Writing an educational autobiography

How did your experiences as a learner define the way you now teach?

We all remember the really good and the bad teachers at school but we don’t often stop and think about the impact it made. As people now responsible for creating those memories, it can be helpful to step back and consider this carefully.

The participants on the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice course are required to do just this. It takes the form of a 500 word educational autobiography outlining one or two experiences of being a learner which has shaped their practice.

Some questions to ask yourself when writing one: 

• What happened? Describe the event.
• How did this make you feel at the time? 
• How did it help or hinder your learning? 
• What aspect of this is reflected in the way you now teach? 

Mapping the educational journey - Pexels.com

For example, I had a physics teacher for five years at school. Most of the lessons were spent copying verbatim out of a textbook. It was incredibly dull. As I left school for the last time, I said goodbye to him. He didn't recognise me and didn’t know my name. I can empathise to some extent as I'm not great at remembering names but after five years of seeing this person weekly, c'mon! It made me feel the subject was pointless. I couldn’t see any relevance to it and I remember nothing of value from that time. It also made me feel insignificant.

This contrasts massively with an English teacher I had who was passionate, engaged and who encouraged us to discuss and debate in class. In her class it was safe to voice an opinion. She was interested in what everyone had to say. I felt she was the one person in my life who understood my love of reading. It’s no surprise I went on to read English at university.

As a result, in my own teaching and coaching, I do my best to connect with the people in the room. I am always there first, well-prepared and I welcome them as they enter the room. I encourage conversation and the sharing of experiences and stories. I create a safe environment and set ground rules of respectful enquiry so everyone can feel seen and heard. I encourage participants to make notes using their own words and take pictures of their creations from the activities they participate in.

Have you done this exercise before? What experiences did you have as a learner that shaped where you are today and the behaviour you exhibit? How would you like your teaching to be remembered?