The School of Health & Social Care

Students agree OT lecturer is ‘Outstandingly Brilliant’

Page published 12 August 2011

(left to right) BU Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Vinney with prize-winner Dr Clare Taylor alongside former Students’ Union Vice-President Ko Leech and Chair of the University Board Sue Sutherland

Dr Clare Taylor named the ‘Most Outstandingly Brilliant’ lecturer at Bournemouth University for 2011.

An enthusiasm for teaching and a talent for connecting with her students have made Dr Clare Taylor the ‘Most Outstandingly Brilliant’ lecturer at Bournemouth University for 2011.

Clare, Lead Therapist, was nominated by her students and selected by the Students’ Union at BU to receive the award. She joined colleague Sophie Smith, Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, amongst the group of finalists chosen from across the University.

Clare, based in BU’s School of Health & Social Care, received her award from University Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Vinney; Students ’ Union Vice-President Ko Leech and University Board Chair Sue Sutherland during a gala evening to mark the inaugural Vice-Chancellor’s Awards at BU.

“I think it’s fantastic that two of the eight members of the Occupational Therapy team at BU made the shortlist for this award which says a lot about the team that we work well with our students,” says Clare who has made a positive impact in Bournemouth after arriving from Coventry University just 18 months ago. “It might help that Sophie and I are known to throw sweets or use chocolate as part of our teaching but I’m sure that’s not the only reason for being given this award!”

Clare and her colleagues lead students on the BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy at BU. That teacher-student interaction and her love of teaching, she says, is what motivates her both professionally and personally.

“I love it,” Clare enthuses. “My role is supposed to include all sorts of other things but I really enjoy working with students so I’m always happy to pick up more units.

“We have a fairly small course with an intake of around 32 students, compared to the larger cohort in Coventry, so we have a real opportunity get to know our students well,” she continues. “They see us as real people and they respond to us in and out of the classroom.

“A lot of the learning on the Occupational Therapy degree is interactive in groups which gives us even more of an opportunity to encourage them to talk to each other and work together as a team which is very important in the caring professions,” she concludes.