ARE YOU A STEPHANIE OR A MAX?

Our reading on receiving feedback provoked excellent debate and discussion in our Friday session breakout rooms. I think we all know ... or have experienced those tutors like Stephanie or Max. I myself am more of a Max and definitely work alongside one Stephanie!

I - according to Lindsay's end of session comment - went 'rogue' (??). This is the second session in a row where the tutor leading it has made a similar comment. Is this their gentle way of saying, openly ... Ian, you're way off track here. Both thanked me, but it happening a second time, did make me furrow my 'are you having a pop at me?' brow. But there I am ... exposing my Max or Stephanie sensitivity ... reading too much into a situation. My 'rogue' manoeuvre this week? To ask in the breakout room session "Are you a Max or a Stephanie?". The group said that's what we should go with on our return to the room and that I should lead (again!), so I just went with the flow and got the class to pop their answers on our Padlet. It was interesting to see that most people felt they fell inbetween both. Others felt, I think, 'attacked' ... or certainly that overall in the session, Stephanie was being viewed as more negative than Max. I highlighted there's flaws in both and that a mix of styles ... or better still, exposing students to both approaches ... together at the same time if possible (we've done this a lot on BAFTV) is a good approach. But again ... I cam away feeling "Flemmo you've done it again. You've steered a whole class down a path that perhaps wasn't signposted or even open!" I don't do that in my teaching ... so why do I do it in my being taught? Or is that even what happens? Am I, like Steph, just being hyper sensitive?

What these articles and all the surveys we have to live through never seem to address is the aspects of human nature and human sensitivity. Are we to be a clone army of 'photofit' tutors? Each staff team reflecting the desires and 'needs' of our masters in Holborn's tower? Or at least the fee system's obsession with client / customer satisfaction over quality of education ... or at least quality of student experience?

Again ... my reflections kick in - I am driven to provide a great student experience. Am I thus placing the experience above their learning? I don't think so, but it's a question I need to think more deeply about and examine in practice. In an environment where I get so angry (to the point at times of moral disgust) about the constant drive towards 'client' satisfaction, the endless surveys, the pressure to 'perform' ... to dance to the piper's tune (but who is / are the piper/s?). The USS and NSS feedback is always debated to high heaven in our department. One Course Leader was threatened with the sack over one NSS ... and our satisfaction % had gone up!

I do place great store and faith in the power of personality, in the power of caring ... of embracing my responsibility as a mentor and role model and utilising my "charisma" (yuk) to open students up. These classes (PGcert) are having me question all that in myself.

In reaction to the Stephanie - Max article, my scribbled notes ran as follows:-

- Steph's reaction to "negative" comments in feedback is human nature - and typical. She needs to see those comments, hastily scribbled and usually worded without thought (an instant reaction on the doorstep on the way out of class) as constructive criticism. Read with a pinch of salt and if a theme develops in what you're reading, then address it. See the amount of positivity above the negativity. None of us can be perfect. We are all individuals.

- I am Max!!! (oh dear!) ... in almost every way. It has taken a lot of self reflection to read 'into' critique and to not be defensive. I have coma a long way in this over the last three years ... and I have to constantly remind myself, this is my first "proper" job since I was 25! And stepping straight in at Year Leader level with only three O levels, two CSE's, one A level (attained when I was 29) and a BA, despite my twenty-odd years in film and TV industry, was quite the step. Is it any wonder that more academic careered colleagues have at times had issue with that?

- Steph needs to work on her people skills. She needs to engage more on a personal level with her students. She's dry. Overtly academic in her approach to teaching - bringing her research persona to the stage and perhaps believing that's enough? To my mind, the best teachers bring both aspects to their teaching. Steph reads a sif she has an old-fashioned approach of learning by rote (? I may have misunderstood here). Max challenges. Provokes students to think for themselves - to evaluate for themselves. Isn't that what critical engagement is?

NOTE: but it is NOT the same for everyone! We all have our personality ... and, although in some (me) that can dominate - in the Steph's of this world, info and facts dominate. As teachers we must find a balance. When teaching a vocational degree like ours, students need a wide breadth of teaching and there is a definitive blend of ex-industry and academic staff on our team.

Steph could examine her communication skills and her lack of inspiring students (it seems) BUT - she could also accept that different approaches, when mixed across tutors students engage with, does work.

Reading the back-up article - reflection: I try to always be student centred. Well, I'm not sure if I try as opposed that's just how it is with me, but I am conscious of that effort and stylistic approach. But ... further, I am very aware of:-

- My dominant personality

- My Max-esque "charisma" (yuk!)

- My being (at times) too challenging of the conventions and 'norms'

- However ... I do listen and I do eat humble pie - though that is an age

maturity related development I feel.

- Deeper learning tends to be my aim (for students) though I may not

necessarily have though it out like that when preparing teaching.

- "Toeing the line" : my absolute weakness and central character flaw is,

as realised through my Buddhist practice some years ago, I don't do

obedience. But at the same time, I don't expect it of others. I am teaching

creatives in a highly, obsessively competitive field, to find their own 'voice'!

- I fight conformity and encourage the same in students : Don't believe the

truth.

- I nurture and promote independence of thought and action.

QUESTION - dos that make me a maverick? Or even Machiavellian? Am I harbouring some kind of personal agenda? I will reflect on these things further as my experience grows and my shifting attitudes develop their wave pattern.

I see no evil ....