Also teachers need a community to support them. Somewhere where they can discuss current issues and ask for advice. This is often important at the beginning of a career, but a good community is an asset throughout your career.
Most often, the teacher's immediate community is other teachers teaching in the same degree programme. A fairly permanent community where, for example, a new curriculum is crafted together. In this case, community spirit may be mandatory. It is therefore important that the individual sees the significance of their own activities and involvement and is empowered and motivated by the community's activities.Co-designing teaching or updating the curricula together also increases understanding of what others are doing.
The sense of community can also exist outside the degree programme. Often, loose, low-threshold communities act as a factor that increases the sense of community and at the same time increase wellbeing in communities. This can be the case in university communities, for example, with a group of Aalto teachers participating in pedagogical training at the same time, where they discuss about the development of teaching in a multi-voiced, skillful and multi-perspective manner. In addition to supporting wellbeing, the group works to empower and support agency.
The programme director's handbook is a collection of guidelines, templates, and good practices. The handbook gathers together information about processes, schedules and tools and the aim is to support degree programme directors, heads of majors and others involved to succeed in implementing, evaluating and developing the degree programmes.
Are you looking to develop your skills as a teacher? Participate in Aalto's pedagogical training!
