Tuesday 8 December 2015

Preferred methods

I think we all have our different methods of gathering information and researching. This section of the module has really made me take a step back though and think about the tools I use on a. Day to day basis, if they are useful or if there are other methods out there I need to explore. Personally my top 5 sources I go to for information, in my professional life and in my personal life, are as follows....

1. GOOGLE! I rely on Google so much. I feel lost if I don't have my phone with me. Google maps has been essential since I moved to Singapore. I say essential, but actually if I didn't have Google maps I'm sure I wouldn't just be wandering around lost the whole time....I'd find a way. And that's the thing. I think as a generation we have come to expect the answers straight away. I mentioned this in an earlier blog but with the advances of technology being so rapid, we expect results at the press of a button. I even get frustrated if I have to wait a few minutes or if internet connection is down! Google helps me with day to day life scenarios but also with work. I find a lot of inspiration for my lesson plans on Google. When I'm feeling like I need some fresh drama games or guidance with a certain topic I look to Google. What it offers is the variety. The choice of many different answers. And this is why it comes top for me. There is always something useful to be found.

2. YOUTUBE. I teach Musical Theatre and Dance so youtube gives me quick and easy information on a certain song or musical. The visual aspect means I don't have to read through a synopsis, I can just watch a trailer or a snippet of a show. Research wise it immediately gives me a feel for the costume, set, props I can aspire to use in my pieces and also the style of dancing. I convert video clips into MP3 format to get backing tracks and also find it useful to send parents links to youtube clips so my students can research topics at home too. I have my own Youtube account and so does the school I work for. This is a private account for parents and students only. This allows an online collection of choreography, shows, class presentations. We always record choreography so that students can easily practice at home. This is so different to when I was growing up. It was a big effort to even get a cassette copy of a song. Youtube is a key source for my particular job.

3. FACEBOOK. I use this social media site every day. I sometimes feel I should go on it less but I do feel like I'm out of the loop if I haven't been on it for a few days. I'm part of quite a lot of Facebook groups which is a great source of information for my job. I gain inspiration for my lesson plans and choreography. I also find out information of upcoming new musicals and potential new material for my students to try. My background is musical theatre so I have a lot of contacts from the business. It's essential for me to know what is going on so that my teaching is relevant and not out dated. Facebook allows you to be redirected to many different sites and sources by the links that people post and share. It is easy to contact people on Facebook and can be done privately through your inbox. Therefore, it's a good tool for teachers to discuss certain topics with the privacy aspect. 

4. AMPED. This is my source for music on a day to day basis. I incorporate music into all my lessons, even acting lessons where no singing or dancing is required. I feel music added so much to a piece. It opens up the students minds and inspires them. It gives them more of an idea of the era by listening to the lyrics and also the feel of that particular moment or decade. Music very often is synchronised with social and political feelings of that time. Pictures also use sound effects in my lessons to create tension and again give the drama game or exercise that added extra. This app was included on my phone plan. It is like Spotify. It allows me to search any artist or track and allows me to play the song for free. I use this for one off tracks to inspire my students in class or to research pieces so I don't have to buy them on iTunes. It's an essential tool for me as a source of information and research. I can then use what I have found to decide what pieces Ia m going to use for upcoming shows. I used to always have to buy the whole track and found that often I wouldn't use half of them for shows. This way I can try before I buy! And I get to listen to the whole track how ever many times I want. 

5. FACE TO FACE CONTACT. In my opinion this is the most effective form of communication. How often does a text message or email or even a phone conversation get misinterpreted? At least with a face to face contact you can also read facial expressions, body language....you can gage a lot more about how someone is feeling and more about their personality. Professionally I have always seen the benefit of meeting someone face to face. Casting directors and agents gets hundreds of emails a day. If you actually go to their opening night of a show, after party or workshop they are running you become a real person and not just an email. It's a lot more difficult to get your personality across via email or phone. We  judge people subconsciously before they have even spoken. Even if we try not to. You have already formed an opinion of them. When networking professionally it is key to meet people face to face as much as possible. It will give you a better chance at being remembered. 

These are definitely my top 5 for the profession that I work in but I am interested to see how many of mine match other peoples. I think Google features a lot across all professions and LinkenIn for more marketing and business careers. I've enjoyed putting the focus on the tools that I use but also seeing what else is out there that could help me become better at what I do :-)



Monday 7 December 2015

The Networked Professional

I must admit, I had to read through Reader 3 a few times for it to make sense. I previously understood what professional networking was but didn't know about the theories behind it.
I found the topic of co operation or 'game theory' very interesting. I understand that game theory focuses upon the results of co operation and the decisions to co operate or not. 

