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New Year’s Resolution

Like many people, I haven’t had a good track record with keeping New Year’s Resolutions. Most years January’s well-judged intentions became February’s forgotten thoughts.

To make things simpler, a number of years ago, I decided on having a “word of the year” rather than a specific resolution. The word was to be a frame of mind for the year, rather than entail any specific target of weight loss or rooms decluttered.

The first word I chose was “acceptance” and I lived that year feeling much calmer than I had before. On occasions where I would previously had my back up or be quick to respond to provocation, I remembered “acceptance” and took more things in my stride.

The following year, my word was “resilience”. When I thought of it, I imagined a cloak of strength around me and it helped me through many challenges.

My word for 2019 was “compassion”. At every encounter, I tried to remember this. Maybe I thought a shop assistant was rude but once the “compassion” mindset kicked in, I considered that he might have been up half the night with a sick child.

2019 felt positive as I enjoyed having the standpoint of believing the best in everyone, rather than being frustrated about shortcomings. Also, I think that by believing the best, I actually experienced that. By showing compassion, I received it back.

My word for 2020 is “authentic”. I am letting my hair go grey. I changed my LinkedIn profile picture to be one where I am wearing my glasses. I have been toying with writing a blog for a few years but always talked myself out of it concerned by how others might judge it. However, this is my 5th instalment and I’m enjoying writing about themes that interest me.

I think “creativity” is going to be my word for 2021. The world is challenging us to be more creative in our approaches to problem solving and I want to rise to that challenge and think about new ways of doing things. Also, I would like to add to my creative hobbies. I have already made a start. The photo attached is my first effort at sewing! 

Happy 2021!

What’s Your Definition of a Challenge at Work?

Well imagine you have to adapt to working remotely. Actually, you probably don’t have to imagine that. It is challenging but not impossible, you are doing it already.

Imagine that you are working remotely but with a completely new team, people you have never met in person. That is a bit more challenging.

Now imagine you are working remotely with people you have never met before and you have all just joined a new organisation. No one has the inside track on how things are done or what is expected. This sounds very challenging.

But this is exactly what many first year college students have been doing since September.

As we near the end of the semester, college students are submitting their teamwork projects online and delivering group presentations via Zoom. These students are coping with social isolation and missing out many aspects of their college experience. They have risen to their work challenges, although it has not been easy.

These students are developing adaptability, resilience and creativity skills that will be assets for life.

Feature Image Credit: Christoph Deinet via Unsplash

Graduation

I am graduating this week but I wasn’t going to tell anyone about it. I wasn’t going to bother tuning into my virtual conferring. I wasn’t going to share the link to the online ceremony with family and friends. As I’ve had 2 conferrings previously, (admittedly they were over 25 years ago), I felt this time wasn’t such a big deal. 

I thought the online event would be an appropriate substitute for anyone graduating for the first time and that they should rightly be honoured and congratulated. But given that my new Masters is in Teaching & Learning and I work in academia, I didn’t think it needed any fanfare. I felt too busy to watch a virtual event. I am online all day, why would I add to my list of things to watch on a screen?

The more I thought about this, the more I realised I was wrong. In our current challenging times, we should take every opportunity we can to celebrate success and good news. If I were talking to someone else being conferred this week, I would be advising them to make sure to tune into their virtual ceremony and mark the occasion of their graduation in some way. 

I have decided to take this advice myself. 

But how can I celebrate or mark the occasion given that all the usual ways we celebrate are off limits for now? 

Then like a lightbulb of inspiration, I thought I’ll write a blog about it! (Because I like writing, – top tip by the way, it’s good to like writing if you decide to do a Masters). So I have given myself the gift of the time to think about my Masters journey and allowed myself the chance to write about what this celebration means to me.

I have often been present at graduation ceremonies when my former students were being conferred. I always feel very happy for the students and proud that I have been part of their progress. 

Hopefully, things will be no different for me. If you are a student I once taught and you’re reading this, then I hope that you might feel proud of the contribution you have made to my journey. 

