What are the established ways that others use their
networks, especially if they are more established or experienced practitioners
that you admire?
I admire Mrs Churchill from work, who also the treasure and runs
the local community hall where I live. She often runs events for the community,
including Halloween, New-year, summer fairs and much more. At times she uses
the local youth to help post leaflets to help advertise events, which gets them
and others more involved in the community. I like the way some schools link
with other schools to work on collaborative projects and school development. I
also admire the way Natalia Hyson has used the Network she has to be able teach
her passion.
A few of my friends, family and colleagues are better
communicators when it comes to social gatherings, I can at times be reserved
and conservative. Working in a school
you are often too aware of the responsibility of the professionalism in and
outside of work, this has probably contributed to me becoming too reserved and
conservative over the last few years; this at times has hindered the development
of some networks. When I went to a business network meeting I was nervous at
first but became more relaxed, as the evening went on and realised I had more
to offer in terms of my skills and the networks I already had. On reflection of
my friends, family, colleagues and the Business network meeting, I realised I
don’t always need to be so reserved and more importantly be myself, even if I
am a occasionally a little eccentric at times.
Are there methods, approaches and technologies that you
use socially that might apply and help you develop your professional network?
Yes, Facebook and Twitter, although I currently use Facebook
more. I have considered these previously when aiming to help to develop the
communication of a PTA. Allowing for ideas to be developed and for parents who
may like to get involved but have to work. These parents’ often have professional
networks of their own that may be of use to a PTA and the community of a
school. But this would probably need to be monitored by a school, to stop it
being exploited and limit any risks. This could also open a debate on what
profit means to school, pros and cons. In addition I have recently starting thinking about Teacher
Assistant professional network after reading Reader 3, to build a network of
people with a similar job role that are creative, like minded yet also have
different ideas etc… That maybe interested in being a part of an
Enterprise Business/Social Enterprise. I am sure there are some Teacher
Assistant sites out there, but if I start a site, it would give me an element of
control of its direction. This is something that would be easy to start up and I
will do. I will blog to let you know how it goes.
YouTube would play a big part in the long term in broadcasting
audio clips; I could then link this to the Teacher Assistant social site and other
teacher sites. My own personal Facebook site, because I have teachers, a previous
Head Teacher, Deputy Heads and SENCOs who I have become more informal with, yet
have also kept a strong element of professionalism, because they all still work
in the Industry of Education in some form, including myself. All these
professional people would have good/strong professional connections, although I
wouldn’t pressure them in any form of way. Simply adding a link to my own site
or asking them what they think could be enough to promote a butterfly effect of
my audio clips being shown to a more professional audience. This then could be
linked to my own website, which could bring in work and promote an Enterprise.
What would your ideal network look like and why?
As well as adding a network of teacher assistant’s to my
current network. I would also like to have more connections and a network of
printers, Manufactures, wholesalers, companies that make prototypes etc... The reason I would like add the above network,
is because I would like to budget costs of a product from single to bulk buying,
speed of production, add companies that offer free prototypes. This is something
I would probably focus on over the summer holidays, as a mini project. Plus a
network of different ways to raise funds, because working in a school this
could be helpful plus it may help when starting a Business/Social enterprise
which may in the long term link to an after-school club.
This has to be one of the most challenging thing I have had
to do, because looking inward at the ideas or reflection that relates to me, my
professional practice and how I link the ideas; has at times made me feel
confined, constantly aware of the red invisible beams throughout the practice
and the environment in which I work and the red invisible gremlin beams within me;
the rigid structure that can limit or put the lid on fresh ideas and
creativity. The red beams have at times zapped energy and have made me tired,
even question the love and my passion. The ‘reflection’ feels like a detox that
leads to a healthy practice, state of mind, gives strength, and finds ways to
approach and deal with the different red beams.
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?
A few things
get me enthusiastic to find out more about in the practice and environment in
which I work. First ‘learning needs’ this is something I have always done,
often without thinking. You could call this an unconscious mind, because I
would naturally go and research to help a child move forward, at times do
something randomly different because I felt/knew it would work, but at the same
time this has also been an element of primary research. I have also continued
to research when I have got home, opted to go on a short course. I also pushed
to work in a severe SEN school whiles doing supply work, so I could gain
experience and knowledge. Autism, ADHD,
Dyslexia, the blind child, Art and applied learning are areas which I have
researched. Tacit knowledge is
something I would like to explore and experiment with, because I can see its
benefit in relation to different learning needs. I could also apply my art and
design skills; this is a strong contender for my final project.
