READING TIME: 2 minutes 31 seconds (Based on an average reading speed of 275 words per minute)
Working with clients and the Community - Facing a difficulty or dilemma
How long was I out for?
Readers, I find myself with one of the wackiest weeks ahead of me and I couldn’t be more relieved, terrified and excited. Let’s rewind a bit just to figure out how we got here. I’ve been too preoccupied with other academic commitments. My supervisors had been slightly pushing me more and more over time to find my own client. I still always thought that they were just moments away from finding a client for me. As time went on I decided to speak with my former physics teacher, Mr Cavers. I asked him if he could help me find contacts for finding local schools. I live in Glasgow and commute to Edinburgh for university and had a higher interest in Glasgow schools as, not only would it be more convenient but, Glasgow is worse off than Edinburgh. In the end Mr Cavers proved not to have the time to help me find clients. It wasn’t until March 12th that I finally scheduled a phone call to sit down to discuss the possibility of delivering at Belmont House School. At this point I had run out of time, we concluded that with the easter holidays coming then there were only 5 possible slots left with the S1 class. With that we arrive now as I have 7 days to prepare 3 sessions…
The stimulus can’t stimulate
It was clear to me that I’d clearly left my Outreach on the back burner for so long and when it was time to pick it back up again, it was piping hot. Finally though, time to set things right and get back into the swing of things. Something I’d not felt since the elevator pitches. I’ve known roughly what my plan is for a while now. 3 sessions with the first being a discussion and deep dive into space in lecture form. The third and final session introduces interdisciplinary teaching as we explore chemistry and biology in terms of supporting life. The second session though was meant to be this exoplanet transit experiment. During client negotiations I realised that the level of knowledge required is simply beyond where the students are at (Ohm’s Law isn’t introduced until National 5 level). This necessitated a re-think as I recall that my supervisor, JC, had sent me an activity from the Royal Observatory of Edinburgh. The activity was to do with exoplanet that involved making a model extrasolar systems. I’d like to use it as a starting point and create my own version at the appropriate level while also keeping it engaging.
Pull yourself together!
The main difficulty was in the fact I was a 4th year university student at one of top schools in Scotland and I was so used to high expectations. I was worried about failing to engage the students. Seeking guidance, I reached out to peers with relevant experience. The first port of call was my former physics teacher but I also have a friend who’s a paediatric speech therapist. Both offered their own insights but the overriding message was clear: “Make it fun!”. It made so much sense and totally unclogged my creative constipation. Student engagement is linked to deep learning, connection making and greater performance. Still, even with my materials ready, I remained worried about my time management. If the students don’t engage with me then I won’t have enough content. If I don’t maintain a good pace then I won’t get through all the content. So much anxiety, it’s time to see if a career in education is meant to be.
Cheers,
Charlie
