Nerves, Notes, & New ideas: My first TeachMeet
Emma Fitzpatrick, Teaching & Learning Champion, Course leader and ESOL lecturer at Hopwood Hall College, Rochdale.
I recently attended and presented at my first NATECLA TeachMeet at the national conference in Birmingham. Despite being signed up to talk, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Like many educators, the idea of presenting at a professional event felt daunting - wondering if your ideas are ‘good enough’ or even if you ‘belong’ on a platform. Add to that the usual time constraints that we all face and it’s clear to see why people hesitate to be involved. My commitment to presenting came from my Teaching and Learning independent inquiry research results and encouragement from my Programme Manager.
As a first-timer, I was a mix of nerves and excitement as it drew closer to the TeachMeet. Having now experienced it, I can confidently say it was an incredible experience, specifically because it felt so accessible and supportive. Upon entry, it wasn’t an overly stiff and uncomfortably formal atmosphere which you can find at conferences. Instead, it felt like a gathering of enthusiasts. Given that this was the last event before dinner, the turnout reflected the eagerness of those there to share and learn. There was a real sense of camaraderie. What really struck me was that almost everyone presenting was an educator which really added a powerful layer of validity and relatability to their ideas.
Stepping Up to the Mic
When it was my turn to present, my heart was pounding. I had prepped, I had my slides on the screen, my husband had listened to my 3-minute talk so many times I’m sure he could have delivered it. I had my times down to 2.45 exactly allowing myself 15 seconds to fumble at the beginning or end. I stepped up, prepped myself and began. I had decided to talk about the impact and results of my independent inquiry in which learners used Quizziz to complete past papers at home. The key innovation was how the platform’s AI could generate more exam style questions and analyse the class’s results and then inform my planning on what needed to be focused on in an 18 week course. I had some opening questions to engage everyone in the room and they were met with interest. I was aware of how much my head moved when I talk as I tried to bring the microphone with me. At one point, I’m pretty sure I forgot to breathe. The 3 minute time limit felt incredibly short despite my rehearsals, and once the sign saying ‘1 minute remaining’ went up, I flapped, got to my last slide with the results and announced ‘well the results speak for themselves’. Returning to my smiling colleagues, I felt proud, accomplished and was already reflecting on how to improve for the next one.
For the rest of the weekend event, people asked about me, my TeachMeet presentation and my research. Similarly, I used the TeachMeet to connect with others who had presented, joking about how nerve-wracking it had been but how rewarding it had been. It really opened up doors of communication and added to the sense of belonging.
A goldmine of ideas
Now we come to the flipside, watching other people present. It was inspiring and eclectic. It was a rapid-fire succession of practical tips, innovative approaches, calls to action and thoughtful reflections. I saw everything from ways to use technology in the classroom, to calls to engage in ESOL research groups, to free resources, to financial education, to speaking games, and not to forget the animal noises!
What resonated most with me was the real-world applicability of everything shared. They were abstract academic theories popularised by someone who hadn’t been in a classroom since blackboards existed. These were real strategies that had been tried and tested in real classrooms, with the same challenges and triumphs we all face, I found myself scribbling notes furiously, already whispering to my colleagues how we could take these ideas back to the classroom and adapt them for our learners.
Connecting the dots
I believe that the TeachMeet format, especially with the experience I had at NATECLA, is something to be celebrated. It promotes practicality and innovation sharing those “Aha!” moments. The supportive and friendly atmosphere promotes collaboration and encourages willingness to share. The concise nature of the TeachMeet delivers bite-size high-impact ideas that can be implemented immediately and opens avenues for conversation if more information is needed. It really was a reminder of the power of collective expertise. It reinforced that educators are stronger when we share, collaborate and learn from each other. If you have been toying with the idea of attending or even presenting, I’d wholeheartedly encourage you to do so. You’ll leave feeling invigorated, inspired and with a whole host of new ideas to try out.