Outline of the Inquiry

I had an excellent tutorial with Paula this afternoon that's given me a 'lightbulb' moment and provided me with a lot more direction. We had had a discussion earlier in the afternoon about not making my inquiry so child centred. My original idea was almost like an 'experiment' on the children. Given I am not currently a qualified teacher I don't have the authority to do this. If I wish to observe the children in anyway, it must only be during my normal working day. From this, I have decided to do general observations that will go in my reflective journal (alongside interviews with colleagues within my professional practice).

I next gave myself an hour deadline to bullet point each section of the inquiry. Working under this pressure fuelled me to work quickly and get to the point with my thoughts. After doing this, it was time to call Paula to review and discuss what I had written.

We then spent an hour reading through the inquiry plan and taking every point further and more in depth. She challenged me to question my ideas in more detail and explained that my inquiry isn't there to prove something but to ask how and why? I need to keep a neutral stance but discuss both sides of the debate within my inquiry (in my case, for or against a Growth Mindset in education). Paula explained that I need to really look into theories and explore all the ideas behind the questions I ask to add depth to my inquiry. Where did these ideas come from? What other theories inspired them/are along similar lines? Which theorists disagree and why?

My task now is to take all these ideas and put them into my plan in full including gathering literature and references to support my thoughts. This process has really helped.

Unpick everything you can and keep questioning how and why.

Paula wanted to remind everybody that it is infact week 9! So these draft inquiry plans need to be sent to her to give written feedback ASAP! (Ideally by the end of this week!).

(I will be adding a document of what I had written before my conversation with Paula, but have not had time on first post of this!)

Module 2: Task 5c - Reader 5 and Online Session on Ethics

Before taking on Reader 5 my views on ethics were very straight forward and simple. I knew the importance of privacy and keeping personal information confidential (a lot of this coming from when we looked at ethics online). However, now I've read Reader 5 in depth there is much more to ethics than I first thought. Not only is it about protecting yourself, but being certain that the discovery you are trying to make won't harm others.

When taking in all this information on ethics, I attempted to relate all the theories to my place of work or inquiry ideas.  For example, 'Immanuel Kant (1779) believed that moral rules are absolute and he based this on reason rather than religion. He argued this from a categorical imperative stance whereby you should help people no matter what your desires are.'

I tried to think of different practices to compare to my own where this ethical stance might not be appropriate. For example, within a school environment it would be morally and ethically wrong for a teacher to lie to a parent about their child. However, in a different line of work such as retail; in an effort to sell a product, staff might be encouraged to lie about using the said product themselves or exaggerate it's benefits. The latter would not have a damaging affect on anyone involved.

I personally feel that given the fact I work with young children, Kant's (1779) deontologist viewpoint is how I should approach my inquiry. There is a huge amount of responsibility given to teachers with the amount of time they spend with their students and the impact they have on their learning and development. I hope my inquiry will benefit children and their education. Therefore, anything that I come across during my inquiry that I deem ethically or morally wrong, I will immediately act to change this.

Reader 5 definitely allowed me to see ethics from different perspectives in general and with regards to my inquiry ideas. When reading the case studies within the reader, the different ethical viewpoints allowed me better grounds on which to make a decision to whether the action taken was morally right or wrong.


On Wednesday 25th October, I took part in an online session with Paula and a group of my course colleagues. This session cleared up any confusion I had with ethics and opened my mind to some ethical problems that may arise during my inquiry.

• Originally, I wanted to interview the children but as the session brought to light, this would involve having parents permission as the children are under the age of 16. As well as this, I would have to explain to the children that they could opt out of the inquiry at any time. However, due to the young age of the children I currently work with, I feel their understanding would be limited and would therefore affect the results of my investigation. I have decided that I will observe the children instead, as this will just involve me being in my normal position as a Teaching Assistant among the students. This will hopefully provide me with more accurate discoveries. 
• I will need permission from the Headteacher at my school and will explain to them the investigation I am carrying out as part of my degree. With that, I can also interview practitioners that I work alongside in order to deepen my investigation and collect information from another perspective. Those that I interview will need to sign an Ethics Release Form. 

Module 2: Task 5b - Codes of Practice and Regulations

In order to find the exact codes of practice and regulations, I referred back to my staff handbook that I received when I first started my most recent job. Obviously having read these not long ago, a lot of what I posted in Task 5a was relevant and in the handbook in some way. I discovered that the policies were in greater detail than what I previously posted. 

The legislation I found that will be most relevant should I choose to take my inquiry into school will be confidentiality and safeguarding and child protection procedures.

Confidentiality - The school is very small and therefore the community surrounding it are naturally always interested in the goings on. So it is the responsibility of the staff to keep the correct information private. With regards to my inquiry, this would mean not using children, staff or the school's name in any interviews or investigations. 

Safeguarding and Child Protection - This is the policy that if any concerns occur with regards to the children's welfare or safety, that it should be reported to the designated Inclusion Manager. Therefore, if I feel any information that I gather during my enquiry should be reported and therefore not used in my final conclusion, I must follow this policies procedure. 

Module 2: Task 4d - Literative Review 1

The first piece of literature I have been studying has been 'The Value of Performing Arts Education in Our Schools' by Cathy Hess Wright. It is an article from the National Association of Secondary School Principles bulletin from April 1994. It has already spawned a vast amount of developing thoughts and questions. I have picked out specific quotes that triggered a discussion in my mind which I noted down and am now transferring into this biog post.

'As a ten year veteran in a magnet arts high school, I have witnessed the positive affects of a performing arts education on students at the secondary level.'
It can be very difficult to iterate how much of a positive impact performing arts can have to those who have never experienced it first hand. This is why more investigations need to happen in order to have physical statistic proof of it's positivity, especially at a time when so many budget cuts are impacting performing arts departments within schools. If performing arts could make a real difference on the success of students, then it is something that needs to be discovered and proved in order to make changes happen as soon as possible to give more students the opportunity to succeed in their futures.

'A recent study (Barry 1992) concludes that "the inclusion and integration of arts activities into the curriculum offers a variable strategy for student motivation and success." '
Previous studies have already shown the integration of performing arts into the curriculum is having positive affects on students motivation and success. I can completely relate to this as I know the positive mental attitude that performing arts evokes. Performing arts is the most obvious example of practice and improvement. The other side of the argument that I often faced during my time as a student, was that too much of my time and effort was spent on performing arts and that it could affect my achievements in other areas of my education. Fortunately, this never became an issue for me personally, but I could and can see it's potential flaws. This is why it needs more clear investigation into how much performing arts is beneficial and how much is too much.

'I have had students who were having the most difficult time simply getting through high school. The performing arts courses they took directly influenced these students, giving them a sense of accomplishment and strong sense of self esteem.'
This supports my theories and ideas that performing arts promotes a 'Growth Mindset' which studies are beginning to show really aids children's achievements and success. It would be really interesting to discover further how performing arts and a growth mindset could be linked and the benefits of using these tools in school.

