PIDP 3260 - Intro Post
Well hello! Here we are in another set of blog posts as part of the PIDP program - this time for the PIDP 3260, Professional Practice course. I anticipate that this course will be a bit different as we consider the classroom more from my perspective as a teacher, rather than the student-centric perspective encountered in previous courses. I look forward to seeing where this goes.
Yes, I Have Blue Hair
Many, many years ago I promised myself that when I retired from the military and am no longer held to strict personal appearance regulations that I would dye my hair blue. Well, it turns out that I can change my look, but it hasn’t changed the 35 years of professionalism and values that have been drilled into me. A large part of my responsibilities has included teaching others practical skills, soft skills, and leadership for use in physically and mentally challenging, real-world applications. I have had to teach and model for my students a high moral code, and have discussed serious ethical issues experienced under complex circumstances. This all has largely contributed to form my teaching perspectives.
Surprise! (Not really). My Perspectives on Teaching
Therefore, I didn’t find the results from taking the Teaching Perspectives Inventory to be surprising. I sourced a University of British Columbia blog by Dan Pratt and John Collins titled Summary of Five Perspectives on ‘Good Teaching’ to help interpret the different perspectives, and yeah, it really makes sense for me. My dominant perspective is Apprenticeship. Pratt & Collins suggest that my perspective aligns with the concept that “effective teaching is a process of socializing students into new behavioural norms and ways of working.” They say that teachers must be highly skilled in the subjects they teach, and that they translate those skills into student performance, moving from simple to complex tasks in alignment with the student’s capabilities, and changing the instructor role to give the student more responsibility and independence as the student progresses. My job has been to form future leaders, so this is absolutely aligned with my background. I am also high in the Developmental perspective, valuing teaching that is planned from the learner’s point of view and is built on developing “increasingly complex and sophisticated cognitive structures for comprehending content,” and the Nurturing perspective, which believes that students “become motivated and productive learners when they are working on issues or problems without fear of failure.” Conversely, my perspective places less emphasis on Transmission, which commits to a transfer of subject content knowledge from the teacher to the student, and my perspective is least aligned with Social Reform, where “teaching seeks to change society in substantive ways.”
I Wish I Could Have Made this 2 Truths and a Lie
…. but I didn’t…
In reading the first chapter of Stephen Brookfield’s book The Skillful Teacher, I found the self-awareness in the section “Growing into the Truth of Teaching” very interesting. It takes a lot to have that self-knowledge, and to admit to it. So in reflection, a few of my own truths (and only truths):
In alignment with the Apprenticeship perspective, my objective is to transition the student into an independent and responsible leader. However, I have always worked within a strict hierarchy, so I acknowledge that in a student/teacher relationship, my go-to instinct is that - for better and for worse - I have the responsibilities and obligations of an authority over the student.
Generally speaking, I have been privileged to teach in a unique environment where the students are highly motivated and where I have had tools to guarantee their attention and commitment. Moving into a civilian education system, I am likely to encounter students who exhibit resistance to learning for a variety of reasons. I will need to adapt and motivate where I can, but will also have to accept that I may not succeed with every student.
I have had success as a teacher by being honest, truthful, genuine and passionate about learning. I have a lot of knowledge, experience and stories to share, and as long as I continue to translate concepts in a relatable way, I am likely to make connections that will be meaningful for my students to help them in their learning journey.
So, that likely gives a bit of an idea about my approach to teaching.. Thanks for chatting, and I will post again soon!
~ Jennifer
Resources:
2 Truths and a Lie photo credit: richmondmom.com
Brookfield, S.D. (2015). The skillful teacher. Jossey-Bass.
Pratt, D., Collins, J. Summary of five perspectives on ‘good teaching. University of British Columbia Blogs. https://blogs.ubc.ca/srikanth/files/2011/12/TPI-Teaching-Perspectives-Summaries.pdf
Teaching perspectives inventory. Resourced 2025, July 7th, at https://www.teachingperspectives.com/tpi/