Reflecting and moving forward...

Yes it’s the end of another academic year and I’ve completed reviewing all my personal, professional and departmental targets...the evidence for progression has been accumulated, documented and filed away. Do these documents make me a better teacher or is it the doing in the classroom and out that make me a more proactive teacher and reflective learner? The documentation, we are told, shouldn’t add more burden to our daily loads, since it is just a formal way of expressing that what we are already doing...and why does it have to be the painful process it is perceived to be...another of the to-do things on our lists that might not necessarily enhance our teaching and learning? but perhaps educators haven't considered the interactive and visual ways we communicate...perhaps this is how we ought to be evidencing our work? Can blogging make the processes less painful...



There’s certainly a record of progress to look back at...we can see trends, we become forgetful of the good things we do, we see activity, we invite discussion and we see the vision and direction all headed towards improvement. Surely this is a good thing...Look at Leonardo Da Vinci and his inventions and notes on the human body as they developed. Did they not move him forward? Look at the diary of Ann Frank...did she not work through her emotions and feel reconciliation through her ability to express her fears? And what of the artwork of Kelly Rae Roberts, Teesha Moore or Maitha Demithan...do they not grow as individuals through reflecting on the personal experiences which are manifested in their visual expressions of the self and of the progress being made? Are these individuals just geniuses or have they grown and developed from their very own recordings of events and experiences? Some of us are very fortunate in being able to share our experiences in complete confidence with our soul mates. But these are largely intimate and often manifest themselves as shared private verbal exchanges and through them we surely grow...But the communication of experiences, emotions, joys and difficulties to a public who choose to listen are often expressions of the self and of progress made that make these people more than just visionary thinkers, but also doers.

What better way to communicate and treasure one’s experiences and share our gifts, processes and outcomes other than through a reflective journal, diary or blog...

An 'aha' moment

I’ve had a thought… an ‘aha’ moment…(now that’s a good name for a blog ~ Ania’s ‘aha’ moment blog~). We often say an art viewer might look at a piece of art work and see a part of themselves in the work. They will interpret the artist’s work in light of their own experiences. They shall see reflections of their experiences in the artist’s work. The artist might not had ever intended to convey the message or symbol read by the viewer but their experience interprets what they see in an art work.
Similarily, can we not say that when we meet another person or come to know another person that our subconscience decides if we like this person or not based on reflections of our own personal (and I would say emotional) experiences. If we like a person is it because we see our own love, happiness and joy reflected in the other person? If we take a dislike to another is it because we see our own failings in the other person? Does it not follow then that if others are unkind to us they are merely seeing reflections of themselves? And for the people who are always kind they see only kindness in the other? So if you are experiencing or suffering from others' negative behaviours perhaps look at your surroundings. Change them if you can and work with others who have a positive outlook on life and they shall see only positvie things about you and accept you for whom you are .