'One student overcame her parents' strong opposition to her studying dance in high school. She received a a scholarship in dance to a state university and used that scholarship to assist her studies in both dance and chemistry. She later wrote to inform me that she had entered graduate school on an academic scholarship. However, she credits the undergraduate dance scholarship with having given her the opportunity to attend college, to earn her bachelor's degree, and to grow as a person. Today her parents support the value of performing arts instruction in a young person's education.'
I do believe there is a stigma around performing arts and it's career prospects. I'm sure many of my performing arts associates will have had comments made about the instability of a performance career. I can agree with this in part as I wanted to be a performer initially but didn't enjoy the lifestyle that followed with it. However, I don't ever regret any of my involvement within performing arts, especially at school. It helped me gain confidence. I gained a group of friends who I am still in contact with today but it also gave me a sense of determination and drive towards a larger goal. I understood the importance of hard-work and perseverance and that reflected across the rest of my subjects at school. So even if involvement in performing arts isn't anything to do with a students future career, I think some of the skills gained from performing arts can be adapted to any subject. It is this that needs more emphasis and more investigation in order to persuade parents that by allowing their children to get involved in performing arts they are helping to improve other aspects of their education.

'The performing arts teach students to overcome obstacles and to appreciate the process of accomplishment, as well as the end product of achievement.'
Something that I am beginning to discover through my workplace and through the investigation in this module is that education bases the majority of it's importance on grades and levels. Performing arts does seem to hold more importance on the process and the practice which eventually leads to the end product. I think this is where students gain their self esteem as they can see their improvements as they go along and are praised for this. From this, they find a work ethic that involves working hard in order to keep improving. If more emphasis was based on the process of improving in English for example, this could have a positive impact on achievements automatically. If children are just faced with a good or bad grade, it can demotivate them. With a bad grade a child feels like a failure, so they give up. With a good grade a child feels like they don't need to try any more because they're already at the level they need to be. This is a generalisation of course, but it would be interesting to see if this is what growth mindset studies are starting to reveal.


There were many other points made in the article that reiterated the points I have made above. It has been really interesting to read this article and realise how much investigation has already gone into similar topics that I am looking to focus on for my inquiry. From my SIG's, I'm sure many of my fellow BAPP Arts students would benefit from reading this article also and how much importance performing arts could have on educational success.

Module 2: Task 5a - Codes of Practice and Regulations

For this task, I thought it would be best to mind map a few ideas on codes of conduct and policies that I believe my place of work has. Being a school, there are a huge amount of policies in place to ensure the school adheres to the National standards. The task asked to do this wholly based on my own thoughts, so I have not turned to any documents. 

Safeguarding 

Safeguarding is ensuring you do everything in your power to the keep the children safe. At school, teachers are responsible for the welfare of their students. Not only is this in the case of making sure the environment is safe, but it's also observing any changes in children's behaviour and being sure to report anything you suspect could be an issue. This includes any suspiscion of bullying.  

Health and Safety 

Obviously within a school of young children, health and safety has to be extremely thorough. It is the staff who must ensure that all children stick to health and safety guidelines within individual classrooms, the school premises and on any school trips. This involves regular risk assessments to keep all areas danger-free and the responsibility of immediately reporting anything potentially dangerous to the site manager. As well as this, the staff are trained to have the correct conduct in first aid situations. 

Privacy 

Privacy is a very important part of being a teacher and working in a school environment. This includes the use of social media and keeping a professional stance in which speaking to pupil and parents though the use of Facebook etc. is not permitted. As well as not giving out your own personal information to the children, it is important to keep any information about them confidential and within the school only. 

Appropriate Behaviour

It is important as a teacher (or for anyone working in a school) to uphold a level of appropriate behaviour. This means keeping relationships between students and staff professional at all times as well as using the appropriate language, music, videos and other resources to suit the age of the children. 

My next task will be to compare the thoughts I've had with the actual legislation that I was given when I first started my job at the school. 

Module 2: Task 4d - Literature Reviews

At first, I found it very hard to find literature that was relevant to my lines of inquiry. However, I quickly realised that I was probably being too specific with my searches on Summon and that I needed to search topics more generally. Realistically, I'm not going to find a book that coincidentally answers all my questions. I am going to have to pull lots of different thoughts from many different resources in order to give me the information I need to discover and expand my knowledge of these inquiries. 

I've narrowed it down to the following four articles that over the next week I will review:

The Value of Performing Arts Education in Our Schools - by Cathy Hess Wright 

A Youth Performing Arts Experience: Pyschological Experiences, Recollections, and the Desire to Do It Again - by Jan Trayes, Niki Harre and Nickola C. Overall

Towards a Growth Mindset in Assesement - by Geoff N. Masters

Studies Suggest Way to Instill a Growth Mindset in Students - by Holly Yettick 

I am really looking forward to reading these and broadening my knowledge of these topics that will hopefully spur more questioning. 

Module 2: Task 4c - Developing Questions for Employers and/or Professional Associates

Using the questions I initially came up with in Task 4a, I am now developing specific questions to ask those within my professional community outside of the BAPP Arts course. I have professional associates in mind, all of whom have different experiences of teaching within different contexts. Taking this into consideration, I would moderate the questions accordingly to make sure they are relevant to the chosen interviewee as not all questions apply.  

In bold are the initial questions from Task 4a and numbered below that are the more specific questions I would use in order to hone in on the information I wish to discover.

How do schools and dance schools manage behaviour? Is there a difference with how it is managed between school and extra-curricular? Do children behave differently in comparison between the two? Do children who attend extra curricular performing arts behave better at school? Why? 

Can participating in performing arts as an extra-curricular subject affect children's learning in school? Is there a correlation that suggests this is a positive or negative effect? Can it improve/certain aspects of their development? 

1. How does your school manage behaviour in your classes specifically?
1a. Are these methods affective?

2. Having taught in both a school and performing arts school, is there a difference in how behaviour is managed? 

2a. If so, what are those differences?

3. Do you know the children in your class who take part in extra-curricular performing arts?

3a. How does their behaviour in class compare to those students who don't take part in extra-curricular performing arts if different?

4.Do you know how what your performing arts students are achieving at school? 

4a. Do you think the performing arts classes they take part in outside of school have a positive or negative impact on their education and behaviour?

4b. Why do you think this is?

5. Do you think Performing Arts can have an affect on children's development?
5a. What sort of affect do you think this is? 

External performing arts schools (not for further education purposes) aren't assessed by any external board (e.g. OFSTED). Therefore, how do performing arts schools measure their success? How do they know they're adhering to certain codes of conduct? Is there a board that could come in and observe these? How do performing arts schools know what/how to improve without this? How do they create their expectations and set their standards? Could having something like OFSTED have a positive impact on such schools?

6. How does your performing arts school measure success?

7. Does your performing arts school have certain codes of conducts that you must adhere to?
7a. Are these codes of conduct that you have created or are they from an external board (such as OFSTED for schools)?

