Neglected!!

Ok, so I know that I haven't made a post in a really long time, but that is not because I haven't been keeping a learning journal, it's just that I thought that I would try keeping a paper version for year 2, and I have to say that it was really useful, it meant that I could have access to my journal instantly rather than logging on to a computer and it also made it easier to "blog" whilst I was at work as I can't access this site from work as it is automatically blocked!

The second year has flown by and I have to say that I am looking forward to starting the 3rd year although I am planning on having a restful summer holidays so i hope that it doesn't come around too quickly! There has been times that I thought that I wouldn't make it this far but I have and that has spurred me on to completing my degree studies and get into the profession that I want. I can and I will, is my motto at the moment!

Not only do I have a motto, but I am also counting down the days until the summer holidays and praying that the warm weather returns! Although I intend for the holidays to be very restful, I am also thinking about a topic for the final year, so I guess I will also be doing some reading!

Year 2 nearly here!

I can't believe how quickly my first year of study went, nor can I believe how quickly the summer has gone! I have completed my re-registration for my second year and it's dawned on me that the studying is about to begin, so I thought that I better put the trashy easy reading summer novels better go away and the study books better come back out!

Looking back and think of how I felt during the year, I am surprised that I managed to get through it in one piece! I am very proud of myself as I think that I have grown a lot through the year and I know that I have learnt a lot, not only about the course, my work place but also about myself. I know that I now can tackle anything that I put my mind to and although I am still not the most confidence person in the world and I do still doubt myself a lot I do feel that I am able to develop myself and the skills that I already have to enable me to become the person that I want to be and to have the career that I want.

I was pleased with my first year results and I think that now that I have some basic knowledge of what is expected and the terminology, I think (hopefully and everything crossed!) that I can build on this and have a productive and equally successfully second year.

Almost there!

I haven't been blogging that much this semester, I have been so snowed under with the work that I have felt that I have not coped well with it and this I have needed to spend all my free time working on my module and not blogging although I know the improtance.

I feel that I am getting there though, mind you I have to get there the hand in day is Friday! I have enjoyed most of the module but I just seem to get myself into a panic and jsut go to pot with it all. Never mind this semester is almost over and I can get back to the books and start to read without have a tight time scale to stick to.

Plus I have just booked a holiday which has made me feel so much better!

Mixed feelings!!

I really have mixed feelings at the minute, I have had a load of problems towards the end of RIWS, from my daughter being ill and my ISP not working in my area, this caused me some real panic as I was concerned how I was going to get my RIWS module portfolio finished, but I did and managed to get it uploaded in time.

I felt that I had really let my fellow researchers down because I was able to participate fully in the forums with discussions and giving feedback, nor was I able to upload any work to ask them for feedback, which added to panic as I wasn't sure if I was on the right lines with my work. But with my portfolio submitted I relaxed and believed that I had done the best that I could do given the circumstances that I found myself in and at the end of the day, what will be, will be!

The relaxed feeling soon disappeared with the thought of getting UAI module finished! I have struggled throughout these 2 modules as I feel that I haven't got my head around the both completely and I intend to hit the books again and re-read them during the break between year 1 and year 2, to try and get a better understanding about them as I know that they are both going to play a crucial part to this degree.

My biggest concern at the minute is what to do for LO6 and the in-depth report that we have to write for another cohort researcher. I'm not sure what it is I am supposed to do, the word count is what is bothering me, 1000 words, but is that for all of it or just my learning and understanding?

I have posted a question in the forum and I am hoping that I get some clarification on it from my cohort, but I have to say that I felt completely stupid asking the question as I am sure that it is very straight forward and I am trying to complicate things, which was a weakness of mine that I identified from RIWS!

Anyway, the beeper has been going so I best leave it now and see if I have received any answers to my questions, hopefully I will have

Neglected

OK I know that I have neglected you again, and it has been some time since I last blogged! I have been so busy at work what with our mentoring schemes, parents evenings, meetings, report writing not to mention normal planning and marking. That I have spending all my spare time reading and researching critical incidents and action inquiry that I haven't had time to do anything else let alone blog!

I have found the action inquiry a little difficult to get my head around, and I don't know why really, maybe it's because I am so tired, I seem to be reading loads of different things but none of it seems to be staying in my head!! Or maybe it is because there is so much research and stuff to read that it kind of clouds into one, and merges into one! It seems that everyone and his dog has something to say on the matter!

I think that I am beginning to get an understanding of it all, I can see that there is an importance place for it in every profession and that there is a cycle process of Plan - act- do- reflect that needs to be gone through in order to achieve the outcome that you want. I know that you need to have identified that there is a problem that you would like to or need to improve.

Writing that just then I have realised that some of what I have read must have gone in to my head as I wrote it very quickly so it must be there, I just have to tap into it! I suddenly feel inspired and motivated, I feel that all my hard work and incredibly late nights have actually done some good and will hopefully pay off when this modules marks come in!!

Well it's goodbye from me at the moment as I am now heading back to my books!

New Year, New Module, New Way of Thinking

I am in the process of reading about Reflective Practice and at times I have found it very hard going and I'm not totally sure way or even if I have a good enough understanding of it all.

I think that I was struggling to begin with because I started reading Schon and for me I think that this was the wrong place to start, I found it all too heavy and very wordy, not only was I read his theory/model but I also hard to have a dictionary at my side to understand some of the words that he was using, it all just didn't seem to make sense. Then I came across a website that put his theory in a scenario. which really helped, it also explained it much more simpler terms, which has since encouraged me to find out more.

I have to say though that I really like Gibbs Reflective cycle, I think maybe it is because he takes in account emotions and feelings, which I can really relate to, especially with my job. I am often reflecting back on how a lesson has gone, looking at what worked well/not so well, trying to find ways that I can change my lesson to engage all of the students to make it a much more productive lesson.

I guess that I have been more of a reflective practitioner than I first thought!

I have to say that I have felt under pressure to make a post with in FirstClass forum, especially with me not having a great understanding of this topic yet, however I have made a post and although I haven't had any feedback from it yet, I feel a lot better having dripped my toes in the water! Having not had any feedback, I am guessing (fingers crossed) that I am not too far of the mark with the post that I made, I hoped that if I was completely off the mark then someone would have (hopefully) told me and point me in the right direction or at least helped me on the right track!!

I am intending to do some more reading and look at other theories and models so that I feel more competent with this subject, so for now it's back to the books for me!!

Over the Moon

I have to say that I was over the moon with my first modules marks, it was much higher than I was expecting and in a way much higher than what I was hoping for. I don't know if I will be able to keep up to that standard now!

I have found it very hard to contain my excitement I have felt like I have wanted to tell the world, but I haven't said much as I know that there are people that haven't done so well and I don't want to look like I'm bragging. At least it's not the end for them they can always re-submit it at a later date.

With my second modules marks out on Friday, I'm getting a little apprehensive about them, I'm not sure how I feel about it either, as I thought that this was a better module for me, so I don't know what to expect with regards to the marks. I'm trying not to dwell on it too much, but I can't help thinking what if I don't get the same or more for this module, will I be very disappointed? I'm hoping not as it is a learning curve and lessons should be learnt from it.

I'll check back in next week after I've got them and let you know how I'm feeling.