Task 2c- Reflective Theory- Part One

Reflective Theory task,

Critical Reflection

 During Part 2 of this module, I feel the practitioners and theorists included in the reader have given me a real insight into reflection, and how I can use it within my professional practice everyday, in order to improve and develop.
   I will begin with Boud's question "What tools do you need to be engaged in turning experience into learning?" (Boud 1985). I feel a great way of turning my experiences into further learning is to record them initially, then go back, look at this and evaluate way in which this can be improved to progress in the specific field. This recording of experiences can be done in many ways;
1. video-  filming myself at a performance to then go back to evaluate. You can see from an audiences/students perceptive, almost putting you in their position to see how they would have reacted.
2. Audio recording- especially when performing harmonies it is usefully to record and listen back if they are correct.
3. Journal writing- writing down accounts from the day, looking back and seeing what went well and what could be improved.
4. Constructive feedback- asking others opinions,gaining other peoples perspective. By hearing their opinion, they may have picked up on things you never noticed yourself, widening your understanding of your performance/audition/class.

    Why is it so important to use your experiences as a learning tool? In my opinion, the best way to learn is by doing, therefore the more experience you have, the more you are able to grow as an individual and a professional. However, it could be easy to simply go into things with a closed mind, assuming the knowledge and skills you have are suffice. If you never look back on the these experiences and evaluate them, how can you become a mature professional with a deeper understanding of yourself and your industry. You must look at every experience as an opportunity to grow, continuously self evaluating and striving to iron out those areas of improvement.
    This coincides with 'Kolbs learning cycle' (see previous blogs for diagram). Taking concrete experience, reflecting upon it, finding out what I learned, before trying it out again with the improvements. Honey and Mumford adapted this cycle (Honey and Mumford 1992) and I feel this technique of learning and evaluating is most helpful and a great 'tool' for 'turning experience into learning' (Boud 1985).

   I found the section about John Dewey's interest in levels of experience particularly thought provoking. Firstly he says education is a process of 'continual reorganisation, reconstruction and transformation of experience' (Dewey 1916). I feel this is interesting when considering my students and how my teaching methods transform into everyday life. One of the most important things I teach my students is self belief and having confidence in yourself is the first step of success;  if you don't believe in yourself, how will anyone else believe in you? I do several exercises to build their confidence to then transfer into stage presence for performance. Everything I teach can be used in everyday life, therefore being a 'transformation of experience' helping them in all walks of life.
    The second point I found interesting was he felt 'interaction with the arts led to a unique and valuable experience'(Dewey 1916).  I strongly agree with this point as I have taught many children who struggled at school because they were so shy, yet by being involved in the Arts, they gained confidence, transferring back into their school life, and they began to thrive both in class and socially.

   When going through the reader, one thing that surprised me was Howard Gardners theory of Multiple Intelligences (Gardner 1983). He suggests people learn in different ways according to their experiences, personality and the way in which they relate and interact with others and environments. I never thought about learning in certain ways, and only ever focused about getting the knowledge and skills learnt rather than thinking the way in which I learnt them. I took a test on (www.bgfl.org) to find out what intelligence I was, before reflecting upon my own experiences, and found I am actually a combination of several intelligences depending on what aspect of my career I am working on at the time.
According to the online test I am 'musical' which I can completely agree with when it comes to choreography and creating new pieces of work. I use the music initially, just moving freely allowing the dance movements to come to me naturally before using them and connecting them into structured phrases (see blog on stream of consciousness). However this also links in with bodily/kinaesthetic intelligence, as I use the natural flow and movement of my body to create these phrases, rather than thinking first in my head before getting up and moving.
   When it comes to teaching the choreography, verbal/linguistic and interpersonal intelligences have to come into practice, in order for me to successfully communicate my ideas to a class of students. These two intelligences I feel are essential for teachers as you have to understand people and how they relate and interact with others, in order to get the most from them, so they thrive. Verbal skills are key, as you would never be successful in teacher and helping others development if you cannot clearly communicate with them.
    I feel the intelligence I least relate with is 'naturalistic'. Although I enjoy nature and am appreciative and sensitive of my environment, I never draw upon this when learning, or reflecting upon my experiences. I also rarely use logical or mathematical intelligences. As it draw upon my bodily/kinaesthetic and musical intelligences, I feel my learning comes from a place of emotion rather than logic.