ATMS UPDATE
1 . How would you apply the notion of trust to your learning experience ?
2 . Describe an instance when there was a struggle or lapse in study motivation , and the teacher did something that supported or helped you through .
3 . Describe any obstacles or challenges that you experienced and felt less supported in your studies , and what might have helped you navigate through that time .
The conversations which followed were lively . It was obvious that ours is a profession with many committed and passionate colleagues who care deeply about their practices and their students . Here are some of the insights from your friends and colleagues when they discussed the practical reality of enacting kindness into their practice .
First , we asked the simple and potent question : How do you maintain your love of teaching ? People responded with these suggestions :
• Build connections among the student group to help create a collegiate classroom . This enhances the potential for a peer support network .
• One way to build connections is to encourage sharing and learning about each other , so the group dynamic is about people as well as students .
• Be adaptable and change your teaching style or approach depending on the nature of the group . Some classes are more talkative , some quiet , and so on . Be able to change tack according to the mood and other factors , even the weather !
• Always be kind to yourself by having fun and remember to take holidays .
• Reflect on feedback from students and learn from your own responses to challenging moments . It can be tricky at times , but it ' s where we get a great chance to learn and grow .
Then we thought about content delivery and ways to animate subjects to create a warm , safe learning environment . We asked : How do you enliven dull units and open the desire to embrace them ? Here are some of the responses :
• A lecturer ' s personality can transform a potentially dull unit into a dynamic discussion .
• Incorporating real-world examples and practical activities helps ground the material in everyday contexts and makes them relevant .
• Illustrating its underlying importance and the rationale behind the unit .
• Tailoring examples to align with students ’ career goals further personalises the experience .
• For online learning , simple actions like a " show us your pets " moment can build rapport , encouraging students to participate and keep their screens on .
A third question was built around the holy grail of creating connection with students . We asked : How do you inspire challenging students ?
• In managing classroom challenges , it ’ s crucial to foster open communication and mutual respect .
• Addressing student distractions , like lateness , can be approached with empathy for the student and by giving the class a break to reset the focus .
• Finding out what students need through conversations helps clarify expectations and leads to a more engaged learning experience .
• Collaborate with the student group on setting class policies , including anti-bullying discussions .
• Seek support from colleagues / managers and utilise institutional resources to address challenging situations , including when a student displays bullying behaviour .
• Recognise different learning styles and create a safe space for both students and lecturers .
• Meet challenges with kindness , empathy , and care .
We all agreed that kindness , such a simple human thing , makes our lives , work and our world rewarding . This was a conversation among peers which we needed to have , to strengthen our communal and collegial bonds . A pedagogy of kindness speaks to the philosophy of complementary medicine which is about the holism of mind / body / spirit in all aspects of our work .
• Welcoming all questions and injecting humour can make content more relatable and enjoyable for students .
• Being upfront about the subject ’ s challenges - “ This might be dry , but we ’ ll make it fun !” This can set a positive tone .
JATMS | Summer 2024 | 233