Communicating Learning

I don’t know what it is about “reports” or “communicating learning” but whenever this rears its (ugly) head I seem to go into headless chicken mode and get all panicy about it.

Something that springs to mind is a session we had with Ben about maintaining our professional capacity even when we are under pressure and that this ability is what will make us individually and collectively great.

A week ago I know I lost a vast chunk of my professional capacity when it dawned on me I had to write 22 comments and take 22 photos to share with parents (with hindsight that is not a lot to do!). I am proud of myself as I did ask for help but then I didn’t really appreciate the help I was given as I felt it wasn’t “right”.

Having come out of the other end of this particular tunnel I can now see that I blew the task up so it seemed way bigger than it actually was, and although I did my usual list writing to help me all I needed to do was just get started. Once Claire pushed me to get started the task wasn’t actually that bad! Having read and re-read the comments and battled internally with the present and past tense of some of the comments I’m actually happy with what I have achieved and am feeling quite confident about the meetings next week – that I do actually know my children well enough to talk to them and their parents.

Oh so Blue!

Analysis of the Herrmann Whole Brain Model shows me as very blue – logical and analytical, and whilst this isn’t a surprise, I didn’t think my blue side would dominate quite as much as it does. 

Before our results were given to us we had to pick words that described us and at the end of the game we had to have 3 words that best described us and one that didn't. These were mine:

Ben asked if Rob would agree with these words, and he did! I was also asked what would I be like without the red "Enthusiastic" and my response was "boring" so I can see that all four quadrants build us up to be who we are.

I have to keep reminding myself that this is simply a preference and doesn’t mean that I’m not any of the other quadrants. I do have several concerns - that I will;

• pigeon-holed as “the blue, logical one”
• Meaning my other sides aren’t valued or heard
• discount my own red/yellow think as “not as good” as others in the team have higher scores in those quadrants
• favour those children most similar to me
• not value myself as a teacher and learner as teachers are traditionally much more red than I am

What this analysis has done is underlined for me why I have to spend more time and energy building relationships, that I have to give more credit to my emotions rather than bottle them, and air my ideas as I do have some good ones!

It is up to me to make sure my concerns don’t hold any weight and these concerns are all are linked in some way to relationships, which is one of my goals – either relationships with children, their parents or the mentoring team. So it is on my radar as an area in which I want to develop this year – perhaps if I do the test again in the future my blue side won’t be quite as dominant!

As a team we are very well balanced which is fantastic as it means that when designing for learning we will ensure that all children are also catered for.

A new year, a new beginning!

My first ever day 1 of term 1. Amazing – so good to have children. PD was fantastic and putting some of what we talked about into practice is great. Loving having to have to think not just do, loving the adaptability I’ve found from somewhere – didn’t stick rigidily to a plan when it didn’t suit the kids. Such a difference in groups of children some who have done 2 terms and others none. All in all a great day!

Week 1

An exhausting week! Fantastic to re-affirm the relationships established from last year and to start building deeper ones with other children I didn’t mentor very much last year. Some real characters in my mentor group and I hope by spending the time now establishing routines and setting expectations that they will soon understand how things will work!

Itching to get started with “real learning” which is silly as building relationships and routines is learning for them and the “real learning” can’t actually happen until these things are set up. Plan for week 2 is to start easing them into the WoRM subjects which is quite exciting. Have to keep reminding myself that most children have only been at school for 2 terms and so don’t have the skills (yet) of some of those who have gone to Coronet.

Must also focus on learning parents’ names and contacting them for the good their children do.

Love the learning centres but do feel that we need to structure them more although a couple of readings on the benefits of play based learning keep popping up in my head and I probably discount much of the learning as it doesn’t seem structured, they can’t be learning…hmm, must get over this!!