I like to assume that my thinking and my writing are linked. Writing, for me personally, is one of my favourite ways to express how I feel; to get ideas down to come back to at any time and when I am ready to explore them further. Putting pen to paper or typing away on my laptop are reflective tools within which I can get lost in my own thoughts and enjoy documenting whatever is of interest to me in that moment.
I like to write EVERYTHING. Lists, schedules, study notes, cards, essays; no matter what it is I just love to write. So when I discovered that Part 2 of the BAPP programme surrounds the use of reflective writing and learning I was thrilled.
Looking at Task 2a, it requests that we take up journal writing - perfect! I actually used to keep a journal when I was training at Elmhurst School for Dance. Every night before I went to sleep, I would document the events of my day adding in my thoughts, feelings and anything that I felt was of importance. Picking those journals up now is like a throwing myself back in time! Old memories, thoughts and feelings come to the surface and it is such an incredible way for me to revisit my first time training away from home. It's so strange to read what you were up to in the past and how you were feeling. Obviously I was much younger when I first started my journal writing so it's fascinating to witness how I change and mature throughout them.
After having a few years of not keeping one, I was so pleased to read that Module 1, Part 2 of the BAPP surrounds keeping a journal. It is believed that journal writing can encourage development and a consistency in learning within whichever professional field you are involved in. It is also viewed as a fantastic and more personal platform for reflection and one that can be used to support your thinking at that time.
From the BAPP reading list, I downloaded and had a look through 'Chapter 1: Using Journal Writing to Enhance Reflective Practice' by David Boud. This section of his book 'Promoting Journal Writing in Adult Education', surrounds how journal writing can assist in reflective practice and what circumstances give way for journal writing to be utilized.
Aside from Bouds' exploration of how journal writing can enhance learning, I was more so interested in his research into what sort of learning/working environments fuel a person's desire to keep a journal. He has separated these into 3 categories:
'Reflection in Anticipation of Events'
This places emphasis on what we can do before an activity in order to get the most out of future events that we will be involved in. Boud asks the learner to think about:
What intents and specific goals do we bring to the event? What are our expectations of the event and the outcomes? How strongly do we hold our intents, and will these blind us to other possibilities of which we are as yet unaware?
(Boud, 2001, p 12)
In this case we can use a journal to explore what we perceive to be ahead of us, how we feel about it and what we want to achieve from it. It means we can go into an activity having already familiarized ourselves with the possibilities of what lie ahead and how we can exploit them to their greatest benefit for us as individuals.
Preparing ourselves for future opportunities is a valuable tool which can be implemented into our lives through journal writing. I like Boud's statement; "Journals allow us to practice imaginary scenarios" (Boud, 2001, p 13). How many of us have attempted to plan out and envision in our minds how a certain event will play out? I think that it is a way for us to maintain an aura of calm and remain in control of a situation that is essentially unknown to us until we are actually in the midst of it. This takes us nicely onto the next method of reflection through journal writing...
'Reflection in the Midst of Action'
Through noticing, intervening, and reflection-in-action, we can steer ourselves through events in accordance with what our intentions are and with what we take with us to help us through the process.
(Boud, 2001, p 13)
Noticing
Intervening
Reflection-in-action
Intervening
Reflection-in-action
Three terms which emphasise how, whilst in the midst of an activity, we can make the most out of what is happening around us by engaging with and constantly reflecting on what is occurring.
We are often too quick to make an assumption about something once we have seen or experienced it in action. Doing this certainly hinders our ability to benefit from the experience and continuously reflect on what we are gaining from it. To break down this barrier created by our assumptions, we need to be open-minded, involved, willing to intervene, and be able to contribute to the activity in a constructive manner.
'Reflection After Events'
Finally we move onto potentially the easiest method of reflection, and equally if not more of an important method; reflection after events. This can be simpler for us to do as the "immediate pressure of acting in real time has passed" (Boud, 2001, p 13), and we have the ability to record, in more depth, our "feelings, emotions and decision making" (Boud, 2001, p 14). It allows us to return to an experience when we are perhaps in a more relaxed and familiar environment without the pressure of other individuals working around you.
Reflection after an event is often a quiet time where you can sit and pour out how you really felt, whether you took advantage of or shied away from an event, and whether you felt that you brought anything positive to those around you. This form of reflection can be done in any way you find most comfortable. Boud mentions the use of "images, sketches, poems and the use of colour and form" (Boud, 2001, p 14).
Of greater interest to me is Boud's mention of using "stream-of-consciousness writing, in which words are poured out without pause for punctuation, spelling, or self-censorship" (Boud, 2001, p 14). I feel that a reflective tool such as this would be really useful for me as I often over-think things before writing them down. I tend to prevent myself from expressing what I truly want to purely because I am thinking too much about what I am actually writing rather than just allowing it to happen naturally. If I could just let go and allow my conscious mind to speak, I would probably discover far more about myself and how feel, and also become engaged in a far more effective reflective practice.
My Journal
I brought a new journal last week, sat in the library at the university campus, opened it up and asked myself "where on earth do I start?". As usual I was over thinking what I wanted to write instead of just openly expressing myself and getting out whatever on earth it was that I wanted to in that moment.
Starting up a new journal at a completely different point in my life is difficult as I almost view it as a habit that I got out of when I left Elmhurst School for Dance. This wasn't something that I did purposely I had just kept one for so long that perhaps I became bored and preoccupied with other things. It can become something that you get hooked onto and genuinely really enjoy. It can become a way for you to just let things out as you almost feel as though you are talking to another person who you can trust not to expose what you are revealing. This is certainly the point that I reached with my journal writing in the past and I hope that through this process I can once again immerse myself in the activity so that it becomes second nature and something that I do not have to think so hard about.
I'll update you soon with my progress!
Lil' Blogger
McKinley, Adesola (2015) Reader 2 Reflective Practice BAPP Arts, Middlesex University
Boud, David (2001) Promoting Journal Writing in Adult Education, Chapter 1: Using Journal Writing to enhance Reflective Practice, John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
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