What is reflection?
“Learning from experience”
(Spalding, 1998)
little extra guidance therefore I continually tried to paint a picture in their minds to remind them of the Party atmosphere which is present at a carnival this encouraged those that struggled to relax and were able achieve the aim.
Negatives- I find generally that behaviour seems to deteriorate towards the end of the day, especially with the younger ones, this was definately apparent today. This came to light partly because its an energetic lively kind of dance therefore they get very giddy and excited which can sometimes lead to children becoming a little chatty and distracted. Although there was nothing particularly major behaviour wise it only takes 1 or 2 youngsters to have an affect on the dynamics of a whole class. There was one class however where this was apparent...my final class of the day, where I found myself constantly picking a few individuals up for lack of concentration & being rather chatty. It cases such as this I try to 'nip it in the bud' so to speak, however this does bring me to thinking is this really my responsibility if members of staff are present in the sessions?!
How does this learning link to the competencies for my job?
I believe that the lesson preparation and my understanding of the dance and what I hoped to achieve is clear and reasonable. I need to be able to adapt quickly as there is a vast array of abilities even within the specific year group from school to school.
My competencies were confirmed to me in a number of areas including knowledge of dance, ability to communicate, to encourage the children in their quest to learn and in maintaining discipline amongst other competencies.
“Thoughtful deliberation”
(Tickle, 1994)
“systematic, critical and creative thinking about action with the
intention of understanding its roots and processes”
(Fish and Twinn,1997)
In this task we were asked to refer to the Reid & Moon framework, however after reading the reader and looking though the Library and researching I struggled to find a specific framework outline. My research lead me to finding ''Reflective practice Reid (1994)'' and ''A Framework for Reflective writing- Source Jenny Moon University of Exeter'' I have used both of these plus other journal/log frameworks as a benchmark including ''Reflective learning log (Jane Williams & Pam Cowley, Mid Devon Working Group Approved DMT Sept 2004)''
What was the event?
Todays event was a South American/ carnival themed workshop where the children were expected to take part in learning a short routine which would be performed to the rest of the school at the end of the day. Sessions were 40 minutes with class sizes of between 25 to 35 students aged from reception to year 6 (4 to 11)
What was I expecting to learn (if appropriate)?
At every workshop I intend to look and develop my own teaching style to insure I keep a fresh approach and maintain high standards in each respective school I visit. taking into account different types of school needs including ethnic , religious and cultural considerations. I look to find the most effective and fun method for the children to learn as in my opinion fun is vitally important in a learning environment .
What have I learned?
Positives - Children in the main were fully engaged, with few becoming distracted. Some children excelled as the style is quite free and energetic, However a few did required alittle extra guidance therefore I continually tried to paint a picture in their minds to remind them of the Party atmosphere which is present at a carnival this encouraged those that struggled to relax and were able achieve the aim.
Negatives- I find generally that behaviour seems to deteriorate towards the end of the day, especially with the younger ones, this was definately apparent today. This came to light partly because its an energetic lively kind of dance therefore they get very giddy and excited which can sometimes lead to children becoming a little chatty and distracted. Although there was nothing particularly major behaviour wise it only takes 1 or 2 youngsters to have an affect on the dynamics of a whole class. There was one class however where this was apparent...my final class of the day, where I found myself constantly picking a few individuals up for lack of concentration & being rather chatty. It cases such as this I try to 'nip it in the bud' so to speak, however this does bring me to thinking is this really my responsibility if members of staff are present in the sessions?!
What is significant about this learning for me?
I became rather frustrated today as I felt I had to keep reminding specific children in one particular class to be quiet or stop chatting on several occasions, again this leaves me questioning whether this is what I am there to do. I recognise that I have to keep a good hold and control of the classes I teach or else the learning will suffer, however my main purpose is to teach Dance not to impose discipline which should already be set in place especially when class teachers and support are present. Although I have no problem imposing discipline and control, I feel my main purpose is to deliver a fun, exciting creative workshop, mainly given to the children as a reward which I don't want to make negative with constant references to discipline by myself.How does this learning link to the competencies for my job?
My competencies were confirmed to me in a number of areas including knowledge of dance, ability to communicate, to encourage the children in their quest to learn and in maintaining discipline amongst other competencies.
How will this learning change my practice?
I will continue to have a range of options available at my fingertips for future lessons within both choreographic aspects and warm up/game sections.
What were my feelings about what happened?
I was worried about treading on other people's toes with respect to reacting to pupils behaviour. There were two members of staff in the room during the specific session and they did not seem to take the initiative to clamp down on persistent disruptions to ensure it did not escalate. I felt that had I been in their position I would have intervened. I need to perhaps question my standards and whether they are too high
What were the feelings of others involved?
I believe that my work was valued and received well, many were very impressed with the amount and variety of material presented in such a short space of time. Very impressed with how the children retained the choregraphy for the performance and danced with enjoyment. The performance was good the children seemed to enjoy the performance themselves.
What evidence do you have?
Positive feedback, A sense that both the school and I achieved what we set out to do. Formal feedback reports are a part of the post delivery process and a written feedback is provided. The official feedback document has yet to be seen.