7b. If there isn't an external board, could performing arts school benefit from having something like this to regulate performing arts schools across the country?

7c. Why?

8. Is there an external board that has any control over what or how you teach?
8a. If so, does this board ever come in and observe or assess these aspects?

9. How do you know which elements of the school need improving?
9a. How do your pupils know what the expectations from the staff are?Do performing arts schools encourage a different mindset in children? Is determination and effort given more emphasis in performing arts schools over actual schools? Are children who attend external performing arts schools more prone to a positive attitude and are therefore more hardworking? 

10. As a performing arts teacher, do you rate effort and determination more highly than technique?

10a. Do you think effort and determination are recognised less in schools?

11. As a school teacher, do you think determination and effort is less important than grades and the final product of work? 

12. Do the students that partake in extra-curricular performing arts in your class, have a different attitude towards school work? 

12a. If yes, in what way?

13. Do you think performing arts can have an impact on children's attitudes in school?
13a. If yes, in what way? 

14. Have you found in the past that students who took part in extra-curricular performing arts were more hard-working in school?

How beneficial is a PGCE to a dance or performing arts teacher? Could the job be done based purely on experience? How does that compare to the importance of a PGCE for a primary school teacher or secondary school maths teacher? Do some schools take on dance or performing arts teachers who don't hold a QTS? 

15. Do you think your PGCE prepared you with the relevant tools and skills to teach?
15a. If so, how did it do this?
15b. If not, why not?

16. Do you think to be a teacher that experience and qualifications have equal weighting of importance? 

17. When employing new staff for your performing arts school, do you look at the experience or qualifications on their CV as more important?
17a. Why? 

18. Do you think a PGCE is more beneficial to an English or Maths teacher over a performing arts teacher?
18a. Why?

19. Do schools take on performing arts teachers who don't hold QTS?
19a. Is this ever the same for english or maths teachers?
19b. Why do you think this is? 

A Growth Mindset

As I mentioned in my previous post, the school I'm currently working for are trying to implement a growth mindset.

Here is a video we were shown on our most recent training day that really resonated with me. It's a really great outlook to have on work and life in general. I urge you to watch it and comment below your thoughts.

Module 2: Task 4b - Special Interest Group (SIG)

On a distance learning course like BAPP Arts, it can be very easy to feel isolated and alone in your study. So I am very optimistic about the benefits that having Special Interest Groups will have on igniting thoughts and keeping the ball rolling in my mind! 

In order to find out who shares smilar thoughts and questions to myself, I referred back to the Module 2 blog list. I opened up each blog and had a quick read through the most recent blog posts to see if I could find any similarities in the thoughts and inquiries other students were having. From this, I made a list of those who were focusing on topics such as teaching or education. These are blogs that I will be referring to on a regular basis and will be commenting on in order to broaden the blogger's ideas as well as my own. 

I am now part of two SIG groups withing the BAPP Arts community (both education based) and I am already finding common threads between my own inquiry ideas and others. These will be a really great way to get different opinions and create important and interesting discussions relating to these topics. 

Module 2: Task 4a - First Thoughts on Professional Inquiry

After finishing Reader 4, my mind has been buzzing with thoughts! Here are the very beginning of some draft questions and how I initially came to these ideas. 

Work-based learning is obviously what the BAPP Arts course is all based upon. But what I've already discovered within my new job as a Teaching Assistant is that the job itself is all about work-based learning. I constantly learn new skills not just from practically doing them myself, but also through observing the class teacher I work with. There have been many times where I have been thrown into the 'deep-end' and had to discover and learn things for myself without much help or guidance. This has forced me to learn things about myself as well as what the job entails. With my experience from working in lots of different schools over the past year as well as my current place of work, I have built up a large network of different colleagues who all work within different realms of education and performing arts. This will be an interesting tool for practitioner research and will give me great scope over a wide range of different topics within schools in general and teaching performing arts specifically. With this in mind, I tried to think of areas I find particularly interesting within teaching and attempted to put these into questions that could be developed into inquiries. Behaviour management and the affects that performing arts can have on children are two topics of interest that appeal to me. Therefore, the following questions are what spawned from these initial thoughts. 

How do schools and dance schools manage behaviour? Is there a difference with how it is managed between school and extra-curricular? Do children behave differently in comparison between the two? Do children who attend extra curricular performing arts behave better at school? Why? 

Can participating in performing arts as an extra-curricular subject affect children's learning in school? Is there a correlation that suggests this is a positive or negative effect? Can it improve/certain aspects of their development? 

My next questions came out of reading about Argyris and Schon's single loop and double loop cycles and it made me question how my current place of work look to change and improve for the sake of the children's learning in line with OFSTED. It also made me think about how I look to improve my work as an individual. I would like to think I'm very flexible and adapt to new methods in order to improve. This lead me to my next train of thought with my questions...

External performing arts schools (not for further education purposes) aren't assessed by any external board (e.g. OFSTED). Therefore, how do performing arts schools measure their success? How do they know they're adhering to certain codes of conduct? Is there a board that could come in and observe these? How do performing arts schools know what/how to improve without this? How do they create their expectations and set their standards? Could having something like OFSTED have a positive impact on such schools?

I then took a particular interest to theories that Peter.M Senge had about 'The Fifth Discipline' and how teams in the workplace can only thrive when open minded and flexible with change and when this is done together. It made me think about how my school are currently working on keeping a 'Growth Mindset'. This is the idea that children should never be labelled by their abilities and should understand the power of 'yet' ("I can't do this yet, but with more practice I will achieve it"). Ranking children on ability and using certain words when praising good work can let them forget that putting in effort and determination is just as important as getting things 'right'. The emphasis should be placed on the idea that if they keep trying hard at something, they will excel eventually. The growth mindset theory resonated with me and my time as a child when I attended an external dance school. A lot of the praise given to me and the attitude that was had towards dancing was all to do with hard work and determination and how that was more important than always being 'perfect'. It seemed that the school I currently work in (and schools across the country in general) have not always had this outlook. These thoughts lead me to question...

Do performing arts schools encourage a different mindset in children? Is determination and effort given more emphasis in performing arts schools over actual schools? Are children who attend external performing arts schools more prone to a positive attitude and are therefore more hardworking? 

I went on the read more about acquiring knowledge in the work place. I am confident that the knowledge I have and am still collecting is 'transdiciplanry'. Skills that I have learnt from working as a performer such as discipline, time-keeping, memory, resilience etc. are used everyday during my time at school. The techniques I used during my hours of dance teaching such as planning, behaviour management, etc. have also been carried over to my job as a teaching assistant. This lead me to consider the amount of teaching experience I have actually acquired over the past 3-4 years. I've had a lot of positive feedback in that time and have supported children through dance exams nod performances where they have been very successful. As a teaching assistant, I feel I do as much teaching as the class teacher just in different settings and contexts. However, I would be confident in teaching a class of 30 children and do the job to a good standard (especially if this lesson was in dance or musical theatre). Which leads me to some other questions that I have constantly thought about...

