Teaching context
What is the details of the teaching context?
Fill out at the beginning of teaching a new student cohort and update if necessary
Course description
| Subject area | Fashion Portfolio Preparation for 16-18 year olds |
| Length of course | 4 days |
| Session no of complete sessions | 2 / 4 |
| Institution | UAL |
| Online, present of hybrid teaching | Online course |
| Platforms used | Collaborate, Padlet |
| Date | 21/12/21 |
Student cohort
| Number of students | 16 |
| Age group | 16-18 years |
| Pre-knowledge | |
| Diversity of the group i.e. ethnicity, language, neurodiversity, gender, level of education | International students, probably mixed experiences and confidences, various English levels Mostly beginner level in fashion design and portfolio work |
| Special needs of students | Various levels of English language skills Variety in learning types Neuro diversity expected |
Students’ needs, visions, motivations
| Motivations What are the motivations of the students on this course? What do they want to get out of it? | Gain support and knowledge around their application to FE / HE courses Creative input and learn about approaches |
| Investment What do they have at stake? | First step to pursue their ‘dream’ Vulnerable step with the risk of being rejected in the application process |
| Comfort zone What are the students’ comfort zones in average? Have the majority of students leant out of their comfort zones previously? | For most students the pursue of the wish to apply to UAL or a fashion design course is already a step out of their comfort zones. At some point during the course most students will be in the panic / uncomfortable zone. Important is that they are not leaving the session when being in that space. |
| Trust How far do the students trust the course content or process in advance? What do they need? Do they have a strong need to built trust? | As the course is run by UAL/CSM and most students are likely to apply to CSM courses, the ‘trust’ is more present as they know of the CSM reputation. |
| Direction Do they have a more or less clear sense of direction prior to the beginning of the course or beyond the course? | Most of the students are likely to have a sense of direction, i.e. apply to a fashion FE/HE course as the content of the course is tailored to this next step. |
| Willingness to take risks Are the students willing to take risks | Some students are more comfortable to take risks in venturing out into an unknown creative process that others. |
Teacher’s Agenda and Motivations
| What are my motivations to teach this course? | Testing the compassionate cornerstonesLearning more on compassionate teaching and engagement with studentsEarning moneySupporting young people on their path More unconscious motivations For the students to have a positive learning experience, comes from own traumatic school experiencecreate a rapport with students |
| What do I need from the students? | Students’ engagement in the courseSome visually interesting outcomesThat they complete the creative process, some of which coherently and aesthetically pleasing. So their peers have a ‘successful’ example.I need the students to engage in the course in a positive and constructive way. More unconsciously I need the majority of students to enjoy the course and learn new toolsI need to be liked by most of the students |
| What other agendas or intentions do I have in relation to the sessions? | I need to feel in control of the sessionsI want to create a positive experience for myself |
Teacher’s comfort zone
| Familiarity of subject area | Very familiar |
| Familiarity of ‘hard wear’ (institution, space) | Very familiar |
| Familiarity of ‘soft wear’ (student cohort, language, teaching context) | Very familiar |
| Familiarity of tech, platforms, apps | Very familiar |
| Other |
Students’ comfort zone
Depending on what is known of the student cohort estimate to your ability and adjust when more insight is gained. There will be a spectrum of students’ abilities to lean out of their comfort zones. Give options to students
| What is the estimated pre-existing experience of the students to lean out of their comfort zones (home, country, language…)? | Most students are likely to be in the physical comfort of their rooms/homes Some students might not be very confident with speaking and listening to English Some students might not be familiar with the online platforms used in the course Most students are likely to be new to the creative process (course content) |
| Are the students familiar with the curriculum / session content? | Quite likely not |
| Are the students familiar with self-directed learning? | Some might be, some might not be |
| Are the students physically in their comfort zones during the course? i.e. online, in person, in a different city/country… | Most likely |
| Do the students have a motivation to lean out of their comfort zone? | Yes, most students know that the good and creative fashion courses are highly competitive to get accepted. Most of the students know that they will need to lean out of their comfort zone to put together a ‘successful’ portfolio. |
| What do the students need in order to feel safe or find back to safety? | It is likely that the students need to build the trust into the unfamiliar creative process where the outcome might not look like something they are familiar with. The possibility to do self-care The possibility to ask questions during and at the end of the sessions 1-1 Clarity and transparency of the process Reoccurring ‘rituals’ in the course structure |
Media and Tech supporting the course
| Is the tech of the course user-friendly for diverse students? (ability, internet bandwidth, language skills) | Collaborate takes a lot of bandwidth. This might be a difficulty for participants with weaker internet connection. Padlet is very user friendly, to upload content and to engage with |
| What is the students’ access to tech? i.e. computers, internet, printer … | Computer yes Printer uncertain Internet connection was for most students reliable, for 2-3 students (incl. myself) it sometimes dropped. |
| How easy is it to communicate between the students and teacher? Are the channels accessible and user-friendly to all? | There is no direct communication between tutor and students. This hinders the exchange of confidential information or answering questions |
| Is a mix of media used, physical and digital? | Yes, there is a mix of digital and physical work. The two media are linked on Padlet, which makes the complete work visible. |
| How easy is it to communicate to the students? | During the sessions it is easy as there is the verbal, chat and visual interaction to their work on Padlet. Between the sessions, the students can write questions and comments on the course Padlet page |
Reflection on the daily teaching
Fill out before and after each session. Add columns if necessary.