I was intrigued when reading about Robert Axelrod in Reader 3 and decided to do some more research.


"Under what conditions will cooperation emerge in a world of egoists without central authority? This question has intrigued people for a long time. We all know that people are not angels, and that they tend to look after themselves and their own first. Yet we also know that cooperation does occur and that our civilization is based upon it."


Adapted from Robert Axelrod, The Evolution of Cooperation. New York: Basic Books, 1984. Reprinted by permission.

I was fascinated to read about The Prisioners Dilemma game. I found this example  from 'The evolution of co operation' by Robert Axelrod clear to understand: 

"In this game there are two players. Each has two choices, namely “cooperate” or “defect.” The game is called the Prisoner’s Dilemma because in its original form two prisoners face the choice of informing on each other (defecting) or remaining silent (cooperating). Each must make the choice without knowing what the other will do. One form of the game pays off as follows:

Player’s Choice
If both players defect:
If both players cooperate:
If one player defects while the other player cooperates:
Payoff
Both players get $1.
Both players get $3.
The defector gets $5 and the cooperator gets zero.

One can see that no matter what the other player does, defection yields a higher payoff than cooperation. If you think the other player will cooperate, it pays for you to defect (getting $5 rather than $3). On the other hand, if you think the other player will defect, it still pays for you to defect (getting $1 rather than zero). Therefore the temptation is to defect. But, the dilemma is that if both defect, both do worse than if both had cooperated."

I can see how this realates to professional networking and how we approach a networking situation. Both parties must must co operate! Relating this to myself and my work I can see that I could definitely co operate a bit more! I think it is definitely good to be aware of patterns and what works well for you but also not be too restricted to that as different situations require different approaches.

The Affiliation section of the reader definitely made me intrigued to read more. I read 'The Essential Social Psychology' (publication author/editor Crisp, Richard J. and Turner, Rhiannon N.) This made me question if I was an introvert or extrovert and how I feel being on my own and with groups. I would have said I was neither an introvert or extrovert beforehand but obviously I was just picturing the extremes. When reading about the social experiment done on children in orphanages it made me think about the importance of how you are brought up and what you are surrounded by at a young age. I was always surrounded by people! I was already at a child minders before I was 1 and this daily group had around 10 kids in it. I was exposed to my peers extremely young and therefore was learning social skills and making friends from a young age. My mum had a very large circle of friends as she was a hockey player. All the families would go on tour so at a young age I was part of big groups. I've never actually thought about it before but this is probably linked to how I am as an 
adult. I don't dislike being on my own but I prefer being surrounded by people. I have always found it 
easy to make friends and would say I was popular throughout school and college. I like being part of a group. A team. I am very close to my friends....many of whom are more like sisters. I also have a very close extended family of aunties, uncles and cousins. As a child I was part of many sports teams, theatre groups....I never remember spending time on my own after school or at weekends. I found this extract interesting....


"According to evolutionary psychologists, our tendency to seek out others and form close relationships is an inherited trait that helps us to survive and repro- duce by providing us with a network of support that will help us when we are in need."

Is me having a large close group of friends and family really a subconscious selfish decision? I will give all the support they need as long as they are there for me when I need them? I don't think I am that person. I am always the one my friends come to for advice and support. But then again I do rely on them and expect them to be there for me too. But that's just the rules of friendship isn't it?! 
The Social Affiliation model (O'Connor & Rosenblood, 1996) is the "idea that people control their level of contact with others to keep it stable and as close as possible to a desired level." I can relate this to how we professionally network ourselves. Very interesting! 
I therefore think I must be an extrovert! I think. This obviously has it's pros and cons. I found an interesting article about the advantages of having an extrovert employee, which also relates to networking and how approachable you are to strangers. This quote particularly stood out for me as it linked to networking:

"Because extroverts are social, they are comfortable with communication and relaying information. They are excellent motivators and work well in teams. The extroverts are the staff members you send to networking events such as seminars and trade shows. Chances are an extrovert will outsell an introvert and he'll be the one to talk a disgruntled customer out of wanting to go to a competitor. Because the extrovert has a wide social circle, your company 
likely has a lot of free advertising in the form of casual conversation."

