Exploring The DNA Of BTI's Relational Learning Culture
If it’s true, what author and humourist Charles Jones once said, that “you are the same today as you’ll be in five years except for two things: the people you meet and the books you read,” then where we choose to study should be guided as much by the quality of the people we will learn from as by the quality of the programme content.
This is particularly sage advice for those who are preparing for a career in counselling, teaching and social work. These are powerfully transformative professions – professions of relationship and connection; ‘where people are at the heart of all endeavours’; where ‘who you are’ matters just as much as what you know.
To prepare students for these careers of calling, the team at BTI have created and fostered a deeply relational learning culture – in fact, it’s what BTI has come to be known for.
In every organisation, culture is something of a mysterious force. It’s the invisible agent that powerfully shapes the people who learn, grow and develop within its influence. It is a feeling, an atmosphere, a certain tone, a particular flavour, a collective understanding, a kaleidoscope of actions, great and small, which express the inner motivations, values and beliefs that live in the heart of its people.
Head of Diversity, Richard Cook, has been on staff at BTI since 1998 says, “From the beginning of our story, through the shared lives of people gathered around a common purpose, this unique BTI culture has emerged - a ‘way of being’ deeply rooted in the foundations of who we are.”
Head of Operation Services, Wendy Pyne, who is part of the Strategic Leadership Team at BTI observes, “Some of the key hallmarks of our learning culture are our integrated Christian worldview, rich lecturer/student relationships, and our commitment to developing the whole person – they are central to who we are and have become what we are known for. These values are ‘caught’ as much as ‘taught’ by BTI students, who in turn go on to embody them in the myriad of places they end up in when they graduate.”
This is particularly sage advice for those who are preparing for a career in counselling, teaching and social work. These are powerfully transformative professions – professions of relationship and connection; ‘where people are at the heart of all endeavours’; where ‘who you are’ matters just as much as what you know.
To prepare students for these careers of calling, the team at BTI have created and fostered a deeply relational learning culture – in fact, it’s what BTI has come to be known for.
In every organisation, culture is something of a mysterious force. It’s the invisible agent that powerfully shapes the people who learn, grow and develop within its influence. It is a feeling, an atmosphere, a certain tone, a particular flavour, a collective understanding, a kaleidoscope of actions, great and small, which express the inner motivations, values and beliefs that live in the heart of its people.
Head of Diversity, Richard Cook, has been on staff at BTI since 1998 says, “From the beginning of our story, through the shared lives of people gathered around a common purpose, this unique BTI culture has emerged - a ‘way of being’ deeply rooted in the foundations of who we are.”
Head of Operation Services, Wendy Pyne, who is part of the Strategic Leadership Team at BTI observes, “Some of the key hallmarks of our learning culture are our integrated Christian worldview, rich lecturer/student relationships, and our commitment to developing the whole person – they are central to who we are and have become what we are known for. These values are ‘caught’ as much as ‘taught’ by BTI students, who in turn go on to embody them in the myriad of places they end up in when they graduate.”
Rich Relationships Open Doors
If you walk through the lecturer office buildings at BTI, you will find many open doors. In amongst the whirring of photocopiers, and the ringing phones, students are coming and going down the hallways and there is bound to be at least one student deep in conversation with a lecturer.
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“BTI’s mission statement “we teach who we are” really rings true and is evident throughout. The staff’s core beliefs are demonstrated through all they do.” |
“Positive relationships are the soil in which transformation grows,” says BTI Dean, Dr Andrew Smith. “They are foundational to effective learning and professional practice. At the end of the day it all boils down to our ability to reflect God’s love – loving acceptance that affirms the inherent value of people, loving encouragement that celebrates strengths and diversity, loving persistence and patience that holds hope for others when they cannot hold it for themselves.”
When the tables turn after graduation, and the student becomes the teacher, counsellor or social worker, the capacity to build connections and good relationships with their students and clients has been deposited into them almost by osmosis.
Janet Blaauw loves her role as Deputy Principal at Te Ranga Primary School and relishes the relationships she has built with students, parents and staff within the school community. She reflects, “When I think back to my time at BTI the thing that really stands out to me was the care that the lecturers had for each student – it wasn’t as if they were just trying to get you through the study, they really wanted to know each individual person and connect with them. A lot of their teaching was around relationship, and the way that they taught us was with relationship.”
Janet Blaauw loves her role as Deputy Principal at Te Ranga Primary School and relishes the relationships she has built with students, parents and staff within the school community. She reflects, “When I think back to my time at BTI the thing that really stands out to me was the care that the lecturers had for each student – it wasn’t as if they were just trying to get you through the study, they really wanted to know each individual person and connect with them. A lot of their teaching was around relationship, and the way that they taught us was with relationship.”
