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Just wanted to wish everyone a
HAPPY NEW YEAR

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Task 3d

The module to me so far has been inspiring, I have learnt so much about networking and its importance to my professional and personal life. Before this module I could see the importance of reflective practice and am really enjoying using my reflective journal but I found to keep posting my thoughts on my blog extremely time consuming and then having to read other blogs and comment on theirs when I could be reading and researching myself.  I now see the benefits and its importance in sharing ideas and communicating with others as this shifts my thinking, planning and practice to think more about the topic of conversation helping me to come to a conclusion that has been carefully considered. I am also going to make that extra effort to go to the campus sessions to get to know everyone.

Task 3c: Sources of information

My 5 most important sources of information are:

1 Goggle

2 IPhone

3 Facebook

4 you tube

5 Blog

1.       Google

Through Google I can do just about anything, I seem to be using Google a lot more since starting the BAPP course, I am aware of its benefits and the ease of using this tool, I find it hard to think of life without it. The benefits it as on my life is invaluable. Online email service Gmail the Google Document Office and Google+ social networking service. You can research anything. It certainly helps our education as it’s so easy to find information out. Google’s products extend to the desktop as well, with applications such as the Google Chrome web browser, the Picasa photo organising and editing software, and the Google Talk instant messaging application. These services help me to keep up with the busy life style I lead.

2.       IPhone

My iPhone is extremely important to me it means that information can be found easily whilst on the go without taking a lap top everywhere with you. Sending and receiving emails booking of events confirming and of course using the phone to make calls. All the amazing applications that are available finding cheap deals book holidays, shop, restaurants, and having games and music is means that I couldn’t now live without my phone.

3.       Facebook

Using Facebook is a great marketing tool for my dance school, students are able to chat away about events and achievements , I have found friendship develop with students who dance on different days, which is really nice to see the older students giving the younger students advice and help. It’s also good for inviting Facebook users to the dance or drama shows.

4.       You tube

You tube is very important to me. I use you tube to search for new styles of dance and when I am choreographing dances to give me new ideas which inspires me to open my thinking

5.       Blog

I really enjoy using my blog and reading other blogs which inspires my thoughts and sometimes can completely change my thoughts. It certainly helps with the BAPP course to know others are at an easy reach to discuss learning and thoughts. I do know that I haven’t been writing on as many blogs as I would have liked which I now understand to develop my learning I need to be more involved in other blogs.  

Task 3b: Theories relating to networking

Hi Everyone
Had a lot of trouble downloading this!!
Hope you enjoy :)
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1HyC6VjCTJsBOUcC0-sbEUMe5oLtkoDQGIEG-btLsjKg

Task 3a: The Networked Professional

Before starting the BA (Hons) course my knowledge of the different ways of communication were extremely brief, the most advanced I dared to explore were emails and facebook and they was scary enough. I feel my lack of knowledge and not seeing the benefits of the tools available kept me quite shaded to a whole new world of fantastic marketing professional /business opportunities. I wasn’t arrogant to the point of not wanting to learn as I am rather inquisitive, but knew it would be time consuming and I had heard so many different stories about people hacking personal information and found some information published could be quite detrimental to my career I decided to steer away.

After starting the course I have been using facebook in a different way not for my personal networking but for my dance school I use this for students to see what’s going on, school achievements activities photos. All photos that are put on facebook are with written consent from parents or a guardian. I have found facebook to be a great marketing tool for my business to advertise a current event for example shows and trips. Facebook is also a lovely way for new students with less confident to get to know each other, which helps students to bond and feel settled in the dance school. For me using facebook on a professional level has not yet had any drawback, so to keep on the safe side I will remain optimistic.

I have really enjoyed using my blog although I haven’t used it enough this term but plan to in the future. Living in Stoke-on-Trent we have a stream of teachers, I am able to approach them with questions regarding students, syllabus questions or for advice, they have always been either a phone call or a simple drive away. This is all well and good but most of us have similar backgrounds so agree on the same. Since having my blog I know understand how important this tool is it enables in a safe and friendly way to find different views from people all over the world who are from diverse backgrounds who may have more experience and knowledge than me, I find this exciting so I am able to be open minded to my learning allowing students to gain the best possible experience of dance from me.       

