Sunday 21 April 2013

Task 2d Inquiry

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?

Pupil Progression and Valued Added

National primary school data

My local council school data


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.

A traveller's school

I would be interested to see what its Valued Added is in the short and mid planning. How long pupils stay at the school and how they record?

The PTA

Will add more on this soon
Using web 2.0 to build a stronger and more flexible community
Raising awareness of what profit is, and the different types of profit and it impact on a school?

Afterschool Club, utilizing my Graphic design skills, thinking hats and applied learning

Will add more on this soon


Business

Will add more on this soon

Art, (understanding tacit knowledge) my inspiration
Will add more on this

Britain Got Talent, by Attraction


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