Self-compassion
What do you do for self-compassion?
| Pre | During | After | |
| Be kind to yourself | This week leading up to Christmas it is a very full and intense week. I created a very full schedule for myself and scheduled a teaching session before the course. Therefor I did not give myself sufficient time to complete the RTP form | I was able to take a break. | |
| Space and practise for self-care | Generally, it is an intense time for me. Over the last weeks I made some time for compassionate meditation, not today. | After the session I had scheduled in some sort of self-care session, to be able to do self-reflection with others. | |
| How are you feeling? PIES check in | Physically: well and content Intellectually: Stimulated and curious, yet slightly distant from the enquiry Emotionally: stressed and stretched Spiritually: trusting | Physically: tired Intellectually: questioning and insecure Emotionally: content Spiritually: strong | |
| Was there something that pre-occupied my mind? | Would have had slightly more time today before the course, yet trusting that I am well prepared. How to communicate well to the students that I am not able to teach the next session | Some tech that was sporadically not working well | |
| What external support is there for you? | Session with Charlotte Exchange and reflection with Arianne | Well prepared course slides and structure | Reflection with a friend on the topic next week |
| Progress rather than perfection | I trust that the preparation that I have done is enough and I see it more as an experiment no perfection possible or needed | Self-forgiving attitude to myself during the course | |
| What do you need for next session? | Communicate with replacement tutor about next session | ||
| Were you able to organise your support from previous session? | |||
| Other |
Activities and Structure
What structure and activities are set in place to nurture a kind teaching space?
| Pre | During | After | |
| Built in flexibility i.e. timelines, assessments | Optional feedback | ||
| Give students choices i.e. activities, topics | In the course structure today the students have some time for individual work | ||
| Mix of synchronous and A-synchronous learning | Options for independent work tasks for students depending on their availability and interests | ||
| Did something unexpected occur through being present with the students? i.e. co-creation of session | Questions helped to explain course content more clearly | ||
| Other |
Communication and Connection
What supports kind communication and connection to and between the students?
| Pre | During | After | |
| Inclusive language: pronoun, simple and relational | Paying attention to use students’ correct name and pronoun | ||
| Encourage dialogue between students | There are built in exercises / space for conversation | In the check in/out students pass on to peers. This builds connection in the group | |
| Check ins and outs | Built in | At the beginning: Internal weather After break: brief comfort zone check in At the end: comfort zone check out | |
| Model empathy, example of students, myself | Share about my own experience how I found to 3D sketching | ||
| Make deliberate connection, value vulnerability and openness | Explicit valuing when showing experimental drawings, voicing this is stepping out of comfort zones | ||
| Non-verbal communication amongst the group | Hard to see as most students have their camera off when in the main course room | ||
| Other |
Review and Feedback
What supports kind evaluation of the students’ work?
| Pre | During | After | |
| ‘Practise makes Progress’ ethics | Review of independent work, Highlight what worked well and what they can add or change. Positive constructive feedback at this point. | Optional feedback: who would like to get feedback can show their work Encourage students to share the outcome of their exercises to get feedback and be able to learn more during this course. This is not the place to make perfect work, yet. | |
| Co-creation of constructive feedback questions | Part of course structure at the end | ||
| Encourage feedback between students | Today the students work more individually in their physical space | ||
| Other |
Other Areas
What else do you do to nurture a kind learning environment?
| Pre | During | After | |
| Be trauma informed Name the larger context | As clear as possible communication on the course structure Give choice | ||
| Other | |||
Intention and actions gap
What was my intentions for the session?
What were my actions?
Was there a discrepancy?
If so, what created the discrepancy between the two?
| My intention for the session: For students to find the courage and engage in an intuitive and unfamiliar process, including various drawing techniques, support students, build trust in the unfamiliar process. This session is more activity focused with a tighter time frame. Therefore, the communication needs to be very clear and hold a kind teaching practice. I need to communicate that I will not be able to teach the next session and hold space for any needs around it. My actions: The good preparation of the course helped me to communicate the process of the course well and therefore building more trust into the process and so being able to create a kinder experience fore, the students while supporting them to step outside their comfort zones. I was able to communicate the change in the tutor for the next day, clearly and hold space for any needs around it. Discrepancy: I was not aware of a clear discrepancy of my intentions and actions. |
Overall Reflection
What was your overall reflection of the course in retrospect?
Follow up
What do you want to take into next session?
| Upload course content to course Padlet page Communicate tomorrow’s course content to replacement tutor. |