Twitter is the next tool I want to get familiar with and use for my dance school to help further develop my networking and marketing my dance school.

People use networking for all different reasons to save time, research quicker and promote themselves or a business to keep up to date with the latest information, meet new people to engage in conversation with others share ideas or research. The web is a huge tool if you know how you can gain and learn from other professionals my only question is can you trust who they say they are.

I would like to see one page with all information that is customised for my needs for example diary, blog, facebook, my web site, emails, BBO (the British Ballet Organization) , online banking to name a few, that require only one log in to get started which with my hectic lifestyle would save me time. Not sure how or if this is available but it’s something that I will be looking into, in the near future.    

When at the School I am unable due to blocked sites use facebook, my blog, twitter, my web site  which makes my life quite difficult working there all day and then to my dance school in the evenings I would have to use and carry 2 different lap tops all day with me I want to know if there is an app or someway to combine all of this together which would allow me to use facebook answer emails use twitter and blog at any point during the day this is something I need to look into which would make my life a whole lot easier.

Task 2d: Inquiry

What in your daily practice gets you really enthusiastic to find out more about? Who do you admire who also works with what makes you enthusiastic?

I gain great motivation in the way learners develop not only in a subject but also in life, seeing less able students achieve their personal best in class by achieving a professional equal dance environment, seeing students from all back grounds dancing in the same room helping each other inspires me to want to maintain that motivation through the more difficult adolescence years. I have many teachers that follow good conduct I find the more inspiring teacher to be one who is able to manage a class showing equal respect to students who is able to be approachable allowing a fun but disciplined learning environment.  

What gets you angry or makes you sad? Who do you admire who shares your feelings or has found a way to work around the sadness or anger?

The most anger I have felt is losing both my grandparents in the last year due to illness the pain and heartache we all go through is beyond me. What makes me so sad is one minute your life is great and within a second your whole world as turned upside down, seeing others who have lost parents friends etc.

 My mum is extremely easy to talk to, even though she was shocked and heartbroken as my grandparents both passed away within sixteen months of each other , my mum comforted us, she is understanding , calming and fun to be around. My mum has a lot of empathy which I wish I had.

What do you love about what you do? Who do you admire who also seems to love this or is an example of what you love?

Gosh this list could go on and on I’ve bullet pointed a few

·         The ability to guide students to learn and achieve in a safe and friendly environment

·         Giving students self-belief and watching them achieve

·         Seeing students from all works of life coming together helping each other and overcoming  their fears

·         New friendships  

·         The excitement of shows and examinations

·         Always new things to learn or to develop

There is not one particular person that I admire. I admire people that are determined to achieve the best for their students being honest and fair.

What do you feel you don’t understand? Who do you admire who does seem to understand it or who has found a way of making not understanding it interesting or beautiful, Or has asked the same question as you?

I don’t understand why students at the adolescence years leave ballet to study other dance styles or leave dance altogether. Students who studied ballet at my dance school at the age of 14 plus were on average studying their grade 6/7 ballet examination with The British Ballet Organization (BBO) it was evident to me by the register that after approximately three years, students would leave the dance school giving no reason for their decision.

I and another local dance school have been asking the same question i admire the way in which she is also keen to find an answer to this to re motivate or to re inspire our students who once dreamed of becoming a ballerina.

Task 2c: Reflective Theory

Hi Everyone,
I feel this year is going far to quick!

Please have a look at my reflective theory.
Any feedback will be gratly appreciated,

Thank you :)
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1R2ttxATKRXIYiLlsSPtadjCwk1x_FvOpqgauqAxg1s4

2b 'Journal writing experience'

After reading other blogs and looking back at the summary of tasks for part 2 I’ve realised I’ve not actually completed what was asked.  I have been extremely busy with school shows, dance school shows and assessments……and getting over the dreaded flu! I really need to set aside and dedicate time to the course to avoid slipping behind.

