My Microteach session exemplified an exercise I would do with students on an Insights course. It’s based on an activity I would build in at the beginning of a session, encompassing inclusive teaching and active participation principles.
I find a quick drawing tasks work well as ice breakers, encourage students to approach mark-making in different ways and dispel any hang-ups they may have about their drawing abilities.
‘Key to communicating with students is clarity of expectation’ (Key principles of inclusive teaching, 2021)
At the beginning of the session I set out clearly what the activity will be, how I will run it (with exact timings), what they will produce and what will happen to their outcomes.
The objects used for this session are: a fruit/ vegetable net and pineapple skin. The use of ‘everyday’ objects illustrates to participants that they can be creative and experimental in a situation (and with materials) that may, at first, seem limiting.
The requirement for active (and physical) participation sets the tone for active participations in the rest of the session.
I have also found exercises where participants are encouraged to use different approach to something they are used to doing in a particular way, helps disrupt the notion that there is one set approach and encourages experimenting.
In line with social constructivist theories which teach; ‘learning happens mainly through social interaction with others’ (Getting started with Active Learning, 2021) reflecting on the results as a group afterwards encourages peer-to-peer learning and critique.
Microteach recording (Session and feedback)
Feedback
Yves enjoyed the session, she mentioned she appreciated the ‘abstract’ nature of the drawing tasks, finding them ‘freeing‘ as she believes ‘can’t draw’.
Yves described the teaching environment as ‘fun’, ‘free’ and ‘non-judgmental’. I was please Yves found the session inclusive in this way.
Yves spoke positively about the level of clarity at the beginning of the session, finding the clear timetable useful. Yves also appreciated my outlining the context of my session in terms of my role with Outreach and the reasons I would usually use an exercise like this.
Yves suggested I could include links to the artists I used as references during the exercise so students could explore further.
Leslie also enjoyed the session. Leslie suggested showing visuals while discussing examples of artists work rather than after would be more effective.
I appreciated the enthusiastic participation of both Yves and Leslie. I will definitely put into practice their suggestions in future sessions with students.
Cambridge-community.org.uk. 2021. Getting started with Active Learning. [online] Available at: <https://www.cambridge-community.org.uk/professional-development/gswal/index.html> [Accessed 16 May 2021].
HOOKS, B., 1994. TEACHING TO TRANSGRESS. New York: Routledge.
Ctl.ox.ac.uk. 2021. Key principles of inclusive teaching. [online] Available at: <https://www.ctl.ox.ac.uk/inclusive-teaching> [Accessed 17 May 2021].
Classroom-aid.com. 2021. Participatory Learning as Pedagogy. [online] Available at: <https://classroom-aid.com/2013/07/08/participatory-learning-as-pedagogy/> [Accessed 16 May 2021].
Tetler, S., 2021. Pedagogy of Participation in inclusive classrooms. [ebook] Available at: <https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ945754> [Accessed 17 May 2021].