Learning experiences

I have had really positive experiences of school. I remember enjoying all aspects of learning and had enthusiasm for a range of subjects. I enjoyed being part of the school/class community and took part in lots of extra-curricular activities. I have lots of memories of trying out new activities which I wasn’t very good at (e.g. hockey) and feeling a real sense of achievement when I learnt a new skill and used it in matches. My secondary school taught boys and girls in separate classes until Year 10 and my particular class bonded well as a group. It was possibly my friends and the social aspects of secondary school that made it so positive for me and I grew hugely in confidence during this time.

At university I studied Architecture and I enjoyed the variety of learning experiences that the subject delivered. My negative learning experiences, however, were during the ‘crits’ that we had at the end of each design unit. My memories of these involve me pinning my work up on the wall after a week or two (at least) of sleepless nights and rather than constructive criticism, I can only remember times where a bad part of my design was picked out, analysed and slated until I felt completely drained and had nothing left to say. My university friends and I joke about this now but it didn’t feel good at the time!

Paula