Monday 23 April 2012

Learning New Skills...and Making New Friends!

So...the Easter hols are over as are two of the busiest weeks I've had in ages. I've spent much of the time either attending or working on my PTLLS (Preparing to Teach in the Life Long Learnning Sector) course and my head still feels like exploding from so much work! For anyone that knows me they will vouch for how nervous I am at the thought of speaking in a group so having to prepare and deliver two micro teaching sessions last week was..at first...terrifying!!! But, thanks in some part to the lovely people I was on the course with, I mangaged ok and was actually looking forward to the last one:)

It turns out I'm not the only person that is daunted by public speaking and this really helped put my fears in perspective. I delivered my first session by introducing basic jewellery making tools and materials and another on jewellery design and styles...

We really were an eclectic bunch of delegates and I'm going to miss seeing everyone. I learnt loads of new stuff from each presentation and definitely came away with a positive outlook.

Here's everyone in action...
The lovely Sarah preparing to talk about how to deliver good customer care. Sarah has adopted Wales as her home and her natural effervescence was infectious.
Emma is clearly not someone to take it easy (She is due to have her first baby any day!) and her advice on improving confidence was really interesting and must be a great help to the people she works with.
A tenacious Elaine sets up her food demo despite having fractured her arm the night before. Making peppermints and chocs also offered us the funniest moments of the course :)


Ever professional and efficient, I wish I had Lesley to organize my life....Mr Cameron should snap her up now to sort the country out...take her a week I reckon!

Brian, the token male on the course more than held his own against us ladies. An old hand at tutoring and training, he showed us how to keep our sense of humour despite the nerves.

And keeping us all in check was Dave, reassuring us we CAN do this :)
It's not over yet though as we have a month to get the written work completed..
wish me luck!