Task 3d:Critical questions and issues that emerge

Since beginning the course I've tried really hard to be open minded about any ideas suggested and also about myself. This is the first time, really, that  have been so often reflecting on my actions past and present or considering the best way to improve myself. I would say my current reflection has led me to find that actually I am not as engaged with the industry as I should, nor am I as well networked as I would like. I’ve found from reading other blogs, such as Anastasia Hadjigeorgiou and Melanie Brown,  that I have a lot of similar networks to other recent graduates (such as teachers, family and fellow college graduates) which gives me some comfort, but at the same time that is more worrying than anything. I think though at times my engagement has been limited or slightly distracted, thanks to my new found reflective consideration I can at least see the faults and can endeavour to fix them. I will plan more, and mingle more and have for the past three weeks been much more spontaneous and I think it is there that I will find I am meeting more and more relevant contacts.
For the most part my ideas on the industry and my concerns that go hand in hand with those ideas are shared by those on this course with the same aspirations. However those with different aims and goals are possibly more relaxed. I think for me, teaching is something I have never wanted to do but seeing the work of Bobbie Pingram and Sarah Robinson,  see that they have their own stresses and views on the industry, just their take on reflection is possibly more substantial as they have a steady job to see, think and improve on. At times I’ve allowed my current position as a student with out professional work get me down, but reading the blogs of Chelsea Johnson, Ellis Higgins and Melanie Brown, I see that are similarities do go beyond just our professional area of work. When Anastasia wrote about her 'Britain's Got Talent' audition, it was the hope in her blog that I could relate to, not just the audition itself.
I think sharing and communicating with others can really change how you think or behave. Social constructionism suggests that we create our own meanings of the world through social interaction with others therefore it is inevitable that on a course that is constantly making you think about things you wouldn’t normally question, the ideas of others on the course are going to affect your opinion. The thing is, we all know a lot, however sometimes we have opinions that perhaps we didn’t realise we had and the BAPP course is always encouraging extra thought, extra consideration and always question. Never accept things at face value. Due to this, those half ideas, that we own but never really considered and haven’t yet fully formed finally begin to come to life after lying dormant for however long. They begin to be moulded by ourselves and others until eventually they evolve into a real thought or idea that we have settled on as ‘makes sense’ or ‘acceptable’.
I wouldn’t say that critical reflection helps you decide what matters, well perhaps for some it does. However, I filter information as I get it. Being dyslexic, I don’t like having irrelevant information to deal with, I only want to know what's necessary. I use critical reflection to remind me of ideas I get when considering the facts. I think critical reflection is great to help develop and form new ideas that otherwise wouldn’t have got much thought.
Theories and concepts from others are helpful without doubt. If of course you are open minded enough to give consideration to other peoples ideas. During section 2 of the module, I found that some theorists just managed to articulate what I was already doing, but hadn’t ever assessed. For example, I found that 'Kolb's learning cycle' was completely relevant, I had simply never considered the actions and cycle of thought in any depth before. It was from considering Boud's theories concerning turning experience into learning that I have managed to reflect upon my three years of training. In 1916 Dewey suggested that in order to have an experience, we must first be aware we are having one, and that once we have accepted this and have full engagement with our lives, we are better members of society. Upon reflection I am able to see that he is right. I can look back now to lots of occasions and say 'if only I'd realised at the time..' or 'yes I did my best there, I did everything I could'. It is only with this use of the theories combined with my own reflections that I am now able to begin to change myself for the better by engaging fully at all times. Before I began the module I had no idea how much I was missing by not fully engaging with any situation or myself. I was living with the intention of getting by as I always do, rather than the intention of continuously learning and growing as a person and in experience and I think that is where this module has taken the greatest affect. Though I haven't managed to change everything yet, I have found out more about myself and about learning and gathering knowledge so I am now able to let the changes take effect. I really think I've learnt a lot from becoming open to reflection and the self praise and self criticism which essentially must come with it. I also feel that I am now a lot more open to meeting and enhancing my ideal network which will be a massive benefit to me in the long term.