Tuesday 15 May 2012

Personal Brand - one of the things I feel least comfortable with!
A google search of my name threw up a well known (presumably!) spiritual healer and a New Zealand Librarian.  I flicked on a few pages and abandoned all hope by page 12!
Adding the town I live in at least got me on the first page thanks to an entry on my workplace library website (an old version!!)
Will I bother with Linkedin? Possibly... 
Still to be convinced.  I have, however, added my photo to my twitter account, but sorry guys - I'm basically a private kind of person :-)

Monday 7 May 2012

QTLS - Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills

May 2012 - have now achieved QTLS status :-)

What did I do to achieve? Well, I did a two year DTLLS course (Diploma for Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector) at the institution I work at.  This involved the usual essay / assignment writing and also 150 hours teaching (approximately 3 hours per week).  I taught information literacy and was also involved in team teaching IT.  QTLS required a webfolio, which included links to 'evidence' in the form of Schemes of Work, lesson plans, resources, reflections etc.

What are the advantages? Well, I'm now part of a team of subject librarians who run information literacy sessions.  A teaching qualification has enabled me to develop learner-centred training in line with best practice, utilise a range of resources (including SMARTboards) and reflect and revise the sessions appropriately.

The Scarlet Pimpernel!

Well! My promising FE lecturer cancelled with less than 24 hours notice - he had a virus and the students were all going away the following week.  Since then have emailed, visited his office at assorted times of day and given him a new name!
"We seek him here, we seek him there...That damned, elusive Pimpernel..."

I will, however, persevere!