Talking D&T

TD&T099 Reflect and Celebrate

May 17, 2022 Dr Alison Hardy Episode 99
Talking D&T
TD&T099 Reflect and Celebrate
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Show Notes Transcript


My first episode in a while thanks to Max Pownall's 3 guest episodes.

Episode transcript


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Support the show

If you like the podcast, you can always buy me a coffee to say 'thanks!'

Please offer your feedback about the show or ideas for future episodes and topics by connecting with me on Threads @hardy_alison or by emailing me.

If you listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, please take a moment to rate and/or review the show.

If you want to support me by becoming a Patron click here.

If you are not able to support me financially, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or sharing a link to my work on social media. Thank you!

Alison Hardy:

This is the first podcast in a while from me, I took a break from recording, I've had the privilege of having Max Pownal do three episodes. So first, I want to say a great shout out. And thank you to max for those episodes. And for the three people he interviewed. I really enjoyed listening to them, listening to different people talking about their history and design and technology and how it's influenced where they've got to. So if you haven't listened to those yet, then do go back and listen, Max talk to three women in design. Some of them work in the department where he is at Nottingham Trent, but just talked about their design experience and the design education experience. And I found some of their thoughts and their comments, really insightful. And I was out walking the dog as I was listening and, and thinking about how they ended up where they were, what had caused them to think about during design education. And one of the factors, unsurprisingly was the teacher, the classroom teacher, their role, whether in a positive or not. So positive way, is really important. And it continues to be sad to see so many adverse adverts out that are being unfilled for design and technology teachers in England, you know, we have this ongoing challenge, that in some ways, it's great that there are so many adverts because it means that schools are still running design and technology in different forms that possibly they're expanding their departments. But there continues to be this dearth of supply in the supply chain, let's use some language that we're hearing quite a lot of, in the news at the moment about food. There's a real supply chain issue. There's people that are leaving the profession, and there's a dearth of people joining the profession. And there's a lack of value in different ways, in schools around what design and technology is and what it's for. But I think listening back to those three conversations, will really give a context to why it's important this subject and the role that the teacher can play. And I know that many of you listen to this, you're involved in teaching the subject, recognise that and understand that. And so firstly, well, second is I've already firstly, plank Max, is to second to say to teachers, do not underestimate your role in sustaining and growing and developing the subject. I'm sure that many days day to day when you're doing D and T. And you're teaching and you're seeing maybe that your hours are cut in I've talked to Dan T teachers where timetable time is cut, or there's a problem with recruitment. And so well, we'll just co opt another teacher for another part of the school is under hours to come and teach that you must feel sort of frustrated and undervalued and unvalued. Well, I think thinking back to those three people who've been interviewed and the importance and the centrality of their DNA teachers in what they've gone on to do now, I'm sure many of you have got stories, from pupils that you've taught from parents of those pupils that have where you've had a big impact. And the subject is in a dire place. I've got a podcast coming out shortly with interview with Tony Ryan, and then want to follow with David Spendlove, where we're talking about the recently published epi report, which I did a podcast on a while back now that showed the challenges in the decline in the subject. And so as you come into the end of an academic year, teachers do, stop and think about, yeah, there are challenges, but you are you are there, you are sustaining the subject, you are growing the subject, whether that's growth is going to be measured by the number of pupils studying, but you are growing it in the fact that you are changing the subject, moving it on design, and technology is not a subject that stays the same. And it changes and it develops because of DMT teachers enthusiasm, and beliefs and understanding about the importance of design education, understanding about technology, the opportunity for pupils to learn and do through by hand and mind together. The different space that design and technology offers to give a perspective of human nature and human needs through empathetic design, through understanding context through the real application of design thinking, your contribution to a broad and balanced and general education is is important. And so as we come towards the end of the term, I know it's kind of funny, the middle of May when you might not think well, it's not that much at the end of term. Well, you know, the term is is rushing and we kind of think about all the things we can do in the summer, and I'm talking about people in the northern hemisphere here. I appreciate that academic year. To run differently in the southern hemisphere, but I think taking time to take stock about what you've achieved, what's gone well, Where you've been Where you've come from, and and celebrating your achievements, and your, your resilience and sustaining subject is really important. I do a thing in my office, and we did it recently at graduation, where I've got a piece of ribbon that's black and white check like a chequered flag for a race that I suppose put across the door, or I hold out for people to run through to celebrate that they finished, we don't celebrate finishing things. Now, whether that's finishing is I've done a class set of reports or I've marked all of the coursework, or I've I've written that report for the head teacher, we need to celebrate these these milestones. And so by stopping down T teachers and, and reflecting on how far you've come, what you've done, the small gains, the large gains, the challenges you've addressed, the fact that you are moving the subject on and those small gains and finishes that you've made throughout the year, then celebrate them find yourself or a finishing line to run through to, to kind of really take stock and stop and think yes, I have, I have done this and reflect on what you have done. So I'm not necessarily talking about design and technology. In this episode. I started off by thinking about Max's three episodes, and the power of the teacher. And I'm just sending a message out to Dean T teachers there, you are important you are central. You do challenge the subject, you do move things forward, you are reflective. Without you then the subject would not exist. So thank you for me. And thank you to those of you who join me and have conversations with me about design and technology. I've had some fantastic ones again in the in recent weeks. So it's just a heartfelt comment to say stop, take stock, reflect and celebrate. Because you are making a difference to the subject of design and technology. And you are making a difference to pupils success and achievement and progress about their place in the world and their engagement with design thinking and making a difference. Have a listen back to Max's three episodes. Listen to those three designers talking about their work and where they've come from. And I'm sure you'll find examples from your own practice as well, where you've made a difference. That gives you a motivation to keep going. So that's what I'm going to talk about today. Thanks ever so much for listening. And I think my next episode and we're kind of edging towards the hundreds and I'm really excited about that. And I've got some great interviews coming up to be released. But enjoy the rest of the week and thanks for listening