Hello.
My name is Tracy I am currently on the PGCert in Academic Practice in Art, Design and Communication (2020-2022). I will be an associate Lecturer at CSM on the BA Product Design Course. Im also on the Shades of Noirs (SoN) ‘Teaching Within’ (TW) programme which look to create equality, diversity in the creative arts and higher education. I hope to be able to not only learn from a pedagogical environment, working with students and staff but to also use this opportunity to challenge myself, utilise the skills to not only build on my own practice but ultimately to work in higher education to make the academic environment more inclusive.
Tracey, this is a wonderful blog to read. You reflect so well on many different aspects of teaching, and your writing helps the reader to gain more of a sense of you as a person entering into teaching and the responsibilities and choices it brings. Your comments on the effects of reflecting (on one’s sense of inner authenticity) are poignant, and give insight into how tutor’s become ‘shaped’ through teaching practices. I particularly liked your reflections on Kes and on the impact of broken or troubled family relations in generating / failing to generate a sense of love, and how this affects education. There is longstanding research being carried out at Cambridge University, on family issues – for example, family estrangement, family toxicity etc. and the stigma involved for those who do not have supportive family structures – and recent research into the effects of family separation on those experiencing lockdown. See, for example: https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/stigma-of-broken-family-relationships-compounded-by-lockdown.
I also liked your comments on the importance of music, and its soothing effects; music can definitely be structured into class sessions, and it would be great to see examples of this, if you decide to do this in future. Great blogging work so far !