Here is the link for the whole article:

 http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-extrovert-employees-over-introvert-24479.html

Another article I found: http://brainstormpsychology.blogspot.sg/2013/06/being-extrovert-ups-and-downs.html stated that extroverts are....

- outspoken
- thrive in the company of other people
- constantly seeks new experiences
- easily bored
- drawn to crowds
- generally quite animated
- assertive
- responsive to external stimulus
- opinionated
- can handle social pressure

I am ALL of these! I can also from this list see how some of these can also be disadvantages. Especially when thinking about professionally networking. You don't want to be too opinionated. And being easily bored could be an issue too. I think it comes back to what I said earlier....I enjoy talking about myself and find it easy to sell myself. I need to work on my listening skills though. I easily switch off from a conversation. I've been like it all my life. As a child I needed constant stimulus and was always given jobs by the teachers as I had so much energy. I was quite mischievous and naughty at school. I was usually just bored. Outspoken can also be considered a con. When
networking you don't want to be too outspoken and opinionated when you have just met someone. I find this topic interesting and wonder how much genetics plays in all of this. All my family are extroverts!
I also found it interesting when I read this quote in the reader:

"In a study of 22 countries, Hofstede (1980) found that the more individualistic a country was, the more its members desired affiliation. He argued that in individualistic cultures people develop social relationships in many and varied settings, but these relationships tend not to be 
particularly close. In collectivist cultures, on the other hand, people develop relatively few, but deep and long-lasting, relationships."  

I am from the countryside in the north of England, spent 10 years living in London and now I live in Singapore! I wide variety of different cultures and ways of life to think about! How has that affected how I am in social situations and in relationships?
The theory of connectivity and social constructionism states that through social interaction humans construct meanings of the world and their experiences in it. In networking, we find preferred ways of engaging with a network and decide how much we are willing to put in ourselves as well. The theory of Connectivism provides an explanation about how networks both learn and provide the means for individuals to connect and learn. It suggests that we need to interact so that we can learn and that teaching methods need to be modified. The idea of communities of practice where emphasis is placed on the shared interpretations of the community as opposed to "hierarchical formations of knowledge" is something I see as extremely beneficial. People coming together over shared interests and experiences can bring great benefits. It may also produce learning realised in different forms. Wenger identified a community of practice as existing on three dimensions: 

"What it is about - its joint enterprise as understood and continually renegotiated by its members
How it functions - mutual engagement that bind members together into a social entity
What capability it has produced - the shared repertoire of communal resources."

There are so many different areas to now think about with regard to professional networking. I am amazed as I did think this section of the module was going to be quite straight forward for me as I thought I already understood what works and what doesn't. However, I now feel like I had only ever scratched the surface. I was only taking and not putting in. I am an extrovert, which I have never called myself before! I am looking deeper into my surroundings when I was growing up and questioning how those affect ones social connections and networking abilities. I can see the benefits of using different methods when networking and I am now in more of a position to understand what makes a good professional networker. Fascinating stuff! :-) 




Sunday 6 December 2015

Ethical networking at work


Having researched this I now understand what is meant by ethical networking at work. Generally, being ethical involves conducting yourself in accordance with accepted principles of right and wrong. Ethics is a matter of using integrity based decision making procedures to guide your decisions and actions. In the workplace, being ethical may involve acting morally right, being honest and not cheating your employer or colleagues. Other ethical situations may involve inappropriate use of the internet for outside of work activities or harassment etc. 
I then thought about the actual networking part. My initial thought is that this means not networking about subjects not to do with work whilst at work. It is obviously unprofessional to talk about colleagues behind their backs but unfortunately I think this happens to a certain extent in all work places. Being a teacher, I think it would be wrong to talk to parents about rival schools or engage in any conversation that resulted in bad mouthing another company, no matter how much you dislike them or disagree with their actions. This applies when speaking to students too. I have had a situation recently where a child has moved from a different teachers class in to my class as she thought the other teacher was 'boring'....obviously the other teacher doesn't know this is why she moved, she thought it was because she needed to switch days due to other commitments. The student engaged in conversation about this and I immediately changed the subject. However much I agree, I would never talk about another teacher to a student. Nor would I talk to a parent about a different teacher or child's needs in the class other than her own child. I recently saw this great article shared on Facebook by a teacher friend of mine. Please take the time to read it. It basically says everything that a teacher wishes they could say to a complaining parent but ethically it would be wrong.
Here is the link: 

http://www.upworthy.com/this-letter-from-a-teacher-dear-parent-about-that-kid-made-me-cry-like-a-baby