How beneficial is a PGCE to a dance or performing arts teacher? Could the job be done based purely on experience? How does that compare to the importance of a PGCE for a primary school teacher or secondary school maths teacher? Do some schools take on dance or performing arts teachers who don't hold a QTS? 

In conclusion, whichever question I choose to develop further, it will be some form of comparison between the teaching/school of dance/performing arts in comparison to teaching/school in general. Please feel free to leave comments below on your thoughts and how I could take these questions further. 

Beginning Module 2

It has been a terrifyingly long time since I have written on this blog. But here are a few things that my readers need to be updated on!

The summer holiday was wonderfully exciting and marked the beginning of lots of new things for me. I have moved from Kent to Surrey to live with my boyfriend. The area is very different but we have both settled in very well. As well as a new living situation, I have started a new job as a Teaching Assistant in an Ofsted 'Oustanding' infant school. I am absolutely delighted to be working with a class of year 2 children and have already gained a great amount of experience. Teaching Assistants have much more involvement in the planning, teaching and marking of children's learning in schools today, so this is an incredible experience for a potential PGCE. I still get to teach dance on a Friday afternoon as part of the children's 'enrichment' time. This is one hour a week where the children partake in different activities that are not part of the curriculum. I am hoping to start some more extra-curricular dance teaching in the new year, once I have completely settled and organised my life!

Due to all this change, I feel my degree has been forgotten slightly in the chaos and I am already feeling behind. However, half-term is just around the corner and this will give me some quality time to really get my head down and get the ball rolling with module 2. 

Thanks for reading and good luck to all other students embarking on the next step! 

Module 1: Task 3d - Critical Questions and Issues That Emerge

As I reach the end of the section on Professional Networking, I feel a lot more knowledgable about what it really involves. It has become apparent to me that networking isn't just something we do for fun. It is natural human instinct to have the need to interact and socialise within different groups of people. With the way in which the world and technology has developed, networking is just another way for humans to affiliate with each other. 

So far, my engagement with professional networking has been fairly limited. I feel there is a lot more I could do to connect with others who might be able to help further my career. This is something I wish to develop over the course with the joining of 'Linked In' and setting up my own personal website. These are tools that I hope will advance my networking skills. 

My concerns with professional networking are similar to that of others on the course and those around me within the industry and outside of it. One of those concerns comes from Reader 3 and the concept of cooperation. I find this concept to be superficial and in some ways malicious; that everyone is using one another to get what they need. I wonder if this is just something I need to accept or is there a way of changing this idea. My second concern comes with all the knowledge I have gained from researching Web 2.0 and professional networking. I worry that too much emphasis is being put on the use of social media, to the point where in the future we will no longer be interacting with one another without the use of the internet and applications. The need will no longer be there. 

The use of critical reflection throughout the whole module has allowed me to go beneath the surface of things that I already knew and provide myself with a much greater understanding. With every critical relection so far, it has made me change my opinions on the subject and lead me to be more thoughtful with my actions involving these topics. I have been left with a new outlook on professional networking that encourages me to be more wary of others, yet more ruthless with the connections I'm making. I believe I need to think more selfishly about how these connections can benefit my career. I will need to control my thoughts about this being vicious and understand that it is just human nature and how the professional industry works. My other relationships outside of work, do not work on the same principles and this is a comfort. 

Module 1: Task 3c - Sources of Information

As a teacher, I rely heavily on the internet for my resources and information. Here are my top five sources that I use regularly. 

Spotify - Spotify is initially a free music player. It's similar to YouTube in the way that you can search for any song or artist and listen to it for free. I pay a monthly subscription so that I am able to listen to music when I'm not connected to the internet and free from any advertisements. It is extremely useful to have this resource, as it means I am able to get the latest chart music which pleases my students. It means that I have music wherever I am, from any device. It also helps my reflection-in-action process, as I can change the plan there and then if something isn't working. For example, if I'm teaching a routine to a young age group and they are finding it too difficult, I am able to find a slower piece of music on the spot. The only implication to this is the suitability of the music. I have to be very wary of curse words or inappropriate subject matter, which isn't always noticable on first glance of a song title. To try and avoid this from happening, I try to stick to songs that are from the 'Now That's What I Call Music' albums, as they are child-friendly but still have the latest chart-toppers.

YouTube - I think we can all agree that YouTube is a phenomenon. The uses and possibilities are endless. I use YouTube for a variety of things but within my professional practice I use it for inspiration and ideas. If I'm ever given a theme for a dance and I'm struggling for what to choreograph, I look to YouTube to provide me with an answer. It gives an array of ideas from dances on television shows or films, to dances that a random user uploaded from their living room. It is this variety that allows me to gather all the inspiration together, and recreate something original of my own. The implications of this are obvious. I have to be careful not to copy anything directly as for some videos, it would breech copyright laws. Therefore, if my work was ever filmed and uploaded to the internet and spotted copying someone else's work, I could be at risk of prosecution. 

Equity - Equity is a network of professionals within the performing arts industry who are able to receieve help or advice on issues within the workplace. As a member of Equity, I am able to get in touch with their staff should I ever have an issue at work with pay, injury, treatment etc. Being a member of Equity also provides me with my Public Liability Insurance which I couldn't do my job without. I rely on their advice and support. 

Email - My email account is my key line of contact. It's through my emails that I keep in touch with the companies I work with/for, how I invoice my boss, how I keep in touch with the schools I work at and how I contact parents of pupils if needs be. It is an instant way of contacting those I need to and I can recieve replies no matter where I am with the use of emails on my smart phone. The implications to sending and receiving emails is being sure to word them correctly and suitably for the situation. I'm always sure to be polite and use the appropriate language. As well as this, I must be sure to keep my emails confidential if any personal infomation is shared about any of my pupils. 

Google - I rely on the search engine Google for many things. I search for sheet music, information on various professionals, scripts, articles for research and many other resources. If I'm planning a lesson and need some new game ideas, I turn to Google to find me the answers. The whole internet is at your fingertips with Google and although it is extremely useful there are downsides. I must check that any information I find, or articles I read, are from a reliable source. Not all information sourced on the internet is entirely true and I must be sure that whatever I'm reading can be believed. Another implication to the use of Google, is being wary of illegal downloads. If I search for sheet music or scripts, I make sure that the websites are legal. It's normally fairly obvious that if a whole film script is available to print for free, then something isn't quite right. Illegally downloading scripts or music of any kind without the correct copyrights can lead to prosecution.

In some ways, I am subconciously relying on the BAPP Arts course to provide me with information and knowledge on my professional practice. Without the use of other course member's blogs, I would struggle with what to do next. I rely on others to reassure me I'm on the correct lines of thought when writing my blog posts. I would like to mention a couple of blog posts that have helped me with the last couple of tasks.

