Unit 1: Theories, Policies and Practices
Reflection
During Workshop 1 of the first unit of the PG Cert (Theories, Policies and Practice), I was particularly drawn to how the session modelled the kind of dialogic, reflective and relational teaching practice it was asking us to consider. Engaging collectively with The Charismatic Lecturer (Macfarlane, 2004) created a space where theory, lived experience and pedagogical values could sit alongside one another, rather than in hierarchy.
The small-group discussion were prompted by Kwame and John and invited us to imagine alternative feedback exchanges between Stephanie and Max. This became a useful entry point into conversations about power, communication, and the ethics of feedback. What stood out to me was not just the range of interpretations of the case study, but how our cohort’s diverse teaching contexts, disciplinary backgrounds and lived experiences shaped those interpretations. While some focused on the need for sensitivity in delivering feedback, others highlighted the importance of ensuring that feedback-givers do not feel silenced or intimidated. This multiplicity of perspectives made visible how assumptions are often embedded in hypothetical scenarios, and how easily narratives can harden without space for clarification, empathy and dialogue.
Figure 1. Benohoud, H. (2025) The Classroom. London: Loose Joints.
Reading Arao and Clemens’ From Safe Spaces to Brave Spaces (2013) alongside these discussions helped me to frame what was unfolding in the room. Rather than aiming for comfort or consensus, the workshop encouraged risk-taking, critical questioning and attentive listening. Acknowledging power dynamics between peers, within institutions, and across identities, felt central to how we approached the case study. The emphasis on active listening and inclusive language was not abstract; it was enacted through the facilitation style and the way contributions were held and responded to.
This was also evident in the opening exercise, where we were invited to choose a postcard featuring an artwork to introduce ourselves. Using an object as a visual and narrative anchor made the task feel playful and generous, easing the anxiety that often accompanies first introductions. For me, and for others, the postcard became a way of speaking about our “why” – our motivations for teaching, our artistic practices, and the personal histories that shape how we show up in learning spaces. This small but intentional gesture demonstrated how creative facilitation can lower barriers to participation whilst also allowing for depth and nuance.
Figure 2. Miller, S. My Postcard Selection from Unit 1 – Workshop 1.
[photograph]. Author’s own.
Reflecting on this workshop, I can already see how these principles translate into my own teaching practice. Firstly, in one-to-one tutorials, I aim to adopt a brave spaces approach by offering flexibility in format whether online or in person, cameras on or off and by offering written follow-ups alongside verbal feedback so students can engage in ways that feel accessible and empowering and that give them more choice/ autonomy. Secondly, in embodied workshops with MA students, I am increasingly attentive to access needs, language differences and varied relationships to participation, designing sessions that do not privilege only verbal or physically expressive modes of learning. Additionally, in supervision contexts, I’m considering how integrating more small-group tutorials alongside individual tutorials might encourage more generative peer learning and shared risk-taking. It feels important to remain attentive to power dynamics and individual confidence levels whilst facilitating these kinds of groups sessions however.
Overall, Workshop 1 reminded me that brave spaces are cultivated through dialogue rather than design alone. They take shape in the moments where assumptions are questioned, perspectives are listened to with care, and meaning is made collectively across difference.
This has prompted me to reflect more critically on how I facilitate feedback within my own teaching, particularly in relation to power and interpretation. Moving forward, I would like to create more space within tutorials for students to respond to and question feedback, rather than receiving it as fixed. In workshops I’m interested in further experimenting with dialogic formats, where meaning can be negotiated rather than just delivered.
References
Arao, B. and Clemens, K. (2013) ‘From safe spaces to brave spaces: a new way to frame dialogue around diversity and social justice’, in Landreman, L.M. (ed.) The Art of Effective Facilitation: Reflections from Social Justice Educators. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, pp. 135-150.
Macfarlane, B. (2004) Teaching with integrity: the ethics of higher education practice. London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Images
Figure 1. Benohoud, H. (2025) The Classroom. London: Loose Joints.
Figure 2. Miller, S. My Postcard Selection from Unit 1 – Workshop 1. [photograph]. Author’s own.