I think work can be a brilliant place to network as you are surrounded by people who are in the same career as you. It's a great way to get contacts and help from other working professionals. However, the line must be drawn when it gets to a certain point. I think if you are looking for a new job you are treading on very thin ice by engaging in conversation about it with colleagues. You would have to really trust them. The networking down at work needs to be totally above board. A conversation that you would happily have with your boss. I have never (and would never want to) leave a job on bad terms. If the networking at work is going to aid you in your current job and help broaden your knowledge and contacts then great! Like I said, I always think....ask yourself the question "How would my boss feel about this?" and you'll know straight away whether what you're doing is ethically correct for the workplace.








Professional networks

When I was actively performing around the age of 18-25 I had a abundance of networks. I completely relied on my professional networks to keep up to date with upcoming opportunities. I have always maintained that you can not solely rely on your agent. I definitely worked as if I didn't have an agent and saw them as just an added extra. When they called with an audition I saw it as an added bonus. I think I had this drummed into me at college. I trained professionally for 3 years at Laine Theatre Arts. I loved my time there and loved how much they prepared you for the real world of show business and the reality of what was on store. Discipline was extremely importance there and also the mentality that you have to work very hard to achieve success. We were also trained that many people can strike it lucky and get a job but we should thrive to be professional, hard working individuals that are therefore constantly in employment. We were taught that you have to know what is going on. We used to have tests on it! Who is this director? What is the new show coming into this theatre next year? How do I find information about open calls. With all this knowledge and preparation I was networking throughout my 3rd year even before I graduated. The business is a small one I have found. It's easy to get information but you have to out in the work. I'd say my biggest network when I was a performer was my year group at Laines. We definitely weren't the kind of year to not share information to benefit ourselves. Everyone was so encouraging and supportive to one another. Upcoming job opportunities would regularly be shared amongst friends. Facebook is great for their private group tool as well. Laine Theatre Arts has a Facebook group for graduates which is not only helpful but makes you feel like you're not alone in the scary world of show biz. I also subscribed to The Stage newspaper so would get that delivered weekly. And the more contracts I did, the more my network grew. If I'd just done a show with say 15 new people that's 15 new contacts in the business. I ALWAYS saw my career as a business. Again, college drummed this into me! You are the product of your business....you are a self employed business....you have to network, you have to know what's going on! I would go to opening nights, after show parties....I became a great mingler! I joined Twitter mainly to 'follow' theatre companies, theatres and directors so I could see what opportunities were coming up. For example, if a theatre sends out their yearly 'What's on' guide and you see a certain musical will be there say 9 months from now, and you know it's not been cast yet, you know that you need to find out when the auditions will be as they will be soon!
I would also often go to networking events, especially when I moved to Manchester as I didn't really know anyone. I started acting lessons up there....another network of people. I attended a short film festival....another network of people. I went to LA for pilot season....another network of people. I have a massive network of people in the business but I'm not going to lie, I worked hard. I would often finish work and instead of going home to get some sleep before I started work again I would go to an event. It was extremely exhausting! But I thought that's what you had to do if you wanted to be successful. I understand now looking back that I could have done less and been a bit more picky with who I networked with. I old my hands up that most of the time I networked on a purely selfish basis. What can I gain from this? What will it get me? I laugh at my younger self now but see it was all part of the learning curve. As I started to teach more I joined network groups for teacher. Some great ones on Facebook I used were The Hustle (where actually, lots of different kids of things are posted to do with the business) and Drama teacher UK. I honestly would have been lost without social media. From my experience, that is where I got all my information.
However, now I am a teacher in Singapore. A very different lifestyle. I'm also older so feel like I am mentally in a different head space. My main reason for my career change was because I was tired, fed up, bored of that lifestyle of running around like a headless chicken, always worried about when the next contract would come/how long can I make this money last! I am the happiest I have ever been. I currently don't network at all really. Is this because I am in a job that I love and don't feel the need to? Do we only start networking when we need something? I don't think I've ever looked at it like this but I think I am a very selfish networker. Why don't I network now? Why don't I only feel the need to start networking when I have the need for something. I have a wonderful group of friends in Singapore and I live with my long term partner....we moved out here together. So maybe I'm just content and settled. But why can't I still network when I feel this way? Maybe I should join a team or a club. Create a new network of friends over here in Singapore. From a teachers perspective, I am part of certain teacher networks in the UK....for example web sites where other teachers upload good lesson plans etc. I have also, since starting this degree course, joined Linkedin. I am keen to learn more about this tool as from what my partner tells me (he works in international marketing) it's a fantastic way to network. I wonder if it is for teachers though? At work we network with parents I guess....we also network our school and business at events to drum up interest. I feel I naturally network when I meet new people as I'm genuinely interested in what people do and how they got there. I do think though that when it comes to professional networking I need to work a bit harder at giving back. I am going to make a conscious effort to post information and put myself out there without just thinking about my own personal gain. My brother is very successful in his sports marketing career and he has gained so many experiences because he is so good at networking. But actually, he is the least selfish person. He is just genuinely the loveliest guy therefore people are always willing to go out of their way for him as he does for others. Maybe that's what makes a good networker. Someone who is genuinely not in it for themselves. Or maybe a good networker is only in it for themselves! This topic has definitely raised a lot of questions in my head.

