Micro Teach

Reflective Report on Microteaching: Composting as a Metaphor for Engaging more Collaborative Teaching

Introduction

Both composting and teaching require attentive treatment and weaving together of various factors and different elements (brown and green), different species, a huge teamwork just like university. So the idea is to see education as composting. 

Objectives and Outcomes

1. Establish the metaphorical links between composting and education.
2. Analyze the significance of collaboration and integration in teaching.
3. See the implementation of these topics in their own teaching situations.

Session Reflection

Engagement and Participation
The workshop began with a detailed discussion on the concept of composting, which re-emphasized how important it is to use the right amount of green materials and brown materials to assist the earth in breaking them down effectively. While highlighting the idea of ‘Mono Culture’ in education as something to avoid. 

Motivated to physically engage with this heap and find out what came out of it and the ways they are related to the composting process at large. This physical participation in the composting process and the in-depth discussions united the participants, who were able to think about the complexities of education. Reminiscent of Falk and Dierking (2000), this multimodal learning process creates a deeper and richer educational experience for the people undergoing the training.

“You know, composting really speeds up when you mix things regularly, and we should think about doing the same with our course materials. Students often keep everything separate—each class gets its own notebook or computer folder. It’s understandable with all the different assignments, requirements, and deadlines. But in my compost bin, everything gets mixed together. Eggshells with coffee grounds, banana peels with corn husks, and pine needles poking out everywhere. This mixing makes each item less recognizable and turns them into a unified whole, much like how complex problems blur the lines between different areas of knowledge.”

This aligns with the insights shared in Ann Patchett’s memoir, where she describes the creative process as akin to a compost heap, absorbing diverse experiences and influences that eventually give rise to new ideas. Chatterjee and Hannan (2015) also highlight how metaphors and object learning can lead to deeper understanding by encouraging learners to connect with material in innovative ways.

“The microorganisms that break down greens and browns into soil do their magic in the warm center of the compost pile. Similarly, education transforms students at the core of who they are. It reshapes how they view themselves, others, and their goals in life. These changes aren’t visible day-to-day or in a single course, but like those busy microbes, the transformation is always happening beneath the surface.”

Challenges and Insights
I didn’t take enough pictures nor did I save the materials I used for the micro teach, I also realised that as they were my peers I tried not to over plan, so as to allow for freedom for them to interpret it and do what they wanted, however, I realised I didn’t offer them a frame. We did a little ritual at the end when we inoculated seeds with biological beneficial and then went to a nearby field and tossed these seeds. We talked about how it feels to be a teacher equipping (inoculating) students with the eco-social tools they need to make this world more liveable.

References

• Biggs, J., & Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for Quality Learning at University. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Chatterjee, H., & Hannan, L. (2015). Engaging the Senses: Object-Based Learning in Higher Education. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
• Falk, J. H., & Dierking, L. D. (2000). Learning from Museums: Visitor Experiences and the Making of Meaning. AltaMira Press.
• Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. Oxford Polytechnic: Further Education Unit.
• Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Prentice-Hall.
• Schön, D. A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Basic Books.