Reader 2 - Initial thoughts

The past two weeks have been very busy for me with work and last minute auditions, so I've been challenged with time-keeping and making sure I'm up to date with the course. I am currently on a bus home from Edinburgh and writing my blog on my Blogger app. If you don't have it I'd recommend you get it for blogging on the go!

Having read over Reader 2 a few times I have realised that reflecting on my practice is something I have done a lot maybe without realising.  As a dance teacher and children's party entertainer I am constantly looking for new ideas, class structures and age appropriate exercises to improve my classes.

After reading Kolbs learning cycle I decided I am mainly a concrete learner. I need to be totally involved in something to fully understand. For example, when I had exams the best way for me to learn was to sit my parents down and take on the role of the teacher and teach them the subjects for me to fully understand them too. Therefore, I have an experience of that subject that I can relate to. 

I really understood the terms 'reflection in action' and 'reflection on action'. As a children's party entertainer I found that I  could plan a party in full detail but when I got there I had to respond to the children in that situation and possibly change what I was doing.

For example, I have arrived at a venue and the hall is far too small for any of the games I have planned. This required me to respond 'on-line' and alter my plan.  This may have been stressful at the time but that experience is now so valuable as I am now prepared for future situations similar to that.

When Kottcamp says 'reflection in action' is harder, this may be so, however I think it is more valuable to you for future learning and experiences.

Further to 'on-line' and 'off-line' engagement, the reader asks you to think about an idea you really like and why this may be. What instantly came into my mind was the book 'The Secret'. I took so much from that book because I already believed it's ideas to be true. I have always believed in positive thought and visualisation. Before I auditioned for college I used to visualise myself there all the time and I think this really made me determined to get in. Therefore, I already had an emotional attachment to the ideas in 'The Secret' which makes me believe it more.

I look forward to starting a journal of reflective practice. I plan to use it to reflect on classes that I teach and also auditions I attend.

To round off this blog, I saw this link today that a 16 year old has written about what makes a great teacher and thought it may be interesting reading for all the arts teachers out there :)

http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2015/oct/11/show-care-students-view-what-makes-perfect-teacher