When I started lecturing first, I was blown away by the dedication of mature students taking courses by night. After a full day at work, these students came to college from 6pm to 10pm, 2 or 3 nights a week. They were engaged and hardworking. I have met many of them since (including at conferring ceremonies) and none of them regret their efforts. These students helped me realise that it was possible to have a full time job and study if you were dedicated and interested enough.

Other students who came straight from secondary school conveyed to me their wonder and enthusiasm for their course. They were excited about what the future might hold for them. I am still in touch with many of these students and I’m delighted to see their developing careers. These students further nudged my curiosity towards undertaking fresh studies.

As I progressed through modules related to teaching practice, curriculum design, assessment, teaching with technology and many others, the students gave me motivation, encouragement and feedback. Last semester, first year students contributed to the research I was conducting for my final Masters paper. I am very grateful to them. Hopefully, they learnt as much from me as I did from them.

When I started this journey, many people asked me why I was doing another Masters. They wondered was it a lot of work and did I really need to do it? Well it was a lot of work and no I didn’t need to do it. However, if I draw upon a concept from my previous field of study (economics), the benefits have far outweighed the costs. 

Learning how to use technology to create an interactive quiz was challenging, but it means I now have the ability to create engaging resources in my teaching. Drafting and re-drafting essays felt torturous but with every iteration my writing and output improved. My ability to reflect and have a 360-degree view of something has made massive advances. Overall, the content I learnt is excellent, giving me an insight into best practice in all areas of Teaching and Learning. However, I have gained the most through the experience of being a student again.  The process of inquiry, asking questions, evaluating answers and reflecting has been transformative. If you are frustrated by public health restrictions and missing some of your regular hobbies, undertaking a new course may just be one of the best decisions you make!

I can’t finish this blog without mentioning my own class-mates who were great company on this academic journey. When I say I laughed and I cried with them, that is no exaggeration! I want to congratulate my fellow graduates in the class of 2020 and wish everyone still studying towards their qualification, the greatest of success.

I owe a massive thank you to my family who have supported me through late nights, early mornings, despair and elation.

My final word of thanks is to my own lecturers. Each one of them was supportive and encouraging but my supervisor, (also the overall course coordinator) was a great source of inspiration. He epitomises all that is brilliant in academia and I will be forever grateful for his mentorship and support.

So class of 2020, whether it’s writing a blog, taking a photograph, drawing a picture, listening to a song or whatever it is you like to do, allow yourself some time to celebrate your success and take pride in your achievement! And if you’re trying to contact me tomorrow afternoon, I will be busy watching a screen and allowing myself to reflect on my hard work and accomplishment.

Feature Image Credit: Leon Wu via Unsplash

Are You The Odd One Out?

The red leaf on the tree below feels like it’s the odd one out – it has no idea how beautiful it is – it wishes it was a green leaf.


Meanwhile the green leaves hardly notice that the red leaf is different because they are so busy comparing themselves to the other green leaves.
Just like people, all of the leaves are unique; different shapes and sizes, some have developed in the sun, others have been in the shade, some have the wind at their back, others struggle in the face of challenge – NONE of them has had a perfect life.


Individually, people are as fragile as a single leaf but by being together, they make a most majestic, strong and resilient connection, branching out to each other and putting down strong roots.


This is college. Everyone belongs. 

Transition to College

Are you making the transition from second level to third level education this Autumn?

There is a story that in certain parts of the world, baby elephants are restrained by a rope around their leg. If they try to wander off, they are pulled back by the heavy rope.

Surprisingly, as the elephants get older and bigger, stronger ropes are not needed. By this stage, the elephant is so set in its beliefs that it can’t get away, farmers can use light river reeds in place of a rope and the elephant doesn’t even try to escape.

So whatever limiting ideas you had about yourself when you were in secondary school, they are as flimsy as river reeds. Now is your chance to step forward strongly and confidently into third level without any old baggage or reeds tugging on you and holding you back.

There’s a welcome and a place for everyone and you can be yourself. It is time that any negative beliefs you had before should be allowed wither away like dried up river reeds.

Now is your time!

Feature Image Credit: Brooke Cagle via Unsplash