It’s taken me a while to reconcile with the lesson structure on the PG Cert. Fixed on the standard format of a classroom, I often found myself wondering when the tutor was going to ‘teach’ something. In hindsight, this thought seems redundant. Each session was filled with discussions of new ideas, shared practices, and thought-provoking conversations. This was always followed by a succinct yet thought-provoking observation with related resources from the tutor.
For some this may sound like a dream, having the freedom to discuss and share endless ideas. For me, it created conflict. I left each session with a new, unanswered question. In these moments of uneasiness, I realised, what I was truly seeking was comfort. I craved for moments where my brain could rest and simply absorb information.
“While risk-taking is central to the critical thinking process, this behaviour is unlikely to occur unless those involved have no sense of fear”
Macfarlane, B (2004) Teaching with integrity: The ethics of higher education practice
On one hand the task of needing to repeatedly ‘conceptualise an intellectually coherent response’ compounded with the unanswered questions was unsettling. (Harris, K. 2022) On the other hand the fear of never getting an answer to my questions pushed me into new territories. This juxtaposition pushed me to let go of my preconceived notions of teaching in search for new ways to redefine my own classroom. Once I gave into the structure, I was able to fully dive into the land of the unknown where risks can be taken.
“In other words, when the familiar is made unfamiliar, we can facilitate transformation of the self. We do this in the course by examining our teaching anew, drawing upon the research literature, the experience of our colleagues, and critical reflection on our practice. When we examine our teaching anew in this way, we can contribute to transforming our ways of being university teachers”
Dall’Alba, G. (2005) Improving teaching: Enhancing ways of being university teachers
From analysing my own feelings on the PGCert, more questions have arisen; does answering every student question create less room for student exploration? and how does prior knowledge affect risk-taking? However, I look forward to exploring these thoughts and methods in my own practice.
More thoughts on this topic can be found on the post Ending with a question