Wednesday 2 December 2015

Inquiry task

Having focused on different reflective practices I understand that it is now important to look inward at how the ideas of reflection relate to me and my work. I have looked at the questions in the handbook and here are my responses:

- I am very enthusiastic about drama and theatre benefitting all and that it teaches many key life skills. For me, performance is just a small part of it. I feel drama builds confidence, public speaking, improvisation (often in life we are put on the spot in interviews for example), social skills, projection of the voice, diction, the drama games I play help with creativity and also introducing a competitive element. Rejection, failure....I could go on. I am passionate that all these skills help in whatever career you go in to. I love hearing parents feedback about how since they have started my class they have seen such an improvement in school and at home. Knowing that I have made a difference to their child's life and that they are learning skills that they will use for the rest of their lives means the world to me. I have many examples of children I teach. Two spring to mind straight away. I teach a boy who, when he came to me, was extremely shy and inward. I later found out that he was being bullied at school. His mum had just moved him to a different school and decided he should start drama to help with his social skills. Fast forward 3 months and he is a different child. I actually get quite emotional talking about it. He is an absolute chatterbox, has amazing supportive friends in his class who adore him and he recently had a big solo in our production. His parents could not believe it. I am passionate about having a safe environment where kids can come and be and do whatever they feel without judgement. One parent even said to me just last week that her daughter counts down the days to her next class as she loves it so much. School is so intense she said it's her one lesson a week where she can just let go. Again, that means the world to me. I teach another young boy speech and drama. When he first started it was clear why his parents were concerned. He is super intelligent but would rarely speak. His body language was clear. Also his diction was incredibly poor compared to his peers. In this day and age, intelligence is not enough. Universities want more extra curricular activities, businesses want stand out, confident employees. I have been teaching him for 3 months. Month 1 he was given a poem to read out loud. I knew he could read it as his English levels are above his peers. But he just stood, looking absolutely terrified, muttering the words under his breath. 3 months later and I taught him yesterday. It's been a long journey but he stood up and was  almost shouting his poem for his exam! He was laughing throughout, he made his classmates laugh too and they all cheered when he finished! These boys are only 8 years old. I could have cried! He doesn't want to be an actor, has no desire whatsoever, but through drama he has learnt these life skills. I admire my fellow colleugues as I work in a very unique place. Two inparticular are always full of energy and enthusiasm, however they are feeling personally it never affects their class. I love this about them and strive to be like that.

- I get frustrated and angry when parents are rude and inconsiderate. They often have no idea what they are talking about but are just looking for someone to blame. Everyone at my work shares this feeling. Parents who just want their child to be the main part in a production and don't understand that maybe I have given them the smaller comedy part because this is an area they love and really excel at....and I feel they can steal the show with their characterisation. Parents often just count the number of lines and compare parts based on that. I aim to challenge my kids during productions so I'm not going to give them a part that is really easy for them. Parents always bring up as well that they are paying the same amount as others so they should have the same amount of lines. I also can't stand rude children. Manners cost nothing. I teach quite a few extremely rude children and unfortunately I let my personal feelings take over when it comes to this topic. I had manners drummed into me as a kid and I try to do the same for the ones I teach. Often they are a product of their parents....you meet their mum and understand exactly why they are the way they are. I find that there is no excuse for it though. I also get very frustrated with our contact system at work. We don't have our own email address which means everything is sent to the school email address then filtered into our inboxes.
This wastes so much time. If a parent replies to me about something urgent I won't even see the
message until the admin office have seen it and then forwarded it to me. You can also only view your work emails on the 6 computers in the office. I understand that they are wanting us to enjoy our days off and not do work at home, but sometimes it's good to have a heads up on something before you bump into the parent!

