Keynote

Title: Some practical tips for being the best teacher you can be! (Or, in the words of Mary Poppins: “Practically perfect in every way”)

Sue Thompson, Director Foundations Pathways NMTAFE

I’m going to start with Mary Poppins because they say that every teacher reflects his or her own best and worst teachers and I was very influenced by Mary Poppins. She is, you might say, one of my key models and the first tip I’m going to give you is – have your idealised teacher self in mind as often as possible and hone your best teacher self as much as you can and over the whole span of your teaching career. My talk will then cover these other tips and tools:

  • How to create a training needs assessment worksheet
  • A ‘quick and dirty’ curriculum design worksheet template
  • Ways to spot levels of learner engagement
  • How to determine delivery (teaching) methods

For the academics among you, my tips and tools are heavily based on (plagiarise) the following:

Schank, R (2005). Lessons in Learning, e-Learning and Training: Perspectives and Guidance for the Enlightened Trainer

Biech, E (Ed.), (2008). ASTD handbook for workplace learning professionals

Mager, R.F. (1997) Preparing instructional objectives: A critical tool in the development of effective instruction.

Sue Thompson

Sue Thompson, Director Foundations Pathways NMTAFE

Sue Thompson, Director Foundations Pathways NMTAFE 
Sue has worked in further education colleges in the UK and Australia since 1988, as a lecturer, program manager, director and Vice Principal, and in 2013, as a consultant, at the Western Australian Department of Education Aboriginal Education branch.
Sue’s specialist knowledge and interests include lecturer development and the use of technology in teaching and learning. Sue is currently Director Foundation Pathways in Perth. Her career aim is to reinvent and reinvigorate the Community and Adult Education space.
Sue is pursuing studies in a range of areas, including the role of Social Enterprise in skills development and employment for socially disadvantaged groups. Sue was recently made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in recognition of her contribution to Further Education for Adults.