Having a bit of a sort-out today and came across my notes from JJ Wilson‘s opening plenary at ACEIA back in November.  It was a wonderful start to the day – a refreshing look at how we can develop with some engaging tasks to invigorate.

So, here were the ideas from the talk:

• Read deeply
• Action research
• Write your own materials
• Write and publish an article
• Collaborate with peers (team teaching, getting involved in SIGs)
• Teach something new (get out of your comfort zone)
• Give a workshop for colleagues
• Keep a teaching journal
• Mentor – it forces you to go back to the basics
• Use PLNs
• Go to conferences or do online courses
• Learn another language
• Look at developments on other fields
• Learn from great educators
• Examine critical moments in your own teaching

He asked us to complete the following sentences, with my answers at the time in brackets:

• Teaching is like…(a box of chocolate, including the coffee cream)
• The best way for a teacher to develop is…(being open to all the possibilities available and find out what works for you)
• If I could change one thing…(more time!)

He suggested we look at where we are as teachers at different points:

disaster ————— triumph

stability ——————— flux

mastery ————— apprenticeship

confidence ————— nervousness

passion ———- boredom

Finally, we were asked for a seven-word piece of advice for new teachers, which we then wrote on balloons and batted around the room.  Mine was:

Ask questions.  Ask for help.  And smile.

As I said, it was a beautiful way to start the day as opening plenaries on a Saturday morning need to offer the participants with something fresh and energising.  I also loved his motto for facing a crisis: “What would Jeremy Harmer do?”