- I love....creating, directing, performance, challenging the children, pushing them out of their comfort zones, teaching them life skills, having the freedom to go off task and be creative. I love seeing the children I teach improve. It's so rewarding. Everyone at work is very passionate about their job which means it's a very creative, positive environment.

- I found the "I don't understand" question difficult, as I didn't know whether it was something I don't understand  at work or to do with my career. Something that does play on my mind and that I don't understand is whether or not I can teach creative drama and drama therapy without training for three years to be a drama therapist. It's hard as there is nothing like where I work in the UK. The place I currently work was set up in Singapore 20 years ago by an English couple who were professional actors. There wasn't much theatre and drama classes in Singapore at that time (there still isn't....we are the main school) so it was quite easy to establish with very little competition. With a mass amount of expat kids, it took off quickly. They also made friends in Singapore and one in particular was a child phycologist. This was then the link that provided a connection between her practice and the school. She refers kids who she thinks with benefit from drama lessons to help with their social skills. Teachers are aware of who these children are but they aren't put in a special class. They are then reviewed and feedback is given to the phycologist. This is an area I would love to work in but struggle to see how it would work in the UK where laws are a lot stricter. I need to ask my boss some questions and also do some research into schools like this in the UK. I would like my own school in the future so this is a big topic of discussion for me.

- Ethical responses....it has been very interesting moving from the UK to Singapore. The rules here in
Singapore are very loose. I was surprised. A few examples....they are not strict at all about knowing
who has picked the child up from class. In the UK there is often a list that the teacher has and only people on that list can pick the child up. If someone different is picking them up they have to call in advance to let the teacher know. Here friends, aunties, nannies, friends dads pick them up and it's not even questioned.
We recently did a show and I was quite taken a back that the girls and boys got changed in the same dressing room. Again, not acceptable in the UK.
I learned very quickly that certain words here are considered swearing. "Stupid" is literally a crime to say! I had a situation where I told the kids they needed to act really silly and stupid for a particular character in the play we were doing. They all just stopped and went quiet, then one informed me that I had just sworn.
I teach expat kids who are very well travelled and culturally very diverse. It would not be unusual for me to have a class of 12 that were all born in a different country. This is very different to the UK so you have to be very aware of different religions and beliefs.
We don't give out our personal email addresses and phone numbers and I agree with that. I recently went to the physio and he gave me his phone number and we have been whatsapping about my physio exercises. Obviously, that would never happen as a teacher. Comparing when I taught in a mainstream school to being a drama and dance teacher, I notice a few differences. We are more free to touch the kids arms, legs, tummies during a dance class. This is totally acceptable as it's helping them. Same as a gymnastics teacher or sports teacher I guess. This would not be done in a mainstream school. Also, during shows we often have to do quick changes where the children are totally naked. Again, as dance teachers we don't even question this but I understand how other teachers might find this a bit weird.
Facebook is a no go and I totally agree with this. I don't want my kids knowing anything about my private life. I never even engage in conversation when they ask if I have a boyfriend. To me, it is totally inappropriate and unnecessary. I feel strongly about this but I have noticed since moving to Singapore that some of the teachers who teach the older ones do have a close relationship with their
kids. They will whatsapp, even meet up for dinner outside work or go shopping. Again, I find this inappropriate. But maybe that's just because I've come from the UK so have had that drilled into me! Also, you shouldn't be friends with parents either. I believe in keeping it professional. Bad mouthing other teachers in front of your class is also a big no no for me! I would never even bad mouth their teacher at school who I have never met. It's unprofessional.

I also see that one of the questions is "Who inspires me?" No question....my mum. She was a primary school head teacher and I have learnt a lot from her experiences. She used to get sent to failing schools in underprivileged areas and turn them around. She is such an inspiration.

Looking at all this information and thinking about different inquiries I have come to a few conclusions and questions....