Previously 

I have chosen to do my journal writing experience based on Moon and Reid framwork upon an event that happened only a few weeks ago that made me question can you actually combine friendship and work.

Already having the worst few years of my life, with the loss of my Grandad to cancer last year and then this September my Nan suddenly passed away.

 I went to work as normal setting up for my first class which went extremely well …. A colleague came over to me and said that my brother is waiting in reception for me; I knew straight away something was wrong. I ran to reception where he asked me to come outside then told me my nan had passed away, I felt my whole life flash…I was in complete shock .. school had already packed my bag and told me to go and my classes were covered, that was only the start of the day … I had a show planned in a month’s time I rang my best friend and told him my devastating news… he immediately stepped in and told me to be with my family and he would organise the rest of the show theatre and set. The show was to raise money for cancer research in memory of my grandad. I was so relieved he said he would help me, he took control and told me that everything was in hand, which took a lot of pressure from me.

Description

2weeks later

After work I went straight to my grandparent’s house to help with  clearing a few things out, My  friend called me like always to let me know that the dance school was running fine and the show was on its way. I continued with my family helping out, then had a call from my backstage manager to ask me who are the backstage crew for the show, I was then informed that no one had been asked … I was slightly alarmed as he had told me that all was organised. I then rang the theatre to find out the theatre was also not booked and not only that but we had no set which meant I had one week before the show went on to organise everything myself  I tried to call him and left him a messages heartbroken asking why he has done this to me. He never rang back.

Initial Reflection and list

I was so angry, disappointed and hurt but also felt so let down; I could not let this domineer our plan of the show and the charity this had to happen and would even though  I was devastated I felt so angry, scared and a great deal of loss, in that second I felt I had lost everything.

This section really helped me to delve into my deepest thoughts where no one could judge me. I could write whatever I really felt. I listed all the words I felt towards loss and how dis-heartened I felt which were all negative. As I was writing I stopped, took a break, came back and read through what I had written, I then realised that the anxiety I was feeling was quite normal, but I had forgotten to think upon the people around me my family, my students, all my thoughts surrounded me.

Evaluation

This section I found quite difficult I had lost my best friend he would obviously have found it very difficult to contact me and I him. I wish I could turn back time but being unable to do that I can only reflect what if I had of offered him more help, I felt that my reaction may have been wrong leaving an answer phone message as he may have worried, My strength and determination to continue with the show and organise everything within the week surprised me, which made me realise no matter what goes on there’s no need to panic things can get resolved.  

What if?

I didn’t enjoy writing the ‘what if’s’ at first as I felt nothing would change the events so what was the point in asking what if. I felt this was like punishing me …. Look how it could have turned out. …As I was doing this I could write for hours what if I never expected so much from my friend and I helped then no-one would be let down. What if I didn’t leave a message and waited to speak to him, would we still be friends. I used to believe things happen for a reason and you can’t change what happened but from using the ‘what ifs’ helped me to see things different. If anything happens like this again I will think back to the ‘what ifs’ and put them into practice, by the end of writing this section I could see the positive outcomes.

Another view

This to me was extremely hard to write from another perspective when I was so hurt and still feeling so angry.  I had to come back to this at the end of the day. I found this helpful to see the side from a parent from the dance school, a student and my friend. Over the whole I found that this was not my fault and that my friend never meant to let me down he took too much on and didn’t want to say to avoid my disappointment. This was a calming writing experience which was very worthwhile.

Themes

My main themes from my day were, trust, delegating, friendship, taking direction, team building, betrayal, fight or flight, my strength to stand up and put right.

I have learnt a lot from this task and will defiantly use this structure in the future, I feel I am becoming more critical about the way I think, realising events that happen during the day can be sorted quite easily by taking the time to stand back and reflect. I feel I need to be more opened minded about seeing things from another person’s perspective instead of only my way.