It's a mini adventure...

...well, two mini adventures, actually; our two, twenty minute 'mini teaches' under the watchful eye of an assessor.

Building on the experience of the micro teaches, it's a chance for us to expand on what we've already practiced, again in front of a friendly 'home crowd' of fellow learners.

The preparation was a little more structured, with timed lesson plans and a rationale to be submitted before each session. We were also allowed to make use of additional presentation formats.

I put a powerpoint presentation together for my first teach; a session on the interaction of visuals and text in advertising communication.

Unfortunately, it decided it wasn't playing half way through.

In retrospect, that was a good thing. It forced me to improvise. And taught me a valuable lesson: when you're relying on technology, always have a back up!

Gratifyingly, the feedback was that I had coped very well. Again, the advantage of knowing your subject and being prepared.

Only downside? Time management. I overran by six minutes on on the first session, two minutes on the second. (Although, the second session felt like it flew by. I was convinced it was a quarter of an hour and no more. What is they say time does when you're having fun?)

It was good to see how other students approached their subjects. And as the groups had been shaken up since the micro teaches, we had a broad cross section of styles, subjects and approaches to learn from.

As an exercise, it's been invaluable. I feel, as does everyone else, we've progressed a lot as a result of these sessions.

And just as importantly, they've given me invaluable confidence and additional professional technique to bring to my 'real life' teaching.

Swapsies

Tried a new trick a week or two ago with a view to bringing it home how tutors, clever as we are, can't read minds.

Bit of background: I've stressed the importance of 'Scamps' from the word go this year.

Scamps are the quick, cartoon like layouts that Art Directors do to get their ideas down on paper. They're quick and simple to draw, but at the same time they give everyone a clear notion of the thinking behind the the work. The important thing is that they can be 'read' by anyone with a bit of imagination...

For the first couple of weeks, the whole group scamped away dutifully. After that, the scratchy, postage stamp sized doodles made a comeback and we were back to them explaining to me what it was I was actually looking at.

So I told them at the end of a lesson we'd be starting off next time with a show and tell session of their ideas. Only they weren't going to be presenting their own work. They were going to present one another's. And they wouldn't know until the day who they were swapping with so they couldn't brief them beforehand. 'SO NICE BIG NEAT SCAMPS PLEASE..'

Come the day, and half the group had taken heed, half hadn't. Seeing the half that hadn't squirming with embarrassment as their 'other half' tried in vain to explain what the hell they were holding up was, I think, a great way of driving home the lesson:

When you're not there to explain it, your work has to speak for itself. So keep it neat, keep it clear and keep it simple.