Professional networking is something that I have been engaged in more than ever over the last year. Throughout my final year at English National Ballet School, I was having to contact Director's about jobs; look into what I wanted to move onto next and contact those of relevance; and just generally try and get myself known. The BAPP course however has opened up a new world of social media and online communication which I was previously quite unfamiliar with. Therefore I am able to engage with greater success and better grasp what is happening in my contact circle and beyond.
I feel that I have been generally focused, planned my time well and been aware of what tasks I should be completing and when. I do like however that a lot of what I then write about in my blogs is unplanned as I will spontaneously think of an idea or a concept that I wish to express and further explore. Having a blog is so valuable in this respect as you can, in little time, get something out there on the web for others to share and comment on.
Are your ideas, position or concerns shared by others within and/or beyond your professional area of work?
I have mentioned in a previous blog of mine of the concerns that both my colleague and myself sometimes have whilst teaching young children. Running alongside this are the ethical issues that many teachers experience on a daily basis. It is being able to find that very fine line between being encouraging, enthusiastic and fun; and being more disciplined, honest and in demand of respect. As I work with children, it is also essential for me to maintain privacy and professionalism online; issues which again many teachers must face as they wish to protect the young people whom they work with. I am definitely much more aware of how I want to come across online and what information I am comfortable with sharing so as to protect myself, my colleagues and the students.
Does sharing ideas and communicating with others shift your thinking, planning or practice?
Sharing and communicating my ideas with others does not necessarily shift my planning in an immediate sense as I very much like to have already planned in advance and adopt ideas along the way that will help me to reach my end goal. However having feedback off others definitely shifts my thinking allowing me to explore other areas that may contribute to my final goal. I really enjoy experiencing twists and turns in respect of the direction of my thinking, and having others to communicate with so easily adds in an extra twist here and there! When you allow others to influence your thinking it is surprising how many new and enthralling ideas can be discovered.
Does critical reflection help you decide what really matters and the actions to take?
I have found critical reflection to be such a practical tool in terms of being able to critique myself and others. It is often easy to get off track when your ideas are running wild and you simply cannot wait to get them down. To be able to critique yourself in this situation to bring forth the ideas and concepts that really matter and are to be of use to you, is a really good skill to have. Equally, being able to confidently comment on others' ideas in a constructive manner can help you to refine your own perceptions as well as theirs.
In terms of taking action, I have been able to reflect on past situations where I have acted and not achieved the desired result. Once again, by being healthily critical of myself I have been able to, in more recent situations, assess how I should act towards a particular situation in order to get the most out of it.
To what extent do concepts and theories assist you in thinking about your professional networking in different ways? And do these different ways of thinking have some purpose for you?
Whilst working through Module 1 of the BAPP course I have absorbed so many new concepts, theories and methodology combined with previously unfamiliar terminology. Picking up on these theories definitely assists me in finding starting points for exploration as well as adding greater depth and meaning to my own areas of research. Prior to starting this course, I had little knowledge on the differing methods of professional networking that have been highlighted by various individuals. It is quite fascinating to explore each distinct method and use them to think about how my professional network functions.
Are you left thinking differently prior to this part of the module? And if so, how?
I am finishing this first module feeling more confident about using online resources and presenting my research in a way that I feel comfortable with. My next task is to complete my Critical Reflection and I am looking forward to concluding what I have learnt and reflecting on how I have expanded my knowledge, made new contacts and discovered areas that I would be interested in pursuing further for my final inquiry.
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