Tag Archives: VET Teaching
Are Teachers Redundant?
Yes and No. In a sense the traditional concept of “teacher” is one which has diminishing impact. The notion of what a teacher is and does is changing and being increasingly replaced and extended by the role of guide and mentor. More than “redundant”, teachers are at risk of becoming irrelevant. No longer are teachers …
5 ways to get participants back on time!
One of the most common challenges for trainers is getting the group to refocus and return to their seats after an activity, particularly when this activity has been noisy or ends in bursts of laughter. Similarly, a lot of time can be lost to the trainer when their group does not return in a timely …
7 Easy Steps for Success for Session Planning
I continue to be amazed at how little preparation seems to go into presentations. Outside of our training and assessment space, I do get an opportunity to see a range of presentations via conferences and workshops and whilst the presenters tend to have good subject matter knowledge they seem to lack an ability to plan …
4 Tips for getting yourself published
As I sit silently in a self-made lock down to complete my latest book about training games, I thought I would take a break and consider the wider process of becoming published. More and more, educational institutions are asking for staff to contribute to their professional development through scholarly activities such as conducting research, presenting …
How to manage difficult behaviours in training
Even experienced trainers with the latest resources and most interesting training material can be thrown off course by the behaviours of difficult participants. Therefore, it is important to load the kit bag with a variety of tools and techniques to overcome the dilemmas presented by some students. One of the simple things that can be …
Reform or Transform?
I was at the VET Teaching Conference held in Brisbane during May and one of the speakers sparked my interest with the question of Reform or Transform? She reminded us that our industry is seemingly always in reformation… so when will we be finished? When will we be reformed? This got me thinking. As practitioners, …
Motivating our Teachers in PD and Training
Recently I was approached by Teacher Magazine to write an article around how to motivate teachers during Professional Development and Training. The full article “All Aboard: Reluctant passengers on the training journey” will appear in their March edition. Below are some thoughts on the topic: Motivating teachers is difficult. We don’t always make the best …
Wander with Purpose
Often trainers move around their space without much thought of where to move and why. Rather than this restless wandering, we should wander with purpose. We should be somewhere because we choose it, not because we want to fill the space. We should move somewhere because it adds to the message, not because we don’t …
Fiddling and Doodling okay!
For decades students have been lambasted for fiddling and doodling in class. Often seen as a sign of distraction and inattention, these practices have been all but outlawed in traditional education circles. However, when used correctly, they can actually be very powerful learning tools. Some learners will need to keep something in motion throughout their …
Reviewing using Trainer Diary
I’ve talked before in our courses about the usefulness of learner diaries to track development and identify key milestones in knowledge acquisition. However, there are some great benefits in trainers using dairies as part of their own self-review. A trainer diary can help you to reflect on what happens in the classroom. It can act …