REFLECTIVE PRACTICE AND CHANGES IN PRACTICE.


What a journey the last 32 weeks have been! One that has seen me grow professionally and personally. Although my husband has referred to it as a ‘divorce diploma’. I read somewhere that the brain was like a muscle that needed to be worked out, just like the body. My brain certainly had the full fitness/boot camp workout. 
Osterman and Kottkamp (1993, p.2) suggested that “reflective practice is viewed as a means by which practitioners can develop a greater level of self-awareness about the nature and impact of their performance”.  I have, as a consequence of this Mind Lab programme, moved from having a fixed mindset to employing a growth one. Carol Dewek (2015) stated that a growth mindset wasn’t just about effort but also about trying new strategies and seeking input from others when you’re stuck. 

The Mind Lab course has given me new knowledge, countless strategies, many opportunities to create digital and collaborative goals, and to take risks. If someone had said to me ten months ago that I’d have a Twitter account, be active on Google+ or be researched orientated, I would have dismissed those ideas immediately. 
Travelling this Mind Lab road has shaped me into a forward focused learner who has discovered so much about myself, my teaching and the possibilities that the future may hold. I am more aware of my professional practice and have learnt how to think more critically about what I’m doing and why.

Looking at the PTC (Practising Teaching Criteria), I will focus on;

Criteria 6: Conceptualise, plan, and implement an appropriate learning programme:

Reflecting on the leadership, digital and collaborative components of the Mind Lab Course, I will promote the abilities of my students to become digital citizens. I now have the knowledge of leadership theories and styles along with a raft of new technologies to implement appropriate 21st century focused learning opportunities for my students. Osterman and Kottkamp (1993, p.2) suggest that, “awareness is essential for behavioural change”. Reflecting on my new digital and leadership knowledge, I am confident that the programmes I will continue to implement for my students, whilst promoting an interdisciplinary approach, will ‘tick the boxes’ for encouraging learner agency, collaboration and engagement and meet the five e-learning competencies. See Figure 1 below. 

Figure 1. The Five e-Learning Competencies.


Criteria 4: Demonstrate commitment to ongoing professional learning and development of professional personal practice:


Through Mind Lab, my tool box contains what I need to rejuvenate my teaching practice. I can see many opportunities to grow, with that knowledge morphing into opportunities for my learners. I won’t be stopping here. My aim is to continue building my PD through online opportunities offered by Google+ communities, Facebook and Twitter. I will reflect on my practice by using both the Spiral of Inquiry (Timperley, Kaser and Halbert, 2014) and Ruben Puentedura’s SAMR model. Osterman and Kottkamp (1993) commented that “attention to practice is the means toward the development and refinement of theory”. For me, addressing Criterion 4 will be more authentic, as I now have a deeper understanding of where professional learning/practice can take me. I now see it as more than something I need to ‘tick off’ my Practising Teaching Criteria.


My Next Dream:

My next dream has already been partially realised as I have been awarded a Study Award for next year. The impetus for applying for this was that, on attending Mind Lab, I could see that I had become quite stagnant in my professional behaviour. I had a fixed mindset and was looking back, not forward. I enjoyed the research and study, seeing my potential as a learner. I could also see how to implement my new learning effectively in my classroom to advantage my students. My plan is to finish my Bachelor’s degree so I will have something on which to sit this Post Grad diploma. Mind Lab has given me tools and a direction. I am going to ‘own’ my growth mindset and let it guide me. Completing a Master’s degree, is on the ‘dream list’ too, though that decision would require some more reflection.




REFERENCES.

Carol Dweck Revisits the 'Growth Mindset'. Retrieved from: https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/09/23/carol-dweck-revisits-the-growth-mindset.html

It’s Not How Good You Are. Poster. Retrieved from: http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/develop-a-growth-mindset/

Keep Calm and Dream Big Poster. Retrieved from: https://www.amazon.in/DREAM-POSTER-WALLPAPER-ART-Inches/dp/B072QX4QY2
Ministry of Education (nd). Practising teacher Criteria and e-learning. Retrieved from: http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/
Osterman, K. & Kottkamp, R.(1993). Reflective Practice for Educators. California. Cornwin Press, Inc. Retrieved on 7th May, 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.itslifejimbutnotasweknowit.org.uk/files.
Spiral of Inquiry (Timperley, Kaser and Halbert, 2014). Retrieved from: http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Pedagogy-and-assessment/Evidence-based-leadership/The-spiral-of-inquiry


The Five E-learning Competencies. Retrieved from: http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Teaching/Curriculum-areas/e-Competencies


Comments

  1. UnknownNovember 5, 2017 at 8:45 PM

    Great reflections Janice. Congratulations on your amazing Mindlab journey. Good luck with your study next year. I know you will knock 'em dead. You are a natural at this!
    I want to thank you so much for being part of my Mindlab journey. I was really humbled by the kindness and support you gave me during my darkest days. Empathy, such as you showed me, is one of the most valuable lessons I am taking away from this experience.

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