Jennifer Baldinger
J. Baldinger - Formarsi per essere più allineati a ciò che si è e a ciò che si desidera trasmettere
SUPSI Image Focus
After 12 years of teaching in primary school, Jennifer Baldinger began a CAS Professional Practice Teaching (DPP) course in 2022. She embarked on this path to gain greater awareness and structure in a role she already enjoyed with enthusiasm: welcoming trainee students, getting to know them, accompanying them in their first steps and offering them a safe space in which to experiment. Having completed her training in 2025, she now accompanies students from the Department of Education and Learning / University of Teacher Education (DFA/ASP) in their professional practice.
Jennifer, today you are a mentor for students. How did the CAS Professional Practice Teaching course support you in this goal?
The training helped me to look at practices I was already implementing with new eyes, making them more conscious and structured. In particular, working on observing students through tables and observation grids allowed me to refine my gaze and make my feedback more targeted and well-founded. I learned to pause, observe without judgement, and provide feedback in a respectful and constructive manner. The training also clearly highlighted how important language is to the success of all human interactions, especially in educational and training contexts. I am convinced that having a richer vocabulary to describe one's reality allows one to experience even the most complex situations with greater clarity and serenity.
These are complex situations that often accompany those who work as teachers today. Do you feel that your training has influenced your approach to the profession?
This journey has significantly strengthened my professional identity. It has given me the words, tools and confidence to perform my role with greater peace of mind. It is not just a question of “doing better”, but of feeling more aligned with who you are and what you want to convey. Today's classrooms are home to a variety of needs, personal histories, fragilities and potentialities that require a careful and flexible approach. Added to this is the task, which is not always easy, of building authentic partnerships with families, based on trust and clear, respectful and consistent communication. Amidst all this complexity, the biggest challenge is to remain human. It is a delicate balance that requires time, intention and care. Teaming up with colleagues, external professionals and parents is essential to ensure the well-being of children and support their growth.
What will you take away from this CAS?
The training prompted me to research and study how to further refine my communication skills, both oral and written, in order to make my messages increasingly assertive and effective. These lessons now guide my focus on linguistic approach, a reflection that I have also brought into my teaching practice, trying to encourage my pupils (this year I am working with a Year 6 class) to reflect on the importance of “linguistic granularity”, especially with regard to emotional aspects. The skills I have acquired have improved the way I present myself, listen and relate to others, both professionally and personally.
Any advice for those who wish to follow in your footsteps?
I would recommend approaching this course with curiosity and openness. It is a training programme that does more than just provide tools; it invites you to reflect deeply on your own way of relating to others and allows you to become aware of how you communicate and observe others. It is not only for those who, like me, have a genuine passion for communication and the power of words: it is a course that leaves a lasting mark, both inside and outside the professional context.