‘Bricks and Mortar’: Reflections on teaching Architecture and Design from an early career academic

Abstract

‘Bricks and mortar’ is used as a metaphor for how we endeavour to ‘construct’ knowledge in Architecture and Design. Teaching Architecture and Design is challenging but rewarding; as an early career academic and a mature professional, this paper sets out my journey and seeks to show how my teaching practice derived from my lived experiences, professional practice, and what has inspired and motivated me along the way. Reflecting on my teaching made me realise that, when it comes to teaching: ‘we have unlimited powers of creativity’ (Robinson, 2017).

For me, my authentic teaching practice derives from my professional and personal identity. It is a combination of many parameters: sharing my knowledge and lived experiences, applying creativity and playful learning, relating assessment tasks to live construction projects and rethinking reassessment strategies.  The paper concludes with some lessons I have learnt and outlines the future and ongoing development of my practice.