In January, Cardiff University hosted a very interesting seminar on Part-Time Teaching and Creative Writing, which asked the question, is the part-time post no longer just an apprenticeship, but a way of life? Organised by the English Subject Centre with the help of National Association of Writers in Education (NAWE) and literaturetraining, this event attracted over 30 teachers from all over the UK. The keynote address was given by Maggie Butt, Chair of NAWE and Head of the Media department at Middlesex University. Maggie described the huge growth in numbers of Creative Writing courses, teachers and students over the past 10 years, and discussed the burdens on both those who teach and those who manage teachers: in such a growth area, lack of support for part-time teachers is a risk for all of us. She left us with the image of the three-legged stool: how can we find a balance between money/writing/life?
This led into small group discussions: how can part-time teachers become better teachers? And how can their institutions support them? Suggestions included finding mentors, training, monitoring, colleagues and support from organisations like NAWE for guidelines on class sizes. A common complaint was lack of communication within departments, especially if teachers were juggling several institutions and were not invited to staff meetings. An example of good practice was to hold departmental readings so that other members of staff met the part-timers as writers.
In the afternoon, there were four presentations exploring the world of the part-time teacher, all of which stressed the importance of increasing our self-esteem and making demands on our institutions. If we are not supported, how can we support and develop our students and departments? The final session summarised the problems: time, isolation, lack of status, lack of access to pedagogical support, uncertainty over contracts, all this leading to lack of creative space in our heads! The solution? A personal timetable to keep the threelegged stool upright, saying ‘no’, networking and sharing resources through the English Subject Centre and NAWE sites.
It was an extremely useful day for all concerned, although we all returned to our respective three-legged lives, we know we are not alone, and there are some practical things we can all do.
Hilary Jenkins, NAWE
More details and information about presentations can be viewed on our website in the Events Archive.
