Where do you find your educational drive?
'I get the most happiness from contact with my students. I try to learn the names as quickly as possible and get a feel for how each group is put together. This is appreciated and I notice that students feel free to say what they think, without having to push them. This good contact ensures fun discussions and the opportunity for jokes that make the learning material lighter. In addition, I get a lot of energy from groups that visibly show a kind of relief when they finally understand a difficult puzzle.'
Which moment has always stayed with you?
'The teaching moment that has stayed with me the most is the week that I had the prescribed court case re-enacted by the working group. I sent the students into the hallway in groups to prepare for a certain role in the courtroom. During this preparation, a lot of uncertainty came out among the students. Nevertheless, these students, at the supreme moment, were able to convey the arguments well. What I found most special about these moments was how students were absorbed in their assigned roles and how their own personalities emerged.'
What are you proud of as a lecturer?
'As a lecturer, but more specifically as coordinator of the Tutorship, I am incredibly proud of the tutors at the Faculty of Law. Tutors are senior students who supervise the first-year students. The tutors continue to surprise me with good ideas about how we can improve education and organization, but also how we can support students in the transition from secondary school to university. Following a consultation with the tutors, a 'ready to go' checklist has been drawn up with which the first-year students can check whether they have access to the various digital systems and are aware of where they can find important information.'
What do you hope your students take away from your education?
'I hope to teach students that there are always two sides to a conflict. In law, there are often two parties that oppose each other with their interests. What I want to tell the students is that it can be valuable to look at the conflict from both interests and to keep an eye on the other in the conflict.'
What was your biggest learning moment as a lecturer?
'One of my biggest learning moments as a teacher was the moment I realised that not all first-year students come to university with the same background knowledge, and that it is very brave of students to indicate that they do not possess certain background knowledge. This has taught me to consciously ask whether the students know what the concept means and whether there is a need for explanation.'