Warning: word heavy post.
I had done various bit of teaching off and on for some
little while, but always it bugged me that I ought to know that what I was
doing was correct, the best way possible, and so an itch to scratch, I needed a
teaching qualification.
This time yet another college locally and studying:
City & Guilds
7302 Level 3 Introduction to Delivering Learning.
So in the Autumn of 2004 I took this short course, with the
Certificate issued in 2005
Guess what… another personal difficulty, made my appointment
for interview and enrolment and my mother-in-law died unexpectedly. A bit hectic dealing with everything personal
but was able to make the interview, the funeral, the course and everything else
necessary personally.
This teaching course was a mini course, 11 weeks long,
learning to teach adults. Very
intensive. Yet again City & Guilds
played their tricks, 8 weeks in and they changed how things were to be
done. Some of the assessments had to be
reworked. Panic for many, but having
been part of C&G for such a long time, not a surprise. I just don’t understand why they do things
part way through, why it doesn’t wait until the next intake.
Amongst those in my class were a nurse, who needed to teach
other nurses, specialist skills, someone who was teaching IT to those seeking
work, another on the beginning of teacher training. Many were out there already teaching
successfully within their workplace, but needed the formality of a
qualification.
So this short course taught me, how to lesson plan, assess
results, different types of learners, all inclusive language etc
For the most part it confirmed that I was on the right track
with what I’d been doing in my own small way.
The next step up was a one year teaching course, however
there was a problem with this, and I briefly explored the options of trying to
do it. It required X amount of hours
teaching practice. For the most part
this kind of thing is usually done with the person teaching their subject in a
college situation whilst studying how to actually teach. Locally had their quota of creative tutors,
plus it was never my intent to teach weekly in a college environment. Sadly offering workshops as my teaching
practice was not acceptable, and thinking about it, for the needs I had outside
of a formal teaching environment, I didn’t think I actually needed more by way
of paper qualification. My itch was
scratched.
Over the years I've done lots of day workshops in various subjects, spent a couple of years attending a drawing class (though you'd never guess) participated in the Embroiderers' Guild Development Scheme, attended conferences and opportunities on marketing, promotion, business planning, artist development - indeed it was at one of these I was invited to participate in my first Art Trail.
I have not taken on any further formal studies since the above, although for many years I kept regular updates with the options of a
degree in embroidery, or courses offered via the Open University. However, nothing else has come along to make
me say I must do this.
I have an armful of qualifications as an adult which would
surprise a few people from the distant past, not least the school teacher where
I managed a Grade 4 CSE in Art!! Plus as
almost every time I study the formal stuff, there is a family difficulty, I
think it safer for others, if I stay away…..
It feels good to have recorded the journey, so often we forget or let it slip by, a means to an end, but this how where what and why is what makes up me today.