Great Hearts + Minds
“We teach, counsel, and practise social work out of who we are.” Mention this phrase to any BTI student or graduate and they will nod and smile knowingly, and likely talk about the rigour of reflection they undertook in the memorable PIPI papers of their course.
PIPI stands for Personal Inquiry and Professional Integration and is a robust expression of BTI’s commitment to developing the whole person, to fostering self-awareness, to holistically integrating learning so that it becomes ‘embodied knowing’, both professionally and personally transformative. In the Counselling & Social work programmes fostering self-knowledge and developing the capacity to reflect are essential for healthy and effective practice. When thinking back over her first year of study, social-work student Jenny Kyle said, “Even if I never worked a day of social work in my life, I’d still be really grateful for this experience because it’s been such a growing experience. I have had to pull myself apart and really had to search myself, which is all necessary for this type of journey, and on a personal level is just so rewarding.” |
“You will be known by the lecturers, they will want to build relationship with you and care for you. They are committed to developing you into the best person, teacher and student you can be. God is central to everything, and this is evident throughout the programme and life at BTI.” |
Counsellors in particular have to be willing to go on a journey of working through some of their own ‘stuff’ so they can believe in the process for others, and be a genuinely compassionate practitioner. “I really try to have a non-judgmental approach,” Counselling graduate, Vicky Hegarty, shares. “I mean you learn that in the BTI stuff, you really do, but I think you really have to have worked through some of your own stuff, to be able to connect to that and realise ‘gosh, life can be hard sometimes.’ I think people sense that and as you build a relationship of trust, people feel safe.”
This whole-person approach gives BTI’s Teacher Education programmes a distinct and respected flavour. Dr Bev Norsworthy reflects, “Most teacher education providers will ask the questions of what should be taught, how should it be taught, and sometimes where or when it should be taught. Rarely are questions about ‘why’ do the teaching asked, and almost never is the question ‘who’ is the teacher that teaches asked. At BTI one of our distinctive commitments is to the person who is the teacher. It’s not just about the projects the teacher gives the student, but everything about the teacher actually ends up being influential.”
Reflecting on his experience at BTI, Hayden Reid says, “...what stands out to me is the heart of the people who ran the courses. What they were trying to convey was what’s in your heart, the person that you are in your own personal life, the person that you are with your family – that’s the person that is going to come through in your teaching.”
This capacity is something that sets our alumni apart in the community. Marcus Norrish, who is the Deputy Principal at Pahoia Primary school commented, “I really loved the experience at BTI. The thing that stood out to me was the fact that they always looked for you to go below the surface and ask why, and look for the deeper reasons underneath everything that we do. At the time it seemed a little bit OTT to be honest, but when you get out into the schools you realise that that’s actually a really powerful position to be in and that’s exactly what awesome schools are looking for.”
Learning, true learning, doesn’t just come from books. Important ideas are best communicated in the shape of people who are living out those ideas in real and rich ways, and who care enough about your learning to meaningfully engage with you. So remember, what you study matters enormously, and the books you read will leave a deep imprint, but more than likely it’s the people who you rub shoulders with during your study experience that will have the deepest and most lasting impact on you. Choose wisely.
This whole-person approach gives BTI’s Teacher Education programmes a distinct and respected flavour. Dr Bev Norsworthy reflects, “Most teacher education providers will ask the questions of what should be taught, how should it be taught, and sometimes where or when it should be taught. Rarely are questions about ‘why’ do the teaching asked, and almost never is the question ‘who’ is the teacher that teaches asked. At BTI one of our distinctive commitments is to the person who is the teacher. It’s not just about the projects the teacher gives the student, but everything about the teacher actually ends up being influential.”
Reflecting on his experience at BTI, Hayden Reid says, “...what stands out to me is the heart of the people who ran the courses. What they were trying to convey was what’s in your heart, the person that you are in your own personal life, the person that you are with your family – that’s the person that is going to come through in your teaching.”
This capacity is something that sets our alumni apart in the community. Marcus Norrish, who is the Deputy Principal at Pahoia Primary school commented, “I really loved the experience at BTI. The thing that stood out to me was the fact that they always looked for you to go below the surface and ask why, and look for the deeper reasons underneath everything that we do. At the time it seemed a little bit OTT to be honest, but when you get out into the schools you realise that that’s actually a really powerful position to be in and that’s exactly what awesome schools are looking for.”
Learning, true learning, doesn’t just come from books. Important ideas are best communicated in the shape of people who are living out those ideas in real and rich ways, and who care enough about your learning to meaningfully engage with you. So remember, what you study matters enormously, and the books you read will leave a deep imprint, but more than likely it’s the people who you rub shoulders with during your study experience that will have the deepest and most lasting impact on you. Choose wisely.