Reader 2 Skype Session 26th October

Last nights Skype session was a really great chance to hear other peoples opinions on Reflective Practice and has led me to a lot of great research this morning!

We all realised that in this industry we engage in different forms of learning for different tasks.  For example,  when learning a dance routine we are engaging in Bodily-Kinaesthetic and Spatial Intelligences, where as if we are learning a song to sing, we are engaging our musical intelligence.

I read through David Boud 'Using Journal Writing to enhance Reflective Practice' and found it useful when he talked about 'focusing our thoughts'.  Often I come out of a class I have been teaching or an audition and have a million thoughts in my head of how I could improve for next time or what I should be practising, but then when I arrive home I have forgotten completely about it.  I am hoping that by starting a journal and taking fifteen minutes out of my day to write comments I will focus my thoughts and make sense of my experiences.

Paula put a link to Ken Robinson on her blog and I have watched a few of his videos and ideas and I have to say it has really clicked with me.  I think I agree with his thoughts so much because I can relate it back to myself.  He emphasises the need to teach children into creativity and not teach them out of it.  I remember when I suddenly wanted to change my career path from Physiotherapy to Dance.  I can still see my teachers faces when I told them.  It was sort of confused and bewildered that I would take up this 'unstable' career as I'd worked so hard to get the grades I needed.  But now, I have jobs that I love and been given so many opportunities that a university would not have given me.

He says:

'Human communities depend upon a diversity of talent.'

This is so true.  We should be encouraging young people to study their passions.  Not just something that will get you a job.

Another quote that I had to write down:

Everyday, everywhere, our children spread their dreams beneath our feet and we should tread softly.'

All teachers should have this up on their walls in my opinion.

Heres the link to his talk if you haven't seen it!

https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to keep Ken Robinson's ideas in my mind when I teach and reflect to make sure no one I teach feels like I did when I decided to do what I love.