As a youth worker, I consider myself to be a reflective practitioner. Used to reflecting on my practice, whether face-to-face work, training or coaching, mulling over what has happened and what it means is part of the professional culture. Don't think I could do it any other way really.
However, thinking about where it comes from in terms of whether it's from an academic or professional perspective or perhaps something that's a bit of both. I think that it could be just simply being able to ask the question 'why' or 'how' in relation to things that happen: the ability to be able to investigate further, check out...
The rewrite process that I've just done enabled me to not only to reflect at a distance on what I'd written, but also to reflect again and further refine my question. Reflecting last night on how I've processed the feedback that I'd received and how I'd processed this, was useful. It's got to be about learning, about being interested in what the feedback means, a curiousity about my own learning in relation to the perspectives of others. Otherwise, you'd go under!
I have learnt more from assignments I have been asked to rewrite than those I have passed. After I get over the uncomfortable bit, I begin to doubt myself a bit - this is when I really make progress. This realisation of 'learning best from a position of uncertainty' came during one of the 'reflection' sessions I have been encouraged to make space for as part of the EdD.
ReplyDeleteReflection represents a significant opportunity for professional growth and that perhaps is why I am so enthusiastic about blogs like this. I am trying to do something similar [www.learnerosity.com], and finding it really tough - it must be good for me!
One of the things I have reflected on when reading this is the role that a potential audience plays in my writing. Your thoughts come across as being really 'free' - will gaining attention change how you write? If so, is that a good thing? If so, how can I craft a greater sense of freedom in my writing?
Your posts are good food for thought - keep 'em coming.
I guess posts will change if I think I have an audience! However, I've read lots of blogs where people do seem to be able to put themselves out there. It's an opportunity to talk from the heart I guess, although there is that awareness that professionally one has to keep some boundaries.
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