- The fear of failure in high achieving wealthy children - why do they become less open as they get older?
- I am passionate about inclusion for all when it comes to drama. Can I open a school in the future that caters for the keen performer but also have links to child phycologists that can refer children to my school for creative drama lessons? Or am I not qualified to do that?
- I really think kids imaginations are inspiring. I've always wanted to write a children's book. Could I create a book with my students and have it published?
- I'm interested in the pressures of Gen Y and what we can do to resolve this problem and the struggles they are having.
- I find the differences between the Asian school system compared to the UK very different but interesting. Could I create a connection between the school I work for in Singapore and a school in the UK. Would it work? Or are the kids too different.
- I teach once a week at a special needs school. The children have autism and ADHD. There has never been any talk about them doing a production. Many of them are high achieving and extremely creative. Why can't they put on a show? Why do we expect the standard to be lower just because they have learning difficulties. They shouldn't be seen as less capable. Could I do a full scale production with them?

So many questions and thoughts! I've really enjoyed reflecting on myself and my work. I'm very excited for what the next year has to bring!

Tuesday 1 December 2015

My critical reflection

I have found it interesting to read about all the different methods and existing practices for the reflective process. These simple tools will really help me with issues that come up at work. I was obviously reflecting in my own way before but now this gives me a clearer picture of how to resolve a problem. It's a fantastic guide to help even the smallest of issues. I was interested to also read other peoples blogs and found the spiral steps of Kurt Lewin extremely interesting as a teacher. The PLAN, ACT, OBSERVE, REFLECT is what I do daily. I plan my lessons, act out these plans, observe how it went and reflect on what went well and what could be improved for next time. I always question why something didn't work. I always tailor my classes to the children in them....even if I'm teaching the same course to the same age, they are all so different in personality, class dynamics and learning style. There is of course arguments against all the practices I have mentioned in my blog. Many say Kolb's methods are now out dated in our digital world. And that we work more creatively when in a team instead of individually. Another major critique is that the cycle could be performed in any order, stages can be bypassed or even repeated. In my opinion, I believe that looking into all methods can only benefit your overall judgement. Isn't is about picking and choosing what suits you best? Isn't reflection about finding the tools that work best for you? What get you the best results? We can use many existing practices and tools but it's also important to do what is right for you. I've learnt that at my work we definitely don't do any team reflection. Maybe this is something I could introduce at a meeting. We are a small team and I think it would be a valuable tool. I feel this task has been extremely useful for personal situations and also work related issues.


Reflective theory....

I have thoroughly enjoyed the reflective section of the course so far. However, I have just been looking at my own experience and thoughts so now it's time to research in to existing tools and practices for reflection.
Some great descriptions I found when asking "What is reflection?"

Reflection is part of learning and thinking. We reflect in order to learn something, or we learn as a result of reflecting, and the term 'reflective learning' emphasises the intention to learn from current or prior experience” (Moon 2004).


"It's power lies in being able to help you develop your understanding of the way you learn, the subjects you are studying and define your long term goals. It can help to promote critical thinking and problem solving skills, both of which are key to academic success. But it has further uses that relate to life skills: it is an essential part of  personal development and prepares you for the world of work, encouraging you to develop the habit of analysing your actions or events and considering the consequences." (Gillette, Hammond and Martala 2009)

From my research I also found that reflection does not need to just be in the written form. You can also have a conversation with a friend, tutor or mentor. But we favour writing it down as usually feel we can be more honest and therefore discover more. I agree with this but sometimes I do think you can learn from hearing other peoples opinions too. Reflection can often be seen as a cycle. This works well as you can come back to it when different situations or goals come up. 

When researching, I found Dewey's methods of reflection quite difficult to understand. I found Gibbs was an extremely popular Reflection Cycle on the internet. I always find it interesting to see what comes up first on google and what method is talked about the most. It immediately subconsciously makes you think it's the best way....maybe it's just the page that has been viewed the most....how many times do we just go with the top few hits on Google when incredible information could be out there that we bypass.

Here is Gibbs cycle:






I LOVE this and could really see myself using this at work. If a situation occurs at work I think it's really important to break down the problem. I never used to do this....I would just see the big picture and see it as a big overwhelming issue. Breaking it down helps to resolve what has happened. I had a think about something that happened at work last week that I could share then use Gibbs cycle to
resolve....

