James Barron

My first experience of teaching was in 2016, when I was asked to deliver a talk to a group of 16-year-olds on what it was like to start your own business. I immediately knew I wanted to become more involved in teaching but I didn’t know where to start as I had not previously considered a career in education. A few weeks later I agreed to teach a class of Chinese students from the Shanghai Technical Institute of Electronics and Information, who had travelled to the UK to learn English and Software Engineering, after that I was hooked. Within the next few years, I taught hundreds of students of many different nationalities, aged from 16 to 60, and from levels 2 to 6. I focused my time teaching with Bath University and Bath College for several more years until I felt a change was in order. For the last few years, I have taught remotely with several private training organisations, provided dedicated one to one coaching sessions, provided consultancy on teaching and assessment practices and written about my experiences as a teacher. I plan to continue with my current activities for the foreseeable future but I’m always open to new teaching experiences.

tutor

Boundaries, Limitations and the Ethical and Professional Codes and Standards in a Personal Tutoring Role

While it is important that, as a tutor, you are available and willing to assist students, it would be unprofessional, unethical and impossible to assist students with everything. A simple example of this is while you want your students to perform well on the course and are willing to provide guidance on assignments, providing too […]

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tutor

How Your Own Values, Behaviours and Attitudes can Impact on the Personal Tutoring Role

As a tutor, areas that you focus your attention upon will experience most of the change, for example, if you believe that grades and qualifications are the most important aspect of educational life, it is likely you will spend the majority of your time as a tutor focusing on setting academic based targets, thus giving

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feedback

Opportunities for learners and others to provide feedback to inform inclusive practice

It is important to obtain feedback from students as their view should be acknowledged during the teaching process, if a student is happy and enjoying their course, they are more likely to perform well, attend and achieve their full potential. It is often very easy for teachers to implement changes based on student feedback that

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Innovative

Evaluate the Effectiveness of use of Creative and Innovative Approaches in Own Area of Specialism

Within the computing department there are many creative and innovative approaches utilised during teaching and assessment. The approaches include independent yearlong student projects, external employer’s projects and mock interviews, games demonstrations and exhibitions, paid work experience placement within industry and overseas including Prague and China. Many of the independent yearlong student projects have provided some

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theory

Classroom Behaviour Management Theories – Influential Thought Leaders

Abstract This comprehensive overview examines several theories and approaches to learning and behaviour management. Starting with Behaviourism, the piece outlines the theory’s principles emphasising reinforcement and punishment as critical tools in shaping behaviours. The Cognitivist approach underscores mental processing of behaviour, while the Humanist approach highlights individualised learning plans and understanding root causes of behaviour.

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Disruptive

Ways of Managing Behaviour that Disrupt a Purposeful Learning Environment

In the event that behaviour does disrupt the learning environment, it is essential that this is handled as this will encourage future good behaviour, particularly if it is possible to nip the poor behaviour in the bud before it becomes an issue. When addressing poor behaviour, I use a stepped approach; this allows my response

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behaviour

Ways of Encouraging Behaviours that Contribute to a Purposeful Learning Environment

Avoiding disruptive behaviour before it occurs while teaching is far more effective than managing poor behaviour once it has occurred. Making effective use of positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement will reduce the need for punishments and sanctions. (Skinner, 1974) developed the theory that behaviour is the result of consequences, both positive or negative. A very

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teacher behaviour

How Your Behaviour Impacts an Organisation’s Culture of Equality and Diversity

It is essential that at all times staff are professional and promote equality and diversity in order to uphold the standards that we have in the teaching establishment. These standards are not only defined and enforced by legislation and policy but by what we do as staff and students. Behaviour such as jokes that undermine

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BAME students

How Working with Other Agencies can Promote Diversity.

Many teaching establishments work with a wide selection of external agencies that promote diversity, numerous UK courses have associations with the NHS who look after adults and children at home and at school and provide residential and nursing care. This association helps students realise there are other people within the community that are less fortunate

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