What went well?

The progress I made; what was achieved and done

I finished teaching for the first week. I taught my students about graphic design and how to use Canva. I have received highly positive feedback from my students, fellow scholars, and others from Timothy Smith Network.

What could have been done differently?

Things that did not get done and/or could be changed

I could have been more authorative in front of the students. For instance, I asked some ice-breaking questions in the beginning which required everyone to participate. Some students were not active and did not speak up. I could have called their names out and asked them to answer, instead of waiting for a long time.

What did I learn about myself when working with others?

Contributions, behaviours and values I exhibited

I have high self-awareness of my limitations. I knew it was my first time teaching and there would be a lot for me to improve. Therefore, I set up a Mentimeter form for my students to provide their feedback every day. At night, I adjusted my teaching for the next day based on their feedback. How I acknowledged own limitations and acted accordingly helped me to learn continually.

What did I learn about leadership?

Leadership attributes and insights I developed

One of the keys to self-assurance is understanding what you should know and ensuring that you know and can explain all that. For instance, when leading the module for graphic design, I should know the hard and soft skills, knowledge of copyright issues, frequent issues encountered and the subsequent problem-solving, pacing of teaching, etc. I made sure that I had a solid understanding of all these subjects. These made me more self-confident and articulate, which are my goals for this week.

What do I want to develop or focus on next?

What I still need to develop

I need to practise how to cater to the varying needs of a big group of students. The students had diverse profiles in terms of age, personalities, abilities, learning styles, etc. Some of the students even have special education needs. I tried providing more individualised feedback in small group teaching, but I wonder what I can do more.