Secondly running
my own club makes me enthusiastic, as this gives a chance to be creative and
give element of art direction, and learn different types of planning. Thirdly getting a product and prototype made
is something I would like to do and learn more about, although I do have some
idea, from my graphic design course, going to a business network meeting and
research over internet; this is something I would like to improve my experience and
knowledge on. During the holidays this maybe something I try to do. Furthermore
I am also interested in digital media and will explore cutting out a moving
image, adding shadow, and lining a movie clip. In addition I am developing
animated school characters which I could use for a training video or short
movie. As well as learning to embed a data base into website, which I have
nearly learnt how to do.
I admire the
SENCO at Isleworth & Syon School, because she never gave up believing in
making a difference, even against the odds; the positivity and personal skills
of my First Head teacher who encouraged me to keep going and the spirit of my last
Head Teacher, who got several Mac computers with Photoshop, Illustrator which allowed me to teach the children how to cut out and blend images and create a game, who has also started to push the boundries of technology within a primary school even further and got a radio station, green screen and some great software that often only seen in a secondary school. I
like the creativity of Design and Technology coordinator I first worked with who got the whole school buzzing with creativity. I also admire my
son who is interested in Digital Media and we often bounce ideas, I admire my
son’s ‘painting with ‘light’ and ‘water’ photography projects and his
understanding of how light works. I am also inspired my stainless steel and
have written a little more about this below. What gets you angry or makes you sad? The Education Secretary at times - will add more on this When I see learning needs tick boxes or yes and no questions on application forms, having now worked with arrange of learning need children I can see the limitations in them. E.G Do you have Autism? yes/no Are you dyslexic? yes/no. I don't think they make me angry just sad when I see them. They lack the bigger picture. A red beam in my practice 'its not your job' although I am no longer angry or sad about this, as this course has helped to weigh up the pros and cons, looking at both points of view, which has helped to find ways around this. Who do you admire who shares your feelings or has found away around the anger?
adding soon
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?
adding soon
What do feel you don't understand? Who do you admire who does seem to understand it or who has found a way of making not understanding it interesting or beautiful, or has asked the same questions as you?
This course has helped me understand my own feelings, emotions and the way I may respond to things. It has also helped me find ways to see through the mist of my practice and find ways to help me move forward. Although I found many of these questions hard to answer at first, because of the emotion and feelings attached to each question.
My red beams
adding soon
Themes of ideas
Inspired by Stainless Steel
The reflection of the inquiry makes me think of the roots of
the training from the graphic design course I did many years ago. What is a
logo? What is a symbol? What is ethos? What is corporate identity? I answer
those questions with a question, what is stainless steel? Below is a link to a video,
which shows how stainless steel is made, its history, growth and what it is
used for.
As part of my course we focused on the stainless steel mark
and what it represents; understanding it strength, structure and the flexibility.
It is everlasting because it doesn’t corrode and can be recycled. What also
important about stainless steel, is how it has developed over the years and how
it is made. It started out with people experimenting with different materials, creating
alloy metals. Then you think of the different countries learning from each
other and how the different materials and substances coming together has
created this strong and very versatile metal. How is learning about stainless steel still
current and relevant to my current practice? How does it relate to the learning environment
and things I am passionate about?
Stainless steel first started out with a reflection in
action, hands on approach, people experimenting and not an exam, which has
impacted on the long term reflective on action. You learn mixing and combining materials
makes a new stronger and flexible material. When you compare stainless steel to
the practice and environment in which I work; you realise having mixture of
learning styles and skills within a practice gives strength, and flexibility within
a structure, combining resources, listening and trying different ideas can give
growth. When you look at the growth of stainless steel, you can see how that
learning about stainless steel and its mark is still very much current. What
things or elements of my practice could I use the basic principles of stainless
steel to apply growth and development?
