Teaching Portfolio of Dr Carmen Gordon
WHAT I DO
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I lecture Orthodontics in the Faculty of Dentistry, at the University of the Western Cape.
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Welcome to my Portfolio
What I do
I am a dentist and a lecturer in the Orthodontic Department, at the Faculty of Dentistry (University of the Western Cape).
I am the module co-coordinator for the undergraduate and postgraduate diploma orthodontic modules.
I teach the following modules:
2022-2024
ORT 400 - 4th-year Orthodontics
CPM500 - 5th-year Orthodontics
2019-2021
ORT 320 - 3rd-year Orthodontics
ORT 400 - 4th-year Orthodontics and
ORT 511 - 5th-year Orthodontics
INO 611 - First-year Postgraduate Diploma Course (Interceptive Orthodontics)
INO 612 - Second Year Postgraduate Diploma Course (Interceptive Orthodontics)
Some of my professional values include:
Trust, respect, and honesty
Responsibility, accountability, and Integrity
Professional competence and development
Service mindedness
The enhancement of quality of life
About Me
"People find me to be an upbeat, self-motivated and charismatic person. I'm very creative and always attempt doing tasks in an unconventional way. Simply put, I like to challenge the "status quo".
I grew up and attended school in Lansdowne. I love the ocean, pink Peonies and Cocoa my feisty dog. Spending time outdoors in the sun is a means of relaxation and appreciation for the natural beauty surrounding us. I also enjoy hiking and going on long road trips to unfamiliar destinations.
I have 3 children and being a wife and mother is a top priority. Raising my children has also contributed to shaping and molding my teaching capabilities.
I have a few talents, including designing and sewing, event planning, and interior decorating. I always participated in my children's schooling. I was on the parent committee of Pinelands North Primary School. This extends into my career where I involve myself in the Dental Faculty by taking on leadership roles such as year coordinator, module coordinator, heading fundraising events, and co-convenor of the sports and wellness day at our faculty.
Self-Reflection
My Early Years
It is 1978…..I remember sitting at my school table, in Sub A, only 6 years old, when the principal of the school walked into the class and called out my name. With fear and trepidation, I approached her where she was standing at the entrance of the classroom, and she handed me an envelope. "Please pass on this envelope to your dad and do not forget", she emphasized sternly. Later that evening I handed my dad the brown envelope (I remember it vividly as though it were yesterday), and I asked him what it was about. He then explained that he was the chairperson of the school governing body and that the principal urgently needed to contact him. Could this have been the start of the teaching influence in my life? I have never in my wildest dreams, ever thought of becoming a teacher. My dad was at the forefront of decision-making in the primary education system. In the '70s, it was a "fashion" or trend for all coloured matriculants to become teachers. Subconsciously, unbeknownst to me my entire childhood revolved around education. My parents were not privileged to obtain a tertiary education but vowed to make it their sole purpose to ensure and guide their four daughters into obtaining university degrees. Believe you me, they've accomplished their goals, and we are all UWC graduates.
Now I am a teenager
1985-1990
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I was involved in many church-related community projects.
On the spiritual front, my parents encouraged me to become a Sunday school teacher. It was later in my 20s that I was the leader of the spiritual dance group, and later on the youth leader, but for a short while.
My dad was very militant in his approach to life per se and we as his daughters (soldiers) had to adhere to and obey his every command. In the '70s the "Behaviourist" teaching theory was prominent, especially within the context of the current historical background of South Africa.
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On the home front, my second eldest sister finished her degree as a teacher. While she was still studying, I remember her coming home from university with loads and loads of textbooks. She would lay them across her bed, ready to do assignments or start preparing for exams. I would always complain and argue with her and accuse her of acting as though she needed to desperately study for some test when there was a heap of dishes in the kitchen that needed cleaning. My dad would continually encourage her to complete her studies. My eldest sister already qualified as an Oral Hygienist and I was next in line for university.
"So Carmen, what are you going to become one day ?"
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A 'PT teacher', I said. "Well, my girl, I know you are very sporty but a PT teaching can't do PT when they are older".
I was quite excellent in Math and Science at High school, and my dad encouraged me to become a dentist. Tania, my oldest sister played a major role in luring me into the science field. She was quite familiar with the dental faculty at UWC. I matriculated and was accepted for a BSc degree the following year.
Being a Dental Student
1990-1996
In 1991 I was accepted for Dentistry and I soon realised how enjoyable this was. My studies became the centre of my life and I had to forgo all extracurricular activities. Despite a strong desire to learn, and a passion for dentistry, the typical lecture setting at university, during the '90s was not ideal. Teaching instruction was purely from overhead projectors and posters. Passive receivers of knowledge, with an occasional group activity. As students, we had to wait long for library books since they were being used or booked by other students. When we started doing clinical work I was excited and anxious at the same time. None the less I still acquired the necessary clinical skills which were needed for me to make a positive contribution to the quality of life for my patients and bring real meaningful change to my community. When I qualified as a dentist, I started a private practice.
The Dentist
1996-2002
My first employment as a dentist was at
SAMWUMED, a medical aid company that had in-house dental clinics. Here I was the Principal Dentist for 6 years and had added administrative responsibility. Non-clinical staff members had to be trained and I was given a teaching platform, educating them about the "nitty-gritty" of dentistry in order for the medical aid to function effectively and efficiently.
Private Practice
2002
I opened a private dental practice in 2002. Patient education was always at the forefront of every encounter I have had with them. My 3 children have also kept me busy with schooling and guiding and assisting them in schooling, tests, exams, etc. Another teaching platform unrealized until recently.
Postgraduate Activities
I have become very passionate about Orthodontics and continued attending short courses in the field. Some of these courses include Fastbraces and Orthologic Systems.
I completed my PDD in Interceptive Orthodontics in 2015.
While treating patients for the completion of the PDD course, I was asked by the coordinator to assist with the supervision of Paedodontic Master students. I then became a sessional supervisor for the undergraduate orthodontic clinical sessions for final-year dental students. All these activities have been pivotal in my pursuit of teaching in orthodontics.
As chance would have it. Our senior lecturer retired and his post was advertised in 2019. Without hesitation, I applied and landed the post. I am now employed as a lecturer for the undergraduate orthodontic program.
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