We're proud of Fiona for the impact they have had their nominator.
Proud to be Staffs Story: Fiona Knight
Senior Lecturer, School of Creative Arts and Engineering
Through kindness and patience, Fiona turned this students' experience of their studies around. This is the true essence of teaching at a University level and the support Fiona has provided has no doubt had a great impact on this individual (and no doubt many others.) Thank you Fiona, for making us Proud to be Staffs.
Fiona Knight's Story
"Honestly I completely hated Web Concepts, it was that one module that I was absolute garbage at and I would try to sneak out as soon as I could afford to with not many seatbacks. My problem was that I listened and paid attention in class but when it came to the real thing I would draw a blank and be completely lost on what we are supposed to do, its not that I didn't ask questions either I would consider myself one of the people that participate most in class but for some reason I cant quite grasp how to do things, and things would be like that until not long ago when one of our assignments was to create a website (and at this moment in time still is!) And non-surprisingly I was completely lost about what to do with... Well with the whole thing I didn't know how to start or how to end it and everything in between was more or less of a blur. Again as I mentioned before its not that I haven't asked questions in class, sometimes people even complain that I hog the teacher since I always am asking questions but even then I was as useless as a waterproof-teabag. So one or two weeks ago I gave in and I messaged Fiona to get some pointers, sometime we could meet so she could have an idea of what I wanted to build and point me in the right direction. With a short exchange of emails she told me how she could help and gave me some times I could come to her office and get some help, something that should have lasted 30 minutes. I arrive at her office and then its when she starts going above and beyond, she started sketching and talking me through my concept of the website and how some of my features would include some problems in the design of them and how we could fix it or alternatives and not only that but she also helped me coding and took me step-by-step through even the simplest concepts that I didn't even know I need, something that she said I'd take 30 minutes, she took up to 2 hours of her day going through with me and supporting me with my website and honestly the only reason I believe we had to stop is because she forgot that it was time for her to have lunch and she had to be reminded by a colleague. Now to many people this may not seem much, and I understand that, but when you realise the amount of times I asked simple questions, multiple times and the amount of times she had to explain it to me to which she didn't even looked slightly bothered or annoyed(which I think that I would be on her position) and not only that but did it all over again when I needed help with my website and going to such extent as to forgetting that she needs to eat. This is specially important to me because I come from Spain and I understand that I may not be the easies person to teach and deal with but she helped me and talked me along everything I needed to need to continue, which many teachers would just assume that I don't pay attention to class or that I am just a lost cause, but her act of kindness did not only immensely help me with my assignment, it also kindled a passion and love for web concepts something that I hated before which if you imagine one of the things you hate the most turn to something you love doing, it may put into perspective how hard it can be. Having teachers like this that go above and beyond for a student with the patience of a saint and do it in such a way to change their perspectives on the whole module is why I am proud to be Staffs."