Research and Teaching: the Second Stretch
In my last post I looked at the issue of teaching modules which may seem to be at some distance from the discipline in which you did your research.
From amongst a wide circle of friends and colleagues who are both research active and teaching-active – to coin a new phrase – I’d say it’s extremely important to acknowledge that flexibility is both a personal and professional good. A friend who was awarded her doctorate in 2006 found a permanent teaching post within twelve months of completing. Her lectureship was not in History which was her “home” discipline if you like but in Criminology – she was able to develop a subsidiary interest into one which she could use as a foundation for her career.
In my present teaching post where the focus is on English for Academic Purposes, language and study skills although I am not teaching literature, I find myself drawing upon my doctoral research constantly. Accuracy, structure and space for the imagination – are the three things I would name as the basis of every class I teach.
To put it another way – the proof of the research commitment is in the teaching practice.
Here’s to all researchers and teachers, as they seek to bring two worlds together : ).
Hi Priyali – great post. I’ve been thinking about bringing my research and teaching selves together over on the ‘Real Life PhD Student’ blog, too. Maybe it’s a Literature thing! http://www.jobs.ac.uk/blogs/phd-student/2011/07/11/integrating-research-and-teaching/
Hello Nicola,
How great to hear from you. I have just read your post and I think what you say is true. If we could gently dismantle the things that keep students and lecturers at a distance from each other so much could be gained. When I was an undergraduate I found that such relationships could be built with lecturers because of the “soft” zones in which we could meet – discussion societies, theatre visits – those sorts of things. But there’s so little space for those things – I seem to find now. Why is this? We do need to allow students and lecturers to be a bit more than givers and receivers of teaching “messages.” (Scary word)
Looking forward to reading more about your research and teaching progress : )