Introductory presentation on ‘Decolonising Fashion and Design for Cultural Sustainability with Refugee Communities’.
For the micro-teaching session, I drew upon my current participatory action research project ‘Decolonising Fashion and Textiles’ in which I am engaging London-based refugees and asylum seekers in a reciprocal process of making and learning, through fashion and textile heritage. I chose this activity as I am planning to set up two students’ project briefs related to this research. Moreover, the focus of my micro-teaching was well aligned with UAL’s commitment to decolonise the curriculum, and resonant to some of the issues and questions raised by John Holmwood in 2008 in his paper on “Race and the Neoliberal University”, highlighting our personal responsibility to challenge the capitalistic system of current education.
For my micro-teaching session, I set up the following (flexible) plan: introductory presentation (5 minutes); drawing activity (5 minutes); collective sharing (5 minutes); Q&A (5 minutes). My micro-teaching created a safe space to make myself vulnerable as a Lecturer and share the challenges that I have also faced throughout my migration journey, and an opportunity to build empathy with the participants. Although the others liked how I created a quiet and safe environment for them to engage in purposeful making and sharing, I acknowledge that I could have simplified the session plan and crafted more time for the tasks and for a more in-depth conversation focused on the challenges and opportunities faced in decolonising design.
My micro-teaching created a safe space to make myself vulnerable as a Lecturer and share the challenges that I have also faced throughout my migration journey, and an opportunity to build empathy with the participants. Although the others liked how I created a quiet and safe environment for them to engage in purposeful making and sharing, I acknowledge that I could have simplified the session plan and crafted more time for the tasks and for a more in-depth conversation focused on the challenges and opportunities faced in decolonising design.
Throughout the day – delivering teaching in front of others, whilst also observing them, and engaging in their teaching activities – made each of us feel vulnerable. However, our tutor had a special ability to create a safe space in which we all felt open to take risks, try out new techniques, and navigate challenging circumstances (e.g. technical difficulties and time constraints). The diversity in pedagogic approaches was commendable, and I was inspired by each and everyone. While I think I was well organised, going forward, I intend to try out more embodied practices, include practical making activities, and create more space for deep listening and heartfelt reflections.