Recognition Route

The core professional values that guide my practice as a teacher and tutor involve a commitment to the following:

A1. Encouraging the development and progression of all learners

I believe strongly that all learners have the potential for success and progression, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, language, personal circumstances, and previous attainment. In my experience, all learners have their own particular talents and strengths, and all face their own particular obstacles to success. In a sense, all are gifted and all have additional needs. I believe the job of the teacher is to help learners overcome their obstacles and realize their potential. If a student does not achieve their full potential, then I see this as my failure, not theirs. This attitude was formed during initial teacher training (I completed two years' training as part of my BA, gaining a Subsidiary in Education; see certificate and transcript) and it has guided my practice in all the posts I have held across the lifelong learning sector over the past two decades (for details, see my CV).

A2. Highlighting the potential for learning and reflection to empower learners

I believe that learning is not simply about acquiring information, but about gaining a deeper understanding of the world and one’s own situation, thereby increasing one’s control over one’s life and enhancing one’s ability to manage change. This belief guides my practice as a teacher. I always aim to relate learning to students’ own experience, circumstances, and interests (see, for example, my 5th-graders’ reinterpretation of Shakespeare in the light of the crisis in Greece, discussed in B2 below). Moreover, I always seek to make students active, reflective partners in the learning process, which I believe should be one of creative discovery rather than passive reception (see my learning ethos, and this tutorial handout,which exemplifies the method). Having a background in philosophy, I also teach students to use critical thinking skills and to reflect on their learning process, thereby taking control of their learning (see my introduction to philosophy for children – many of the points are relevant to all learners). This empowering of students is, for me, the most rewarding aspect of teaching, and in my work as a lecturer in the FE sector and with the Open University, I have had many opportunities to see how learning can transform students’ lives, widening their horizons, boosting their confidence, and enabling them to realize their ambitions.

A3 Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, in relation to learners, their workforce and the community

As a female with dual nationality, I am highly sensitive to differences and to the importance of equal treatment for everyone. I believe passionately in the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion, with regard to learners, colleagues, and wider society, and am proud to have worked for the Open University and other institutions dedicated to open access to education. I also take an active role in promoting these principles. At the Open University I completed training in diversity and inclusion (see my training record) and served on the Equal Opportunities Team for my Unit, meeting regularly with colleagues to discuss issues such as provision for students with additional needs and policy on bullying and harassment within the workplace. In my current post, I am Integration and Inclusion Officer, responsible for integrating the different language communities within the school and supporting the inclusion of students with additional needs (see my recent report and policy document). I also organize community outreach projects and recently created a 60-minute video for Europe Day, which brought together teachers, parents, and students to celebrate their different cultural identities within the school context. Finally, of course, I work to put principles of equality and inclusion into practice on an informal, day-to-day level in the classroom and workplace, striving to create an open and welcoming environment, where everyone is sensitive to each other’s needs and mutually supportive.

A4. Developing own practice through continuing professional development

By both nature and training I am a reflective person, who continually evaluates their own work, seeks to improve their practice, and welcomes feedback and constructive criticism. I welcome opportunities for appraisal whether they take the form of a formal audit (see this Teaching and Learning audit from Newcastle-under-Lyme College and this appraisal from the Open University), peer observation (see this report) or self-assessment (see this self-appraisal and this), and I see my membership of IfL and application for QTLS status as important parts of this ongoing process. I also share my own learning experiences and practice with colleagues, organising formal and informal in-house training sessions in the areas I coordinate, including maths and ethics, and I regularly meet with colleagues to share good practice and disseminate information form training sessions I have attended.

A5. Collaborating and communicating with legitimate others to enhance learners’ experiences

Links with carefully chosen partners can enrich students’ learning in many ways, providing new perspectives, additional context, and inspiration for progression, and I have always striven to create such links, responding both to student needs and learning opportunities. For example, when adult learners in my classes at Keele suggested that their studies in philosophy of mind would be enriched with some background in neurology, I jumped at the chance to collaborate with a lecturer from the biology department in running a cognitive science course (see this letter from a former colleague). On another occasion, after securing the necessary approvals, I invited some of my sixth-form philosophy students to attend my adult education classes, with the aim of extending their skills and boosting their confidence (see this letter from a former student). In my current post I have found many opportunities to enrich my students’ learning with talks from, and projects with, local artists and representatives of scientific organizations (always, of course, with proper vetting and approval). For example, I worked with a parent who is a violin teacher to organise concerts and raise money for charity, and I collaborated with the Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtle to supplement my 5th grade class’s water project with environmental activities, such as helping to clean a local beach and creating associated artwork (see photo). For a summary of my curriculum enriching collaborative activities in a recent school year see this.

A6. Adhering to agreed codes of practice for a safe working environment

A safe working environment is a prerequisite for learning, and I am conscientious in studying the relevant codes and procedures, disseminating them to students and colleagues, and both adhering to them myself and ensuring that others do so too. I have worked in a variety of environments with different risk profiles, and I always take care to learn the specific codes of practice for each and to update myself regularly. In my current post in Crete I have taken training in first aid, fire, and earthquake safety and I regularly brief my students in such things as internet safety, playground rules, and earthquake procedures (see, e.g., this guide). I also believe that it is important for students to take an active role in health and safety issues, and I encourage my students to collaborate in drawing up their own codes of practice for safe and considerate behaviour in the classroom.

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