Katrina Wilson - www.katrinawilson1989.blogspot.co.uk

Due to heavy traffic on my way home from work, I missed out on the third Web Seminar. I found Katrina's post on what was discussed in the Skype session extremely helpful when trying to catch up. It also helped me understand Task 3b a little more after my first look at Reader 3, so be sure to check it out if you're struggling. 

Danielle Austen - www.danniausten.blogspot.co.uk

After reading Reader 3 and working out what Task 3b involved, I was daunted and slightly confused. After reading Danielle's Task 3b post, I was able to make a lot more sense of what it was I needed to do. I have now gone on to complete the task and understand professional networking on a much deeper level. It's an interesting read, so please check out her blog. 

Module 1: Task 3b - Theories Relating to Networking

Professional Networking has always seemed like a fairly simply activity; connecting with people with whom you percieve as beneficial to your career. However, since studying Reader 3 I have realised the theories behind professional networking are a lot more complex. 

Cooperation

Cooperation is the theory that you cooperate in a relationship with someone until it no longer benefits you. It has been associated with the 'Game Theory'. These are games that are created where one player succeeds at the expense of another player. From various experiements with these games, it gives a way of predicting how people respond to specific events. 

Robert Axelrod studied this theory through the use of games and identified the importance of cooperation. He concluded that many of the game players used the idea of 'tit for tat', which is doing the same move as what your opponent did in the last round. "When should a person cooperate, and when should a person be selfish in an ongoing interaction with another person? Should a friend keep providing favours to another friend who never reciprocates?" (Axelrod 2006, p.vii). This quote helped me to understand more deeply what the concept of cooperation means in a professional networking environment. Connections are made in most industries for people's own benefit. Before networking with someone, you are thinking about what it is you will gain from this person by building a relationship with them. In order to continue the relationship until it is no longer of use to you, you have to cooperate with them in the hopes they will give you what you need. 

I find this concept quite vicious. The thought that all my professional networks have these superficial and selfish gains behind them makes me feel uneasy. I can understand that professional industries can be harsh and cut-throat at times. But I would like to think that not all my professional relationships are made purely to gain as much out of them as possible before terminating them. Maybe I am naive in thinking that professional networking can be done without any selfish thoughts.

Affiliation 

As a human, it is a natural instinct to create relationships and socialise with others on a regular basis. The need to be around others is innate be it with one person or a group of people. Affiliation is the concept in social psychology that tries to eplain why humans form close relationships. It has been shown that it is infact a psychological process operating in our brains. It is a social process that means we surround ourselves with groups of people that will be there if a problem occurs. 

With professional networking, it is that psychological process that pushes us to build relationships within the industry we work with. Therefore, we have people to go to for problems based in that same field. Affiliation can be different among individuals. Some people will choose to build fewer, closer bonds, whereas others will choose to build many bonds that aren't as meaningful. " To summarise, the studies discussed above suggest that individualistic cultures, people may develop friendships in a fairly self serving manner..." (Crisp and Turner 2010, p.324). Relating this to professional networking within the performing arts industry, performing artists are very much part of an individualistic culture. Performing artists adopt a one track mind of success, therefore a lot of the affiliations made within the professional network will be done with the benefit of their career in mind. This is not to say that other groups they are affiliated with, such as family or friends outside of work, are for these same reasons. I personally feel that I will have affiliated myself with a large group people because they have the same career prospects as me and we share many interests. These relationships won't be particularly meaningful, but they may benefit me in some way with regards to finding work. However, my family and friends who I am affiliated with will be the people that I have strong bonds with and will be there for me when I am in need. 

Social Constructionism

Social Constructionism is the concept that suggests it is through social interaction that we learn about the world around us. 

"As a direct consequence of the way in which we humans have evolved, we depend on culture to direct our behaviour and organise our experience." (Crotty 1998, p.53). Although from a young age we are taught what things are, behaviours that are right and wrong etc. a lot of what we learn is from the people surrounding us. Therefore, with professional networking we learn from others by interacting with them. As a performing arts student, there is only so much that can be taught about going out into the real world. Consequently, when I went into my first contract after graduating, it was being around seasoned professionals that I learnt more about the right way to interact and behave in that environment. 

Connectivism

"Within social networks, hubs are well-connected people who able to foster and maintain knowledge flow." (Siemens 2004)

Connectivism is the idea that we use social networks to keep the flow of knowledge ongoing. An individual learns from a network, puts information back into it, which in turn will be used and expanded on. This cycle keeps on going and there for by staying connected we can derive more and more knowledge on a subject. "The pipe is more important than the content within the pipe" (Siemens 2004).  This quote reinforces the idea that it is not necessarily the information that is important within a network, but the fact that there are always people in the network to keep the information flowing. I find the use of connectivism extremely helpful. It means that within all my professional networks and social media, the information I need will always be available.

Communities of Practice

Communties of Practice are a group of people who share a talent or profession. The group can develop naturally due to it's members' common ground in a particular subject or it can be created specifically with the idea to learn more about the topic (Lave and Wenger 1991). It's the idea of being able to learn from interacting with others rather than just acquiring the knowledge as an individual. This relates to professional networking and the idea that through making connections with others in the industry, you are able to learn more than just finding the information for yourself. This is the whole basis in which professional networking stands on and without it, we wouldn't be able to do as much as we can today.  

Ethical Considerations for Networking

Social networks have a large influencce on scholary practice in modern day. I personally believe this to be a positive influence on the whole, as it enables a wider range of sources for information and the ability to be able to do work wherever, whenever. For example, the BAPP Arts course could not exsist without the use of social networking. The blog itself is a social network with the use of feedback within comments. Skype is an excellent tool for keeping in touch with course advisors and colleagues. The use of blogging and resources online allows students to complete the work at a time that is convenient. 

The implications of social and professional networking is the sharing of information. It is important to remember that anything online is public to others. Any work that goes on our blog is at risk of plagiarism so it is down to the individual to decide on what they share publicly and privately.  

Bibliography

Axelrod, R., 2006. The Evolution of Cooperation. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Crisp, R.J. and Turner, R.N., 2010. Essential Social Psychology Second Edition. London: Sage. 

Crotty, M., 1998. The Foundations of Social Research. Australia: Allen and Unwin.

Lave, J. and Wenger, E., 1991. Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 

Siemens, G., 2004. Connectivism: A Learning Theory for The Digital Age. elearnspace [online]. Available from: http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm [Accessed on 12th April 2015].

Module 1: Task 3a - Current Networks

Networking is done daily by a huge number of people without them even realising. With the internet being so heavily relied on and social media being a key part of modern society, networking has never been easier. 

I am already a part of many networks both professionally and socially. For professional networking, there are a handful of key tools that I use regularly.

Spotlight - Spotlight is an obvious network for those involved in the performing arts industry. Although I'm focusing more on my teaching career, I keep my Spotlight profile available should I choose to audition for a job. It's the most widely used network for agents and casting directors and makes the audition application process efficient. 

