Task 2C

Well, Reader 2 really did blow my mind. Without even thinking about the Reflective Theory, I realised that in so many ways I have been using reflective practice for many years now. Whether it be at work, home or even on a journey, I am always ‘reflecting’.

Realising that there were so many different theories of Reflecting, yet again I decided that the best thing I could do was link my own way of reflecting at work with several different theories.

When I very first started to work in a school, I was under the impression that everyone fell under the umbrella Visual, Auditory, Kinaesthetic learning (VAK, Gardner). This to a larger extent is true; however there are some who sit outside this umbrella. My feelings  were that I was a Visual learner, show me how to deliver a lesson and I will copy – jobs done! I did not realise that my lessons were so different from my mentor. Yes, I have a taken mass instruction from her and used her wealth of knowledge to base my lessons on, however after every lesson, I evaluate (or reflect) and then start to think…….’what went well?’ ‘What went bad?’ ‘How could I do this better next time?’ Looking at Reader 2, I really feel that the way in which I work falls best under Honey and Mumford’s Four Stage Model (1992) adapted from Klob’s four point cycle.

Let’s look at an example

Having an experience.

I have a child with severe SEN needs, however in the modern day we live in, he is still expected to be at National Average when the dreaded Ofsted come knocking. So, its exam week at school, I have been assigned the task of levelling Bert (name changed there). Bert cannot sit in a regular test environment as his concentration span will not allow him to. After this first half an hour of him sat in such conditions he had not even managed to write his name on the paper, let alone open the booklet and start reading. (I feel I must point out here that Bert did not have a cast iron Statement so has little in the means of ‘help’ on a 1-2-1 basis due to funding etc)  Frustration set in for myself as there MUST be something I can do to help to get Bert a level. THIS WAS MY EXPERIENCE

Reviewing the experience.

With these test been internal and for ‘setting’ next terms classed, I pondered on how on earth I would even ‘level’ Bert. Talking to the numeracy leader we reviewed Bert’s work from the last few assessments, and started to draw a conclusion.

Concluding from the experience.

The conclusion was plain and simple – Bert could not sit in regular assessments with his peers, however he has to be assessed, but how………

Planning the next step

This took several hours of research to find an answer. We planned to take Bert into a room where there would be just me and him. We would work through the curriculum with me using such things like teddies, counters, 2D and 3D shapes etc. If the curriculum stated ‘level 1A, Sort shapes in a variety of ways, colour, sides and angles. Rather than having to draw lines from shapes to the set they belonged to in a booklet, we would see if Bert could do this using aids. Such was the same for counting up, one more one less, ten more and ten less. To record the results, I would highlight the things he could do. To evaluate what we had recorded, this would be assigned to the numeracy leader, for her to conclude a level of where Bert was.

I have also noticed that I have been using RIA and ROA (Schon’s Reflection IN action and Reflection ON action) are also things that I use on a daily basis. SO, reflection IN action happens when you reflect/respond to what is happening as it is happening. For example, my Year3/4’s have just done  a Viking Musical called ‘Hey! Hey! We’re The Vikings’. Dering rehearsals I had done extensive planning of the script and choreography, however, when it came round to blocking the staging and learning the choreography, this was not an easy task. Responding to what was happening right NOW, was the result of me tweeking/changing/re blocking some of the numbers and scenes. Without even knowing I was RIA’ing!