Because I am interested in learning, sometimes I look at the
primary school’s Valued Added progression, nationally and for my borough. Furthermore
looking at levels and value added is something that happens in my daily
practice. I feel the Value Added is often more important than final results
because year groups are different. Pupils enter a school at different levels;
this can be for several different reasons E.G illness, ability and learning
needs, learning style, when they were born, changing schools often, quality of
well-being, extra tutoring, English as addition Language etc.. However if the
Valued Added is good and consistent then your final results become more
consistent. Furthermore if I consider the ‘reflection in action’ and its impact
on ‘reflection on action’, whiles thinking of short planning, mid planning and
long planning; then ask, what effect would fast turnover of pupils and staff have
on the Value Added and end of year six results? What planning would have more
impact? I could make an educated guess and say the faster the turn-over the
more important the reflection in action would be, the greater effect would be
on the shorter planning which would impact on the over-all performance of a
school or practice. But that would depend on the how fast the turn-over was. I could see what happens in the long term of
having a fast turn-over of pupils when you look at school with travellers.
Reflective thinking, learning styles and key skills are
something we use within the practice and environment in which I work. However
the depth, the amount of focus and the importance of each one is different from
one practice to another to which I have worked.
Reflective-on-action, ‘looks’ stronger in my current
practice compared to my previous work place, because the books are more unified
across the practice. Teacher Assistants are encouraged to assess and record how
a lesson went etc… to help the teacher with the next steps, follow the marking
scheme as well as teachers. In fact I would say more time is spent on this, than
my previous practice. Although time is limited for a Teacher Assistant and Teacher’s
do not always have the time to read comments. I would like to point out I say the
Reflection-on-action ‘looks’ stronger at my current practice and not ‘is’ because
this questionable; because the way of recording the Reflection-on-Action was
different at my last practice. It probably
reflected the learning style of the teacher, although there was a unified
assessment and recording of progress for the school; when in class I fed back
verbally or would write quick short notes about the children I was working with,
which the teacher read as she stuck them in her book. So the feedback was more reflective in Action
that impacted on the teacher’s Reflective on Action. I believe the Reflective
in Action is stronger at my previous work place and this may reflect style of
the head whose very hands on. Although
both practices would use both reflective approaches, I was more able to adapt
on the spot if needed when it came to the different abilities in class in my
previous practice. However I have started to use more Reflective in Action when
it comes to the lower abilities in my current practice and the overall independence
is good.
VAK as Gardner calls it, Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic
learning styles is often encouraged when teaching, sometimes ‘time’ may limit
its use, but when applied children are more engaged and you see the benefit. In
terms of my own learning style I lean heavily towards visual and kinaesthetic
learning. I have noticed that others learn complex names quicker than me when
they are auditory spoken, however after reading the register several times or
through reading names on a list. I am able to visually spell them; bearing in
mind that many of the names are tricky word and do not necessary follow
patterns or phonically sounds. In
addition I feel this reflects my ability to spell and the problems I had when I was younger. My spelling has improved over time through
reading, using the words, and some form of rota spelling. Furthermore after
working through the Letter and Sounds book, watching the video, learning Cued Articulation
and from teaching phonics. I have become more aware different phonemes, graphemes
and how sounds are made. I have to consider my own learning style especially as
phonics is auditory and going against my own learning style. This doesn’t limit
me teaching it, but I may consider this when planning what prompts/resources I
may need and consider other children that may have a weaker Auditory learning
style. Although I do not have the body for sport or dancing (though I do enjoy
dancing and sport), I also learn from doing and can often feel the vibes of a
room. Once I was able to communicate with a Downs Syndrome child who couldn’t
speak just by vibes and senses alone. I could always feel the presence of the child
whenever she entered the room and she could me. In some respect you could say
that is tacit knowledge. Tacit knowledge is something I have found interesting
from reading the Reader 2, and something I will look further into. I am also interested
in experimenting with muscle memory and understanding how dancers relate and use
it, could dancers still use their muscle memory whiles closing their eyes? How
could dancers communicate muscle memory?
