Are you passionate about delivering a great learning experience to those
you teach? Are you ambitious but concerned about burning out? Do you
need some space and time to gain clarity, develop your practice and
explore how you can be of service to your participants, your colleagues and
your loved ones, while not losing yourself in the process? If the answer to
any of these questions is yes, then you may find this chapter helpful. This
chapter aims to provide the 'air and space and light and time' for educators
to reflect upon and to challenge their practices. It will provide an in-depth
look at a few select tools to help teaching and training professionals
articulate their purpose, craft a teaching identity and philosophy, and get
the most out of training received. There will be a focus on self-care
throughout.
To teach well we must know ourselves, be authentic and inspire others
with our passion and continued desire to learn. We must recognise when
work is done well. We must support each other, sharing information and
working collegiately and collaboratively. As we move to a world where
increasingly roles are being replaced by automation, we need to focus on
what makes us individual, personalised humans (Gleeson, 2018). I have
shared my own experiences in the spirit of being vulnerable and ‘walking
my talk’. I am sharing my beliefs and the rationale behind my practice, as
well as the experiences and techniques I have picked up over the extent of
my career. My intention is that this chapter will encourage others to
develop teaching practices for the benefit of our students and our
workplaces while not burning out in the process. As I share my
background, philosophy and approaches I would invite you to be
considering yours at the same time before we come on to the practical
exercises
