Reflective Practice.

Reader 2 gave an interesting insight into the ways in which we learn, and the importance of reflective practices as a key tool for understanding and learning from experience. Having experience and then reflecting on that experience, are the means by which we can start to come across new ideas and the means by which we can learn something new.

Kolb's Learning Cycle shows the importance of being able to identify that you have had an experience and the importance of having tools to be able to reflect on that experience. The cycle is used as on- going with one point leading to the next.

I thought back to when I created my BAPP blog and how I had gone about doing so. Firstly, I watched a tutorial on Youtube that covered the basics on how to set up a blog, add pictures and links etc. I then looked at my peers' blogs, to get ideas about layout. Lastly, I began creating my blog and played around with backgrounds, fonts and colours. In this case, I think my learning style was 'active experimentation', whereby I started to learn as I was trying out ideas.  

I found Kottcamp's views on reflection in action interesting, and the idea that the profession I come from has an impact on the way I reflect. Professional artists are used to being the 'sole collector/ authority' on their work and ultimately they decide what they think of it.
As dancers, we are constantly critiquing ourselves, watching our movements in a mirror so that we can perfect them. After a live show, I would often reflect on my performance. If I had got a step wrong I could be quite self- critical. I started thinking about how this affects my work in my current practice and if I am now overly self- critical due to my artistic background.

I recently began writing my 'journal'. After reading Lisa Axelson's blog, I realised that an online journal writing 'app' was an option I hadn't considered, or even realised existed. I looked into an app she mentions, 'Evernote'.
After considering the different options as to how I could record my thoughts and feelings, I decided a hand written journal would be best suited to me, my time and my resources.

Writing a journal or diary isn't something I've done before, and I have always found it quite hard to articulate my thoughts, feelings and experiences. Perhaps that is why I had such a strong connection to dance from a young age, as this was my outlet and way of expressing myself. I also use other physical activities such as spin classes and playing netball as a way of clearing my head, or 'puzzling through' things.

I recently interviewed for a job role as a recruitment consultant. Part of the interview process was to attend an 'assessment centre'. This involved participating in various activities such as; role plays, group discussions and written tasks. At the end of the day I met with the manger to speak about my experience of the assessment, which task I found the hardest, which I found the easiest, what I could have done better, etc. After the meeting, I realised I could have reflected in more detail and therefore expanded on my view of the day. I decided to begin my journal with writing about the assessment centre and how I felt about each task and my reasons for participating in the way I did.

My reflective journal will be used to support a process of 'critical thinking'- 'active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends' (Dewey, 1933).
My aim in using a reflective journal is to draw on my practice as a professional dancer and to learn from my experiences: how I work best, what style of management I work best under, which aspects of my professionalism needs improving etc.