Evaluating my strengths and weaknesses in context with teaching employability skills

As a reflective practitioner, the employability module has provided me with the opportunity to reflect upon and evaluate my own strengths and weaknesses in relation to teaching employability skills. The following points have been identified,this is not an exhaustive list, I will continue to reflect and evaluate my skills as part of my continued professional practice.

Strengths:

• Communication skills

My previous employment experiences have provided me with valuable opportunities for developing my communication skills, which have proven to be adaptable and transferable.

I consider my good communication skills to be a valuable attribute to teaching employability skills. I have the ability to share with learners the experience I have gained through my own employment.  

• Positive attitude 

I always endeavour to maintain a positive attitude, and this was highlighted as part of the facilitator feedback.  Throughout my employment experience, I have demonstrated a motivated, positive attitude to my work.

I believe within the context of teaching employability, this will prove to have a positive impact on learner motivation and attitude.

Areas for development:

• Level of assertiveness

I need to progress my assertiveness, to enable me to be an effective contributor in broader forums.  I have been able to identify that on occasions, I am not able to be objective in relation to my emotional responses to conflict which has a negative effect by personalising conflict situations.  I feel that I have begun and need to continue to develop a more rational approach to dealing with conflict. 

I feel that developing my assertiveness skills will have a positive effect on my ability to teach employability skills. By promoting and helping learners to develop assertive skills themselves, in relation to providing feedback on the course and their learning environment, this can be used where possible, to inform how I plan my teaching strategies. 

• Receiving feedback constructively 

At the beginning of the employability module I established that I needed to work on receiving feedback constructively, using it as a developmental tool.  I acknowledge that this is partially reliant upon the delivery of feedback from others, however, I am aware I need to make a conscious, rational effort to build upon the positive aspects of receiving feedback.

Feedback is such an effective tool, which needs to be incorporated within my planning strategies and reflective practice.  In context with teaching employability skills, developing this skill is likely to have a positive impact on the learning environment and the relationships within it, therefore enhancing learning and students attainment of employability skills.