I am a drama and musical theatre teacher in Singapore. Every Friday morning I teach creative drama at a special needs school. All the children are physically able, it's social skills that they struggle with. An incident occurred last week where one of my children wasn't allowed to take part due to his behaviour the week before. I am the teacher for that lesson but this wasn't my decision. Yes he had a difficult week before but he is just struggling to engage in drama. He really dislikes it, finds it hard to focus, can't listen to instructions and wants to just run around the whole lesson. He has a lot of energy. However, I would never want him to sit out and not take part. He wasn't being rude or
aggressive or naughty, he just learns in a different way and may take more time than his peers to trust a new person. Drama should be about inclusion for all. So, using Gibbs reflective cycle I have just described what happened. Step 2 - my feelings and thoughts on the matter. I felt angry that I wasn't given the heads up about the decision before class, frustrated that the class teacher did the
disciplining even though he has never been present for a lesson and doesn't know my style of
teaching. Upset for the child as he now believes he has done something wrong and is confused.
Embarrassed that I have to teach the lesson with him just sat in the corner watching....Step 3 - Evaluation of the experience....I struggle to find good regarding the situation but I guess it's good that the teacher was aware of his behaviour and wanted to act to try and help the child understand but it was handled very badly. Step 4 - Analysis....I can also see that the other students in the class are affected by the decision and may now also be confused about what the boundaries are. They may not be slightly more cautious in my lesson which is exactly what I don't want in creative drama. I can see that the teacher thought they were doing the best for the child. I can see how much I care about every single child I teach, even though I teach over 100 a week. It really got to me. Step 5 -
Conclusion....what else could I have done? In that moment, nothing. I could have just told him to join in anyway and ignore his teacher but that would have been highly unprofessional and I believe that going against another adults decision is very confusing for a child. He also was just doing what he was told. I could have spoken to the teacher after the lesson when he came to collect them but I didn't want to chat in front of the kids. Step 6 - Action plan....I sent an email to the deputy head as soon as I
got back to work. I know her well so felt I could be honest with her. Together we created an action plan to help engage the child more and I also asked if communication could be better. I feel positive about the outcome. So, without even realising, I have actually found that as a teacher I use these kind of techniques multiple times a day without realising. I could give many examples.

When I first saw Kolb's cycle I immediately thought it looked complicated at first glance. However, the part explaining each section is actually very simple and very similar to Gibbs. What happened? How did you feel? What is your conclusion of what you learnt? What's your plan to resolve the matter?

Here is Kolb's Cycle:




Again, I thought of an example at work that I could use. However this time I thought if use something that hasn't yet been resolved and use Kolb's cycle to try and help me figure out a solution to the issue.
I teach speech and drama to a boy of 7. He is in a class with 3 other peers. Over the last few weeks his behaviour has deteriorated and he is becoming extremely difficult to teach. He finds it very challenging to follow instructions, he doesn't listen and he constantly runs around the room when he should be sat focused with the others. It has got to the point where it is really affecting the other boys learning and I feel I am constantly just trying to get him to sit down and on task all class. I feel like I am slightly deflecting the others and he is my main focus. When he isn't in class we get lots more done and the boys are not distracted at all. I really don't want it to get to the stage where he can't take part anymore or has to move classes. I really want to find a solution. Using Kolb's cycle I have come up with a plan. I find the word 'concrete' for the first step quite strange but understand the concept of breaking the problem down  and starting off with the experience. I have stated above what this is. My reflection and review is mixed. A small part of me finds him incredibly irritating, annoying, frustrating, difficult....however, a big part of me wants him to engage, to love coming to drama, to excel in his exam and to build confidence. I would never give up on a child. When I read the step of 'What have you learnt' it all made sense. Why have I not been asking myself this question when a problem arises at work? I've totally skipped this step. I see the problem and I want an action plan to get a solution. But very often we can't work out that solution if we haven't taken. Step back and looked at ourselves as as well. In this scenario, when I thought about what I have learnt, it became clear. I have learnt that this child needs to learn in a different way. That it is ok for me to go off lesson plan with him and find different ways to engage him. That if he wants to run around let's create a drama game that involves running around. Therefore my plan to resolve the matter is this. Firstly I will speak to his mum. I only work at this school once a week so have never met the parents. I want her to be aware of the situation but also she may be able to help as well by sharing information about his likes and dislikes. I need to create a lesson plan that is high energy with lots of fun drama games where he is still learning but it feels like a game to him. I need to BE MORE PATIENT and see it as a challenge instead of n annoyance. It has also made me think about the importance of exposing drama and theatre to the young. For many, they will never pursue it as a career but it's key that we make their experience of theatre and drama and fun and memorable one. My boss is always saying that....we want them to love the arts and support the arts for the future. I feel so much better about this situation now and am actually quite excited to teach him next! I really need to use this technique more as I can really see in benefiting my work.