world. I remember one such course where even the instructor seemed bored and unengaged with the lesson he was presenting.  It is absolutely essential that educators stay up to date with current teaching styles/concepts and technology. Furthermore, instructors that teach trades should go back out into their industry to work periodically.  This will aid in keeping the instructor abreast with current trends and skills in their field. When instructors spend years in the classroom they can lose sight of what is really going on in the industry and become an educator with no relevance to the real world.

Fortunately many schools, colleges, and universities encourage faculty to develop themselves by offering release time as well as funds for higher learning. Nowadays a common way of thinking is the idea that we are “lifelong learners”, a concept many instructors instill in their students.  It seem only fitting the educators would also be lifelong learners.  I’m a firm believer that life itself is one big learning lesson and that we do not stop learning until we pass on. Today’s learners do a great deal of research before and during a course, they know their stuff and they know what they want to learn. In order for an instructor to be able to provide their learners with a meaningful experience, an instructor must remain up to date with area in which they teach.

As an instructor I believe in taking courses regularly and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. Recently, I applied to do my Masters of Education, a graduate program that will largely focus on curriculum and instructional strategies. In addition, I work out in the field one day a week so I can prevent skill erosion and share industry trends with my students. What do you do to keep learning and remain current?

Infographic of Infographics

Working on my first ever info graphic for the PIDP 3260 Professional Practice course.  This great little video posted in the course for us to review is just excellent. Take a look and you will learn why info-graphics are so effective!

Susan Cain: The power of introverts

Susan Cain, Oh Susan Cain. How I love thee. If you follow my blog or have attended a class with me you have probably heard about how great I think Susan is. When I first left my position in the hair industry to be a full-time instructor I truly felt I knew it all. I thought I was so ready and poised to be a understanding, well-rounded instructor. I've always maintained that hair stylists simply must be socially extroverted. My first year of teaching I had a group of new hairdressing students, three who were shy, quiet, and yes introverted! How could this be? Why are they in this program? What are we going to do? I struggled along with them for the first six weeks, the whole time worrying about how they will make it in the hair industry. I attended a workshop at the college where I teach. In the workshop I raised my hand and said " I teach hair design here at the college. I have three extremely introverted students. They barely speak! I don't feel they belong in the program little lone the hair business! What shall I do?". The  facilitator gave me a side ways look of disgust. Right at that moment I knew I was about to learn a valuable lesson. I was right! Doug Mauger cued up a video. It was this Susan Cain Ted Talk that changed me forever. After the video Doug asked me " Well what do you think now?". Feeling embarrassed and like a simple fool I said "I have completely misunderstood and overlooked the value of these amazing thinkers, today that will change". To this day I think this was the single most important lesson I received as an instructor. The following week I went back to my class and saw my introverts with new eyes. I changed my approach to teaching them and they responded immediately. Rather then forcing them into interactions with clients I initiated all consultations and initial conversations with the salon clients. Prior to these interactions I instructed my introverted students to let me model how we communicate with clients, they were told to watch and listen, but to join in if/when they felt comfortable. This worked! To my surprise going that extra mile gave them the confidence to use their voices. I will forever be grateful for my introduction to Susan Cain. Introverts are so valuable and some of my favorite people. In fact I found out I'm a lot more introverted then I could have ever imagined. As educators we owe it to our learners to gain the insight we need to effectively help everyone in our classroom!