Introduction and Context

As Cranton and Carusetta note, our teaching doesn’t happen in isolation: we work ‘within a programme or department which is a part of an institution; that institution is in turn, a part of a community, country, political system and a culture’. Each of these contexts affects the way in which we teach. In this opening document I introduce the context that has shaped my teaching, discussing my personal history, the students I teach and my discipline. I also look at the national and international context that has influenced my teaching.

The picture on the right was taken after a departmental seminar - here I am with some of the colleagues and students who contribute to shaping my teaching.