Today I’m attending the 2024 Association of National Teaching Fellows Symposium and I am looking forward to a day of inspirational speakers. I’m primarily here to present the work I’m doing on an ANTF-funded project as part of a plenary panel later today. Although – as an aspiring National Teaching Fellow (NTF), the day is an excellent opportunity to connect with like-minded colleagues.
While I missed day one due to other commitments, I was fortunate enough to make last night’s Gala Dinner. Other than reconnecting with friends and meeting new people, the dinner was an excellent opportunity to get crafty! The Gala Dinner was joined by Prof. Liz Mossop NTF, Vice-Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, who set us off on an activity: Create your own Educational Superhero. Here is mine –
For anyone who knows my work, it won’t be a surprise to see this superhero is focused on Equity. It has a BIG heart for empathy, reflecting my work around design thinking. There are big eyes so they can see what is going on, spotting opportunities to move education from ‘equality’ to equity. My favourite piece is the giant mallet – a tool to knock through the barriers that face students and the ???????? excuses that prevent them from being addressed. Oh – and the pink sparkly shoes are to bring a bit of fabulousness.
Perhaps I should call my superhero “The Educational Equaliser”.