long time, no post…

Well, after putting this on hold for the past year, I’ve decided it’s finally time to take up the reins again and get back on the Chartership wagon. I had my first meeting with my new mentor last night and it was very positive. I’m happy to say that I now feel incredibly motivated and have tentatively suggested that in one year’s time I will be able to submit. Let’s see if I can do it third time around!

In terms of what I have been doing, though, I haven’t exactly been idle. We had a massive restructure at work, which saw me take ownership of all of our Allied Health courses, as well as retaining my responsibility for the post-grad Specialist Practice Nurses and some of our CPD courses. So I now have new areas to get to know (ODP, Para, OT and Physio) – liaising with the staff, committing to teaching, getting to know the different styles of studying…

It’s all very challenging and has sometimes pushed me way out of my comfort zone. I’ve learned not to automatically say yes to everything (which is my nature – I’m a librarian!), but to consider requests carefully and respond with the best possible solution for all. One example was very trying –  L6 lead wanted me to do four, two-hour sessions for the students, who had already had our L6 content at L5. Lead eventually acquiesced when I suggested that the students wouldn’t find a repeat useful and that I would provide a drop-in session for those who really needed help. I wasn’t saying no, I just didn’t think that this was a good use of mine and the students’ time.

On a professional note, the other reason this went on hold for some time is that I was encouraged to get my Fellowship of the HEA. I already do have a teaching qualification but it is for FE. SHU has a strategy that all staff involved in teaching should have a requisite qualification for HE teaching. Ergo, I had to do it. So, I did the Associate Fellowship route, as I don’t do any formative or summative assessments in my teaching. While I was going down this road though, I spoke to the lead for the Post-Grad Radiotherapy course, who said that she would be happy for me to be involved in the assessment side of her course. So now the dust has settled, I think that will be something I will pursue with her for next year…one of the elements I am looking at developing with this is my involvement in teaching. So, this is a good excuse!

I’ve also done a bit of cycling – did the Way of the Roses last summer over 4 days…181 miles up some very steep hills! I also fractured my shoulder 6 weeks before attempting this epic, after cycling into the back of my partner and not getting out of my clips quick enough to avoid hitting the deck at 20mph! Ouch. Learning point – got rid of clips. I’m obviously far too accident-prone and clumsy to cope! 🙂 Loads of cycling over this summer, including a few days in Lincoln, which we cycled to from home (and got lost!) and loads of tours of the Peak District!

So, what next? Watch this space…