M1: 20 May 2017 - Kineton

I guess I was not alone in arriving for my ART Module 1 course not quite knowing what to expect.

I’ve been ringing (and teaching ringing) for a long time. Would it be a grand maternal egg-sucking exercise? An exposition of trendy methodology with little grounding in practicality? (Actually, having met Graham Nabb before, I wasn’t really expecting that.)

What we got was an insight into the different ways in which people learn and some very sensible, but not necessarily obvious, advice on applying that while teaching, plus pitfalls to avoid – like the everyday words we imbue with a special meaning without a thought for the learner’s often very different perception.

Practical sessions in the tower were interesting, some people adapting to the teacher/student role play with more enthusiasm than others. And finally, an exercise in empathy. We were invited to ring some rounds, albeit holding the tail end in the “wrong” hand. The result: chaos (just as well the bells weren’t open). “That’s what your learners feel like.” Point taken!

Final verdict? A very useful and enjoyable experience.

Tony Nunn

Teaching Bell Handling

Practical advice for teachers, right from the first lesson.