Welcome to the WJETT blog
What is WJETT?
The WJETT blog or Warwick Journal of Education - Transforming Teaching blog is designed to encourage staff and students to disseminate good practice and to engage with their peers on academic cultural critique or areas of research that they find interesting. With the increased focus on ‘teachers as researchers’ in the sector, many qualified teachers are expected to publish the outcomes of any action research projects they undertake. The WJETT blog can be the first step on your journey towards publishing and enables you to experience publishing and reviewing in a friendly and supportive environment.
You will need to scroll down the page below the tags to see the posts.
What is your teaching philosophy?
“Of the various callings to which the division of labour has caused man specially to devote himself, there is none to be compared for nobility or usefulness with that of the true teacher” (Sands, 2019). Reflecting on why I choose to specialise as a teacher, I believe this profession is among the most honourable and valuable in society. As a teacher, I aim to empower others to grow – cognitively, emotionally, socially – to contribute to the world in their way positively.
Sands (2019) says that true teachers will adapt their teaching methods to the nature of the object to be taught and to the order in which the faculties of the human mind naturally unfold themselves. Part of my teaching philosophy is that one should adapt their approach to best connect with students at an individual level, recognising the unique nature of each person. I first experienced this type of attention from my mother, who seemed to treat each of her six sons according to their different personalities, making my five brothers and I feel most valued and loved. As a father of a four-year-old boy, I now interest in children’s development and how we talk to children can influence them.
My first foray into teaching was ‘on the mat’, training in jiu-jitsu at my university Jitsu Club. The nature of attending martial arts sessions twice a week over an academic year means that you become increasingly better at the activity over time. As such, when the new student ‘freshers’ arrives the following year, you are automatically someone who can guide them in the techniques you’ve learned. Jitsu has developed my appreciation for peer learning, which has become an essential element in my classroom. Additionally, I believe that extra-curricular activities are just as important as academic pursuits, helping to develop a well-rounded character. As Holt & Ramsay (2021) suggest, martial arts are associated with moral philosophy and are typically seen as a vehicle to transform character.
A critical experience that led me further into teaching was a volunteering trip to South Africa. I joined a group to co-teach a life skills course to disadvantaged teenagers, educating them about sexually transmitted diseases and strategies to develop a positive mindset. A part of my philosophy became to best prepare students for the real world, teaching them practical skills and knowledge to serve them in life. As technology continues to change industries and create new jobs that haven’t existed in the past, education systems must respond to this new world of work to ensure that students are educated, skilled, prepared, and employable for the future (Wilen, 2018:182).
Chen (2003) identifies this as a ‘business-based metaphor’ where teaching is considered as an efficient process of producing students who will satisfy the needs of the market. According to Erdem (2019), 21st-century teachers should contribute to the individual’s development, take the initiative, make sound decisions, communicate effectively, have empathy, manage information, serve as a guide for students, and continue life-long learning themselves.
References
Chen, D. (2003) A Classification System for Metaphors about Teaching. Journal of Physical Education Recreation and Dance, 74:24-31 Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07303084.2003.10608375Link opens in a new window (Accessed: 10 October 2021).
Erdem, C. (2019) Introduction to 21st Century Skills and Education. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Cambridge. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336148206_Introduction_to_21st_century_skills_and_educationLink opens in a new window (Accessed: 7 October 2021).
Holt, J. & Ramsay, M. (2021) The Philosophy of Mixed Martial Arts. Routledge, London. Available at: https://ereader.perlego.com/1/book/2743791/19Link opens in a new window (Accessed: 12 October 2021).
Sands, N. (2019) The Philosophy of Teaching: The Teacher, The Pupil, The School. Good Press, New York. Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/1964661/the-philosophy-of-teaching-pdfLink opens in a new window (Accessed: 9 September 2021).
Wilen, T. (2018) Digital Disruption: The Future of Work, Skills, Leadership, Education, and Careers in a Digital World. Peter Lang, New York. Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/2012836/digital-disruption-pdfLink opens in a new window (Accessed: 8 October 2021).
Writing guidance
Can I write about anything in my blog post?
Yes pretty much. Academic cultural critique (Thomson and Mewburn, 2013) is always a good source of content for academic blogs. This can include (but is not limited to) comments and reflections on funding; higher education policy or academic life. You might also want to consider blogging about:
- Academic practice (Saper, 2006)
- Information and/or self-help advice
- Technical, teaching and careers advice
- Your research or practice
- How you’ve undertaken research
- The impact of research on your practice
- An area of research/practice that interests you
- Your teaching experiences/reflections
How long can my blog post be?
Each individual blog post should be no longer than 500 words. Long blocks of text are sometimes hard for readers to digest. Break up your content into shorter paragraphs, bullet points and lists whenever possible. Also include a list of keywords or tags as this makes it easier for Google to find your work.
Do I need to use citations?
No, this is a reflective piece so it does not need to include citations (but you obviously can include them if they are relevant).
Can I include links or images?
We would encourage you to include links to any articles that you have considered whilst writing your blog post. We also welcome the use of images (as long as you have permission to use them) as they can often help to illustrate a point and obviously will not be included in the word limit. Please remember this is a public site so if you want to include images of your students in your classes then you will need permission to do this.
What is the process for submitting a piece of work?
Your blog post should be emailed to A.Ball.1@warwick.ac.uk. Once the submission has been reviewed it will either be uploaded at the beginning of the next available week or sent back to you for editing if it requires amendments. You should then send the amended work to me once again and I will then upload it.