Email - My emails are my first point of professional contact for all my current jobs. If I wish to apply for a job, it is through my emails that I will send in my application. Gone are the days of only being able to give your hard copy to the company you wish to work for. This email address is how most professionals I encounter would ask to contact me, which is why it is vital that I am always up to date with checking my inbox. 

Facebook - In some cases, professionals will ask for my Facebook username in order to search and contact me. Through my Facebook profile, people are able to see the companies I have previously worked for and how I currently work for. It allows them to see photos, posts and anything else I choose to make public. This obviously means being aware of the content of what I post and always thinking first about how I want others to percieve me.

What's App - I use the messaging application What's App on my phone for one of the companies I work for. It is a very instant way for my boss to advertise work availability for myself and my colleagues to then accept on a 'first come, first served' basis. It is through this application that I could then network further with any of my colleagues who work for the company, should I need to.

Blog - My BAPP Arts blog itself is a tool for networking with others who are on my course. It is through the use of comments and Skype sessions that we are able to gain feedback in order to improve our course work.

Those that are more established within the industry may choose to use other social media in order to network. I often see professionals getting in touch with each other through the use of Twitter and YouTube. Not only are they contacting one individual, but they are able to post that 'tweet' or 'comment' publicly for all to see. This can create positive publicity and advertisement using their networking to an advantage. For example, if a popular musician 'tweeted' another popular artist about collaborating on their next single, it would create great publicity and hype from their fans who are also able to read the post. 

There are other forms of social media that I use socially, that I could potentially make more use of with regards to professional networking. The use of photo applications Instagram and Flickr, could possibly be used for networking if I wanted to use them for advertisement purposes. However, I currently use Instagram for personal use only to keep up with friends. Flickr is something I created for this course and have not yet needed to use for any other purpose. Twitter also has it's own potential for networking, however I feel this is something that can only benefit greatly established professionals who have a large number of followers. I would like to use my YouTube more in the context of networking and passing on my profile details. This is something I hope to develop in the near future.

I believe there are many reasons why people choose these tools to network. One reason is due to it's effeciency. It's quicker than making a phone call or writing a letter and it promotes an instant response. Secondly, the use of social media within networking is great for publicity and advertising. Not only can you connect and speak with others on these platforms, but you can also publicise yourself or company all in the same place. Finally, the main reason behind networking in general is the idea that these connections made can provide you with some form of professional gain. Talking to the right people can hold potential job prospects or further important connections.

My ideal network would be a place where a lot of these current tools are combined. An application which allows you to create your own small website that includes a place for videos, comments, messaging, CV uploads, pictures and any other personal information you wish to provide. It would have the option to search others and invite them to connect with you and be able to view your site. Realistically, this sort of website would not be free to use but it's definitely something I would consider paying for if it became available. Something that could bring me closer to having this kind of platform to network on, would be if I created my own website. This is something I am aiming to do by the end of the year. I currently feel like I don't know enough about it to take the first steps in creating a website so some research will need to be carried out beforehand.

In order to improve my current networking situation, I need to be bolder in giving out my own details such as email address, Facebook name, YouTube channel etc. But I also need to be bolder when asking potential connections for theirs. It is second nature for most professionals to be asked their social media usernames, therefore I should't feel embarassed and shy away from that fact. Especially if it's information that could potentially further my career in some way. I need to make sure I take advantage of all my current networks and get the most out of them as I possibly can. A network I would like to experiment with over the coming months is Linked In. I've many recommendations from other teachers who have explained it's a great way to connect with those in the same field of work as you. As mentioned previously, I also need to look into the ways in which I can create my own website that I can then pass on to network with. 

Module 1: Task 2d - Inquiry Task

As I reach the end of the second section of Module One, it's time to start thinking slightly further ahead to what might emerge later in the course. Here are some questions I have answered in order to make sense of any topics I might wish to inquire further. 

What in your daily practice gets you really enthusiastic to find out more about? Who do you admire who also works with what makes you enthusiastic?

It sounds cliche but as a teacher it is the children I teach that make me enthusiastic. Therefore, things that I wish to know more about are discovering new games, behavioural management techniques and anything else that will improve my sessions making them as enjoyable as possible for my students. A company I admire greatly for their enthusiasm with children is Barracudas Activity Day Camps. This company set up Easter and Summer camps all over the country for children from the ages of 4 to 16. I am currently working for this company for a third time because it is such an enjoyable environment to work in. The children have an exceptional amount of variety when it comes to the activities they can choose from. Everyone employed to work on the camp is friendly and enthusiastic and it's brilliant seeing how much enjoyment the children get out of it. This is all down to the company being organised, thorough and constantly pro-active when it comes to thinking of fresh ways for children to  have fun. The company inspire me to bring all my enthusiasm, positivity and imagination to work every day. Without my first contract with Barracudas, I wouldn't have discovered my love for working with children.

What gets you angry or makes you sad? Who do you admire who shares your feelings or has found a way to work around the sadness or anger? 

Something that I find terribly frustrating is the lack of importance Performing Arts has in many schools. Coming from a performing arts background, I know how much my involvement in performing arts in school moulded me as a person. I made most of my closest friendships through participation in performance arts based clubs and shows and learnt life skills such as discipline and comittment. Performing Arts isn't just a hobbie to fill up spare time. Although it is enjoyable and doesn't always have to be taken seriously, it is still something that all children and young adults should have the opportunity to get involved with. Many campaigns are being made for the government to fund the arts in more schools. I admire anyone involved in making performing arts more accesible to all young people. The article link I'm adding is about how expensive performing arts is and how it's becoming exclusive to the upper class.

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2012/feb/10/posh-theatre-upper-class-actors

What do you love about what you do? Who do you admire who also seems to love this or is an example of what you love? 

I love being able to see the progress and improvement of children's abilities and knowing I've played a big part in that. I like to think that some of the children will always remember me for being a supportive, positive and fun teacher who helped them achieve something truly special. I admire two very influencial teachers I had as I was growing up, who really nutured and encouraged my love of performing arts. Even now, I think back and remember how inspiring and supportive their tuition was for me. Both of these teachers still keep in touch with me to hear about my ongoing work and achievements, often inviting me to teach for them or assist them. Again, I hope that I will create this bond with future students.

What do you feel you don't understand? Who do you admire who does seem to understand it or who has found a way of not understanding it interesting or beautiful? Or has asked the same questions as you?

Something I still struggle to understand and question on a regular basis, is teaching qualifications. I don't agree that just because someone has a teaching qualification, they are automatically a good teacher. Same as I don't agree that someone without a teaching qualification is a bad teacher. I think more schools (academic and vocational performing arts schools) should be open minded to the idea that a degree graduate with relevant experience could do as good a job as someone with a teaching qualification. I know that at the stage I am currently at, I could deliver a high standard of teaching within a secondary school to a dance or performing arts class. However, I am having to spend two more years studying in order to be qualified to do it. Of course I will learn even more than I already know in those two years, but I would also learn from having more experience if I were to go straight into the job. I don't yet know anyone who has asked these same questions as me, but it's something I definitely would like to research more. 