When I look at David Kolb learning cycle, considering my own
learning style and thinking, I would say I would enter it at different stages
for different things. If I was to consider how I started my blog. I would split
into two parts, in terms of setting up the blog I dived straight in, so I would
consider this as a ‘Concrete Experience’, but when it came to how I was going to set it
up, I looked at other peoples to give me ideas so that was ‘Reflective
Observation. I then YouTube and Google, then experimented with links. When it
comes to working with a new child I am doing all four but at speed, I probably enter
at ‘Reflective Observation’. If it comes to cooking something new I would
probably plan what I need, so would start from ‘Active Experimentation’. When
it came to Task 3c I read the reader 2 first, made notes, reflected on my own
experience before writing on my blog. If I were to say what my preferred entry
point is, then I would like to do a little experiment and create a tally chart
to see where I enter more often. In addition how it relates to my practice,
considering abilities learning styles and learning something new. I would also
very much like to get different viewpoints on David Kolb learning cycle. As
well as learn a little bit more about multiple intelligences and its connection
to learning styles.
At first I started making brief logs in my journal of what I
did, a short evaluation with some reflection, but without questioning. But when
I had more time I went over what I had log and started to question my day.
Considering how I felt, my mood, questioning my feelings and the fatigue that
is sometimes there but ignored; as well as thinking about the mood, feelings
and the fatigue of others and how does this affect my practice?
Recently at my practice we had an Ofsted Inspection and
during this time the atmosphere of the practice was very much a live, the
emotions, mood, the stress, anxiety, the excitement and the vibrant strength of
a team pulling together. But was also obvious was the aftermath of fatigue and
exhaustion of the pillars of the practice. Although, luxurious donuts were on
the menu the next day and dinner the following week, to celebrate the good achievement;
it did make me want to question the objective of an Ofsted Inspection.
Questioning some of the requirements by Ofsted; the purpose and its impact on
similar practices? Considering it from a
parents and a teacher’s point of view? Even though I do not plan to dive too
much into this at this time in relation to Ofsted, it did make me think and
raise questions that I may like to reflect more on at a later date looking at
other practices and the fatigue that Ofsted may bring.
As I continued to read through the logs of my journal;
questioning my day? I started to think of some of the lessons I have covered at
short notice at my current practice and whiles working as a supply Teacher
Assistant. I also started thinking of
previous supply teachers coming into the practice where I have previously
worked and how my perception of them has now developed and in some respect
changed due my experience becoming more knowledge. Whenever I have been asked to cover a class,
at first I feel a little apprehensive, not knowing what to expect, how the
children will respond, yet at same time I welcome, enjoy and thrive on the
experience. Reading the names of the
children can be a challenge in itself working in a multicultural school,
phonics often do not apply and many names can be tricky words, the odd laugh can
be expected when reading the register.
The children most of the time will know more about the school and
lessons than you, this can have its pro and cons. Bright children can use this
to their advantage to push the boundaries when having a supply teacher. I say
‘bright’ and not a ‘behaviour problem’, because bright children have a range of
abilities from the Special Educational Needs, the mischievous to the Gifted and
Talented. Having a brief guide of the
school/class day, resources and procedures makes a difference. As well as having the odd reward for the most
challenging class, some examples of writing, a bulk of questions ready to pull
from, to engage, encourage thinking and to pull ideas from the children,
especially if you are covering a class of an unfamiliar subject because often
the children will know more than you, although you could do a class research of
the subject if needed, either way engaging the thinking of the children often
manages the behaviour. So on reflection
I would like start to bank some questions, explore and extend the questioning
within my practice, especially whiles covering an unknown class to continue to
see its effect and the afterschool clubs that I am in the process of starting.
My appreciating of supply teacher’s has gone up and has made me think what
support my practice could offer to ease any nerves, make them welcome and
improve the quality of overall teaching.
I have also started to create a diagram to compare my average
week to last year, plus compare the supply days at different
schools/practices. So far I have found
writing a brief log/list of events useful when not having much time or feeling
a little fatigue after a day’s work. Evaluating my week when I have more time,
considering how I felt, mood, good and bad points. I have looked at different
days from the perspective of another person, considering a day when I may have
had a professional disagreement. I may look at this day again but from an
object’s point of view - the impartial bystander. Blogging on other people’s blog is something
I haven’t got into as much as I would have liked, although I see the benefits.
This is something I plan to improve over the next few weeks and get into a
routine of doing. I have looked at AdSense advertising and this is something I intend
to look at in more depth, weighing up the pro and cons, as I do plan to use at
a later date. Furthermore I have also started learning about MySQL and PHP
databases, and how to imbed it into a website to improve my computer skills,
using YouTube as a self-training resource.
I will blog on how I get on with AdSense, MySQL and PHP databases.
