Belfast Metropolitan College

by Tony Davis · April 21st, 2013 · · Comments are off for this post

My cataracts have been cleared. Meaning: Before the session I knew that my learners needed to be more independent and there should be less of me marking piles of work, but I had only a very foggy awareness of how to change that. Now my awareness is clearer.
I need to change how learners experience biology, so it is not so compartmentalised into topic followed by topic, each routinely ‘formally assessed’ through working through exam questions ad infinitum until the end. It also showed – which I wasn’t expecting – a way for learners to develop a skill base so they can meaningfully engage with any new material that is presented.
It was an excellent session that condensed a huge range of ideas – including the skills development of learners – which I wasn’t expecting and has been, to close off the metaphor, eye-opening. Thank you.

I’ve been inspired!
Discovering – like learning the chords at the end of Stravinsky’s Symphonies for Wind Instruments.
To infinity and beyond.
I feel that I’ve been involved in going the extra mile today, and look forward to more.
Very enjoyable – creative and grabbed my attention throughout.
Cant wait to get started!
Cutting apron strings – let learners go!
Super – thought provoking, intelligent, and very, very helpful.
A colleague who had dreaded 3 hours this morning sent a message to say it was well worth coming. She was not wrong.
I will rethink many aspects of the way I teach.
Many things are a lot clearer.
A pedagogical whirlwind.
Refreshing and extremely helpful.
A clearing mist.
I will now see the learners at the heart of what I do rather than aim to ‘get through’ the syllabus.

A wilted flower that’s just been given a drop of water.
Think big first, then refine as cost/needs dictate – great idea..
Eating a huge bar of chocolate.
Very good session. We tend to become bogged down in processes which block creativity.
I need to think about how to build in the ‘curiosity’ idea – to keep students motivated.

TED talk.
Exceptionally interesting.
Sunrise/dawn – illumination!
Rocket.
Excellent reflective session and clearly one that challenges teaching strategies to date.
An oasis of sense.
An eye opener.
Rekindled old ideas lost over time.
A light has come on!
Plenty of proactive techniques.
Enjoyed questioning how I question.
Excellent ideas on differentiation which we do not do enough of now.
Thought provoking, with some very good practical tips.
A light being switched on to illuminate a dark room.
It helped me with what I have always considered to be the main difficulty in teaching further education.
Stimulated such useful pedagogical discussion.
Very challenging – would love to build all this in.
A journey of discovery!
Make me re-think my teaching strategies for next year.
I need to get to know individual students and their needs early on, and try to plan strategies to meet their needs.
Now I’ve had a glass of wine, I want the bottle!
This session has enhanced my motivation ahead of next week.
Good to be reminded that we should always reinvent our teaching skills.
Helped me reconsider what to do with over achievers.
A new perspective. Lots of great ideas.
Need to revisit my scheme of work and invest in my teaching in order to work smarter.
Eye opener.
Some of the fog has lifted.
Several Damascene moments.
Excellent presenter with very innovative and creative tasks.

Plato’s cave
Challenging.
Excellent.
Journey down quality street.
Food for thought… feeling full!
Excellent self assessment is honest self assessment.
The scales fell from my eyes.
I will certainly use the ‘so what’, but I will focus more on trying to get the ‘roadmap to outstanding’ out of the SER.
You can teach an old dog new tricks.
Everyone should go on this training.
Revelatory.
Revolutionary.
My SER (SAR) is going to become more student focused rather than management.
Excellent session with some great pointers from which to improve my SER and indeed have that IMPACT.
Enlightening.
Exciting.
It demystified the language needed to make this a meaningful process.
Very enjoyable. Difficult topic, well handled.
Discovering cornerstones.
Found games very helpful and informative. Really like the football analogy.
Magical mystery tour!
Switched the light on!
Thoroughly enjoyable. Best so far.
Audit to impact.

I really got a lot out of your session and have been singing your praises to anyone who will listen.
It has improved my understanding of what we are expected to do.
Roses are red, Violets are blue, This session made me want to improve, So thank you!!
Enthusiastic and knowledgeable presenter who clearly has a passion for this area of work.
Super-duper.
Inspirational.
Excellent – very useful – creative – practical!
Challenging!
Excellent workshop.
Engaging and thought provoking.
Make it longer. It was excellent.
A first class event.

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