How do you decide the appropriate ethical response in a given situation? To what extent are disciplinary responses different to that you might expect more generally in society?

For this question, I've tried to think about relating it to teaching. Two main topics have come to mind. Firstly, as a dance teacher it is important for me to be able to correct the alignment of my pupils. This requires me having to use my hands to change the line of their body. This can be a sensitive subject in this day and age, so I have to be extremely careful about asking the pupil if it's okay for me to correct them. I have never encountered a problem so far as most parents know that this is something that needs to be done in order for the child to understand and improve. But generally, teachers as a whole are told not to have any physical contact with a child, even in the case of a hug to comfort them. My second thoughts are based around social media. In general society, it is perfectly normal to look up anyone on social media and add them as a friend. It is acceptable to speak your mind and post pictures of anything you please. However, as a teacher I have to make sure everything I post would be suitable if read by one of my pupils or their parents. My profile settings must always be private and I'm not allowed to give out any social media details (unless professional profiles for advertisement purposes). This was something that I found difficult at first as I have never had to worry that much about what I posted. It is now just second nature that I take care with all things social media related.

Module 1: Task 2c - Reflective Theory

In this part of the module, the importance of reflective practice has become extremely apparent to me.

Reflective practice is the idea of looking back on a particular action and being able to learn from the experience. This technique is extremely beneficial for improvement in relation to professional practice, as well as being able to help an individual to understand what they already know and what they still need to discover. 

Reflection is something I believe I have always done subconciously, but not been aware of. Similarly, I was unaware of it's benefits on my professional practice. Now that the technique has come to my attention, I'm constantly exploring the use of reflection and the different ways in which it can be done. My awareness of reflection is helping me to make decisions and improvements more efficiently. Initially, I found writing a reflective journal difficult and tedious. But with the help of the course and other's course blogs, I have managed to find ways of reflecting that suit me such as voice recording and evaluative questions. 

Whilst researching the different forms of reflective practice, it is important to remember the theorists who have spent many years discovering it's many tools and benefits. John Dewey has always placed much importance on the use of reflective thought in order for us to be aware we are having an experience, for ways to to find links to other experiences and for ways to find meaning for ourselves in those experiences. Dewey disagreed with learning just by facts. For example, a child being taught a skill that teachers deem appropriate is expected to believe fixed answers. Dewey believed you learn more by reflecting on experience (Dewey 1938). I have to agree with this myself when I relate it to my professional practice. There is a copious amount of information on teaching and effective techniques to get the best out of your students. But as a teacher, I feel the most advantageous way to learn and improve is through the use of reflection on experience. 

David Kolb's Learning Cycle

David Kolb created the learning cycle to display how learning and experience are linked. I found this exceptionally interesting when trying to work out where it was I personally entered the cycle and therefore where I began learning. I personally feel that I enter at different points in the cycle dependent on the given task. With many of the tasks I carry out on this course, I tend to enter the cycle at Reflective Observation. Before I complete any of the tasks, I gather inspiration and examples from other course blogs which I can then use to start working on my own. However, within my professional practice as a teacher, I enter the cycle at Active Experimentation. I try out various techniques I have already learnt and know, reflect on it's effectiveness and can then change it as appropriate for the next class. 

Donald Schön's theory of reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action was something that resonated with me immediately after reading about it. Reflection-in-action is the ability to reflect on an action as it happens and therefore be able to adjust the situation there and then. Reflection-on-action is reflecting on a situation away from the time it happened. Within my blog post on the 21st March, I mentioned how I had related this theory to my teaching with regards to behavioural management. Prior to being aware of reflective techniques, my approach to my classes (including behavioural management) stayed the same. I would always plan the session and stick to it as much as possible, regardless of any unpredictable situations. I would then follow this up by reflecting on the class after it happened, figuring out what was good and what needed improving for next time. However, since reading Schön's theory I have conciously perservered to think on my feet and use reflection-in-action within my classes. If the current behavioural management techiques within the class aren't working, I will instantly try something else. This new way of working has really improved the productivity of my classes.

Jennifer Moon voiced the implications of tacit knowledge. These are the things we have learnt and experienced that we cannot put into words. "If something cannot be described verbally, it is not amenable to being taught in the more conventional modes of professional education." (Moon 2004, p.42). As a teacher, I can fully understand this and the importance of being able to articulate knowledge to my students. However, I do believe that everything can be expressed in some way. I am at an advantage being a performing arts teacher, as I can express knowledge through movement and song. 

Overall, I have really seen the benefits of my use of reflective practice and will continue to develop these techniques throughout my professional journey. 

Bibliography

Dewey, J., 1938. Experience and Education. New York: Collier Books.

Moon, J., 2004. Reflection in Learning and Professional Develoment: Theory and Practice. London: Routledge.

Urwin, E., 2015. Module One: Web Seminar 2 - Useful Tips on Reflection. Another BAPP Arts Blog [online]. Available from: http://eleanorbapp.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/module-1-web-seminar-2-useful-tips-on.html [accessed 11th April 2015].

Module 1: Task 2c - Reader Two Questions

Have you ever known something before you realise what it means to you?

I've pondered over this question for a few days now, still unsure as to what it really means. I've come up with an answer that I believe fits this question. Throughout my time at performing arts college, we as students were constantly told that the industry is cut-throat and extremely difficult to get into. And everytime it was said, I knew it was true but just never thought about how it would effect me personally. Upon graduating, I had my first performance job straight away and was naive to think the jobs would come flooding in after that. After many auditions to no avail, I then knew that I was no exception to this cut-throat and difficult business. Therefore, the answer is yes!

At which point in Kolb's cycle do you feel you enter learning?

I definitely enter Kolb's learning cycle at Reflective Observation. With almost every task I've completed, I have looked to other course members blogs to get an idea of what needs to be done. From there, I can then learn from my experience of seeing the other blogs and try it out myself. I find myself entering this part of the cycle for many situations. 

Think about an idea you really like. Think about why that idea would appeal to you?

I find this question difficult and I'm still not entirely sure if I fully understand it. But I'm going to give it a try. I have always liked the idea of starsigns and horoscopes. I often find a lot of truth in my horoscopes and the characteristics of my starsign. However, if I think a bit deeper, do I just enjoy the idea of horoscopes because I like excuse it gives me to act a certain way? 

Reading the chapter 'Using Journal Writing to Enhance Reflective Writing' by David Boud, how can journal writing be done and how can it be assessed? 

David Boud talks about reflective writing as a process of turning experience into learning. He very much backs up Schon's idea of 'reflection-in-action' and 'on-action'. Although, as much as it is important to reflect whilst events are occurring, Boud emphasises the importance of reflecting away from the action later in the day. 

