I aspire that my teaching will have a positive and lasting impact on the learners that I encounter. I always encourage students not to just accept my way of doing, but to question and explore other ways of achieving the desired outcome. To reflect on how the outcome could be enhanced or developed. I encourage critical thinking and reflection as a modus operandi and urge students not to just accept, but to question.
The American educator Edgar Dale helped us understand that we learn best through action and simulation, also known as experiential learning which is basically, learning to cook by cooking. Kiyosaki (2017) gives a diagrammatic representation of Dale’s cone of leaning where Dale argues that lecture and reading are not the most, effective method of learning. See figure 1 below.
Through my teaching, I give many demonstrations to learners on a range of applied furniture making techniques and skills. Students participate through discussion and seeing the demonstration of the task at hand. The students then all get to practice the skill through making their own pieces, by doing the real thing. I believe the students respond very positively to seeing and discussing the task in real time.
Not that this is new thinking in education. Breverton (2009) details The Analects of Confucius. Here, Confucius is credited with saying:
“I hear, I know. I see, I remember. I do, I understand”.
Most of my teaching involves the practical art of fine furniture making. Through this, students get to hear, see and do.
Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC) was a Chinese thinker, political figure, educator and founder of the Ru School of Chinese Thought. His golden rule was that “A man should practice what he preaches.” Confucius’s contribution to educational theory still has relevance today. I was heartened to find I was adopting some of his theories in my approach and find that I have been significantly influenced by his thinking.
My core teaching is based on practising what I preach. This came about as a reflection on the effectiveness of my teaching methods. During my initial years as a lecturer, when demonstrating furniture making techniques, I used to give demonstrations on sample pieces of wood which were then discarded. I was not happy with the outcome for the students. I felt I was ‘talking the talk’ but not ‘walking the walk’ and that students had nothing to use as a benchmark for a completed finished piece. I decided that I had to lead by example and I started to make the projects along with the students. This requires a significant investment in time outside of class time for every project to complete my own pieces. Certain elements of the work are demonstrated during class time and then the students commence their own work, with my guidance as they go. I believe this has been very effective as a means of teaching and the students participate very positively.
Without engaging in a self-reflective exercise, I would not have adapted to using the techniques I now employ. Indeed, Schon argues that “skilful professional practice depends less on factual knowledge than on the capacity to reflect before taking action” (Schon, 1987).
When writing my personal philosophy statement, I researched many theories of education. I was encouraged to find theories such as experiential learning. Kolb et al defines experiential learning as “the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. Knowledge results from the combination of grasping and transforming experience” (Kolb et al, 2001).
As a practitioner of furniture making, I make a variety of installations relevant to my teaching. From free standing tables, chairs, memory boxes and more to fitted furniture in the form of kitchens, bedrooms and offices. I have found this involvement in industry a rich source of information as I can share real life working examples with students. It promotes very positive discussion based on experience and forms an integral part of my teaching philosophy. It helps me to keep up to date with current trends and to keep abreast of the plethora of changes that are constantly taking place in our industry.
I continually seek to expand my knowledge by participating in upskilling courses and exploring new methods and techniques at every opportunity.
I feel truly privileged to have a job that I love. I hope that my passion for what I do is evident in my teaching and that in turn, that inspires the students and learners I meet who are on their own particular journey.
References:
Breverton, Terry, (2009) Immortal Words. History’s most memorable quotations. Quercus Publishing Plc.
Kolb, D. A., Boyatzia, R. E., & Mainemells, C. (2001) Experiential learning theory: Previous research and new directions. Cape Western Reserve University.
Kiyosaki, Robert, T, (2017 Anniversary edition) Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Plata Publishing.
Schon, Donald, A, (1987) Educating the Reflective Practitioner, Jossey-Bass, Wiley Imprint.
The American educator Edgar Dale helped us understand that we learn best through action and simulation, also known as experiential learning which is basically, learning to cook by cooking. Kiyosaki (2017) gives a diagrammatic representation of Dale’s cone of leaning where Dale argues that lecture and reading are not the most, effective method of learning. See figure 1 below.
Through my teaching, I give many demonstrations to learners on a range of applied furniture making techniques and skills. Students participate through discussion and seeing the demonstration of the task at hand. The students then all get to practice the skill through making their own pieces, by doing the real thing. I believe the students respond very positively to seeing and discussing the task in real time.
Not that this is new thinking in education. Breverton (2009) details The Analects of Confucius. Here, Confucius is credited with saying:
“I hear, I know. I see, I remember. I do, I understand”.
Most of my teaching involves the practical art of fine furniture making. Through this, students get to hear, see and do.
Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC) was a Chinese thinker, political figure, educator and founder of the Ru School of Chinese Thought. His golden rule was that “A man should practice what he preaches.” Confucius’s contribution to educational theory still has relevance today. I was heartened to find I was adopting some of his theories in my approach and find that I have been significantly influenced by his thinking.
My core teaching is based on practising what I preach. This came about as a reflection on the effectiveness of my teaching methods. During my initial years as a lecturer, when demonstrating furniture making techniques, I used to give demonstrations on sample pieces of wood which were then discarded. I was not happy with the outcome for the students. I felt I was ‘talking the talk’ but not ‘walking the walk’ and that students had nothing to use as a benchmark for a completed finished piece. I decided that I had to lead by example and I started to make the projects along with the students. This requires a significant investment in time outside of class time for every project to complete my own pieces. Certain elements of the work are demonstrated during class time and then the students commence their own work, with my guidance as they go. I believe this has been very effective as a means of teaching and the students participate very positively.
Without engaging in a self-reflective exercise, I would not have adapted to using the techniques I now employ. Indeed, Schon argues that “skilful professional practice depends less on factual knowledge than on the capacity to reflect before taking action” (Schon, 1987).
When writing my personal philosophy statement, I researched many theories of education. I was encouraged to find theories such as experiential learning. Kolb et al defines experiential learning as “the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. Knowledge results from the combination of grasping and transforming experience” (Kolb et al, 2001).
As a practitioner of furniture making, I make a variety of installations relevant to my teaching. From free standing tables, chairs, memory boxes and more to fitted furniture in the form of kitchens, bedrooms and offices. I have found this involvement in industry a rich source of information as I can share real life working examples with students. It promotes very positive discussion based on experience and forms an integral part of my teaching philosophy. It helps me to keep up to date with current trends and to keep abreast of the plethora of changes that are constantly taking place in our industry.
I continually seek to expand my knowledge by participating in upskilling courses and exploring new methods and techniques at every opportunity.
I feel truly privileged to have a job that I love. I hope that my passion for what I do is evident in my teaching and that in turn, that inspires the students and learners I meet who are on their own particular journey.
References:
Breverton, Terry, (2009) Immortal Words. History’s most memorable quotations. Quercus Publishing Plc.
Kolb, D. A., Boyatzia, R. E., & Mainemells, C. (2001) Experiential learning theory: Previous research and new directions. Cape Western Reserve University.
Kiyosaki, Robert, T, (2017 Anniversary edition) Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Plata Publishing.
Schon, Donald, A, (1987) Educating the Reflective Practitioner, Jossey-Bass, Wiley Imprint.