Boud explains there are many different occassions for reflection and the importance of reflecting in these different ways.

Reflection in Anticipation - The thought and preparation that goes into planning ahead for an event and what you anticipate will happen.

Reflection in the midst of action - This is how we react to what is currently happening in a situation including the use of 'reflection-in-action'.

Reflection after events - Returning to the experience later and having time to contemplate what has happened.

Boud mentions Moon's ideas on reflective practice multiple times, including her thoughts on the appropriateness of assessing journal writing. Boud believes that journal writing can be assessed but it must be made clear before journal writing begins as to whether it will be public or written purely for private reflective thoughts.  

Module 1: Task 2b - Journal Writing Experience

Based on the Reid and Mood framework, which methods have you found most beneficial and why? 

- The evalutation method gives me relevant questions for my practice and allows me to give detail on the event and my thoughts whilst still being specific. 

- The list method allows me to quickly write down any important points during the day when I don't have much time. I can then come back to it later and reflect on it in more detail.

- The 'Another View' method is something I have used once in order to try and dig deeper into my subconcious and bring up thoughts that I initially wouldn't have written down. I would like to use this again but I don't believe it's necessary to use it everyday. 

What topics do you keep returning to?

- Behavioural Management is a topic that I regularly write about and reflect upon as it's something I encounter everyday. I like to reflect on the techniques I currently use and approaches I can try on another occassion.

Is there a method you might wish to develop? 

- A method that is not mentioned in the Reid and Moon framework is the use of voice of recording. This is something I have found very useful as I connect with it better that written words. 

- A way I would like to explore to develop this method, is through the use of 'vlogging'. Being able to film myself reflecting on an event or day and upload it to YouTube would be a great way to receive advice and helpful feedback. 

- Ethical considerations will involve the use of pseudonyms for any names mentioned and also for the account to be made private allowing only other members of the BAPP Arts course to be able to view it.

Has anything emerged from the events in your journal?

- Questions have emerged from my reflections on behavioural management. What method of behavioural management works best? This is something I want to explore further.

- I have been challenging myself to use 'reflection-in-action' rather than 'reflection-in-action' to improve my professional practice. For example, being able to think on my feet and change something when a particular game or exercise with the children isn't going to plan.

- Another topic that keeps reoccurring in my journal is the questions surrounding music suitability for children. It has lead me to think more deeply on the safety of children's minds when they are subjected to mature content through music and the media. 

Module 1: Task 2a - My Personal Journey

My personal journey on the BAPP Arts course so far has been a mixture of emotions. Although the work load seemed daunting at first, I felt if I prioritised the work well enough it wouldn't be a problem. However, since actually starting to try and fit the work around my daily routine it hasn't been as easy as I initially thought. Plans and daily routines can change unexpectedly and this is something that has then made coursework lower in my priorities. I'm perservering with the idea of assigning an hour or two a day to work on my blog, do some reading or commment on other blogs. Even if I don't always manage to fit it in, I'm at least aware of the time I have missed and what I need to catch up on. The work itself I am finding extremely interesting. I enjoy the relevance that the course has to my career and I can already see the benefits to what I am learning.

The past couple of weeks I have been hard at work on the reflective tasks of module one. As mentioned in a previous blog post, I initially struggled with the idea of writing a journal. Mainly due to the time factors of having to find slots in the day to sit and write what had happened. However, since trying out the different methods in Reader Two, I have been able to explore reflective writing and discover which methods work best for me. One method I've found beneficial when writing my journal, is the evaluative questions (What did you think went well? What worked? Did you learn anything? Things to avoid?). These questions are relevant to my teaching practice and allow me to get straight to the point of the moment I am reflecting on. They help keep my reflections of the day detailed and precise. 

Another method that I have been using more recently, is voice recording. As mentioned in my previous blog post, it was a method suggested during the Skype session with Adesola. Being someone with a performance background, I am comfortable with expressing myself vocally. It's easier for me personally, to be able to record myself explaining what happened during the day aloud as opposed to through written word. I can then listen back to it and reflect on the same moment as many times as I wish. Finally, a method I use when I'm pushed for time is making a quick list of things I wish to reflect on at a more convenient moment. It acts as a prompt to remind me of what I need to go over in more detail. 

With regards to ethical considerations, it's important that whenever I refer to my journal in blog posts or other public writing, that I work to anonymise anybody mentioned. Therefore, any names mentioned will be pseudonyms.

Through my exploration of journal writing and reflection, the advice I would pass on to other BAPP Arts course members is to perservere trying as many different methods as possible. Eventually, you will find one that works best for you and allows you to reflect to the best of your ability. It's useful to remember that different methods of reflection will suit different moments and you don't have to comitt to just one method throughout the journal writing process. 

Module 1: Web Seminar 2 - Useful Tips on Reflection

I found the web seminar with Adesola extremely helpful with getting my head round the idea of reflection. It really is a useful tool and comes in a variety of forms. 

It was reasurring to recieve some advice on the course in general. It is all about using initiative and finding out what works best for you as long as it relates to your professional practice.

One of the main focuses of conversation during the skype session was finding new ways to record a journal for reflective purposes. We talked about the advantages of writing as an inanimate object or from a colleague's perspective. This can often lead you to begin reflecting from your subconcious and viewing things in a different way to what you might do normally. The example Adesola used was writing your journal entry from your bag's point of view. If you wrote about your bag being weighed down and heavy, subconciously that might be how you are feeling yourself. Therefore, it might open you up to reflecting on feelings you might not have normally pulled on.

Another tool for reflection that I am very much looking forward to trying, is voice recordings. James (http://www.jamesbapp.blogspot.co.uk) mentioned that he often creates voice memos that he then messages to himself to remind him to do something. I feel like this is something I would find useful as I find it difficult to find time to write things down that could be potentially useful for reflection. 

We touched on the idea that you don't always need to use the same method of reflection for every occassion. It can be useful to use a variety of methods depending on what is suitable for the thought and the amount of time you have to record it. We discussed the use of pictures that can represent an event or a thought you've had during the day. 

Lastly, Adesola advised us to start thinking of ways to bring the three parts of module one together. Each set of tasks covers a different subject that we use within our professional practice. The first section of tasks allowed us to explore the tools we use most (Web 2.0). The second section of tasks allows us to focus on ourselves and how we learn. The third section covers networking and how we communicate with others. 

Adesola asked us to try and think of examples where we have used our learning from the module to improve our professional practice. An example of this for me personally involved Schon's idea of 'Reflection-In-Action' and 'Reflection-On-Action'. When working with children, I will have a plan for a session that I will stick to. Even if things don't go to plan, I tend to perservere then reflect on what can be improved later. However, since reading the benefits of 'Reflection-In-Action', I have been trying to improve my sessions on the spot when things don't go to plan. It's given me the courage to divert from a plan if it's not working.

The session in general has given me lots to think about and develop. I currently feel content with my progress and understanding of the course .