Reflection

2501 - Professional Learning Journal Assessment (PLJA) – Mentoring Description This reflection relates my first mentoring session of year 2 DTLLS on 07 October 2010. I was pleased with how my relationship with my mentor had developed over year one and we had both agreed to devote more dedicated time to meet during year two. As a result, I was meeting Nadia at her home, in order to avoid work distractions. I found myself really looking forward to this meeting, eagerly organising my year 2 file in preparation. I also researched all four year 2 modules and earmarked two sets of PLJA’s that I was keen for Nadia to feedback on and had thought through the areas that I thought I needed to work on in order to succeed in year two. Why did it happen' I think that my mentor and I both really looked forward to this meeting and had prepared well. I knew the areas that I wanted to review and had thought them through beforehand. My mentor knew that I was pleased with my progress in year one and was keen to build on this in year 2, with this in mind I think that she wanted me to think about and acknowledge the successes and consider how I could build on these. I had prepared the areas that I felt would be the key in achieving more in year two but these were not strengths they were my weaker areas. We started off reviewing year one and I was able to highlighted several high points but was keen to close in on my weaker areas: • Critically analyse theory and accurately reference • Write effectively within the word count My mentor was keen to explore more fully what had gone well. She had noticed a change over the last year and acknowledged that I really enjoyed going to college and that I was enjoying my learning. She suggested that looking at strengths and building on these as well as just focusing on perceived weaker areas may make a bigger difference to my year two performance. Never totally comfortable talking about strengths I found it quite difficult to identify too many strengths. My mentor suggested that it would be a good idea to use a framework to facilitate our thinking and discussion. At work we train managers to use a number of theories to help with strategic planning. A popular technique that we introduce is SWOT analysis. My mentor suggested that this may work in this instance. I know this framework and agreed to work through this. Analysis Reflecting on my mentor meetings to date I was able to see how they have developed. Initially, when I first started on the course they were fairly short and focused mainly on my feelings and general feedback on what I was doing. Overtime as I was getting more immersed in the learning we would talk through specific topics and my mentor may suggest reading or techniques to help me. Towards the end of year one the meetings became like mini coaching sessions. I have reflected before on my mentor’s skill in questioning and coaching. Scales (2009) states that a mentor differs to a coach because they have more experience, skills and knowledge than the learner. Coaches help unlock natural ability, increase self responsibility and self coach. Whilst I don’t necessarily disagree with this, I can see that my mentor acts mainly as a coach in our relationship. Although more experienced in some areas, she rarely offers solutions. She will always help if I ask; however, she will try to coach me in order for me to come up with my own solutions. Reflecting on the topics covered, I could see that I normally chose the area to discuss, normally because of a need to chat a specific issue or topic through. I had been through a journey in year one. I can relate this journey to Berne’s transactional analysis theory. I am a parent at home and feel capable and organised. I am also an experienced team member at work and other colleagues regularly approach me for help and advice. Embarking on this course thrust me in to child mode and it was initially uncomfortable. Gravells and Simpson talk about the child state making you feel small and afraid. It wasn’t this extreme but everything felt new, I didn’t feel confident about what to expect or of my ability in the early days. This transferred over into my relationship with my mentor, I felt a little silly acknowledging some of my fears with her when I am normally so competent and controlled. I think that I am normally conscious when I am in child state and always try to respond or move adult state but it isn’t always possible. I think that when everything was new on the course I had times when I feel overwhelmed but I couldn’t at that point share those feelings with my mentor. Utilising the SWOT framework widened the discussion with my mentor significantly. We didn’t flip chart the outcomes but did jot them down and this process along with my mentor’s questions enabled me to picture year two much more clearly. The discussion around strengths was particularly powerful as I didn’t focus on just my personal strengths and therefore felt more comfortable about talking about successes. We talked through motivators for the learning and qualification and for the first time I was really able to reflect back and acknowledge that my learning was having a direct positive impact on my job. Previously I had been unsure regarding my motivators. My initial reason for starting to study was the ability to get a job in FE and have the school holidays with my children. I was far from certain that this would now be my chosen route and instead acknowledged my motivator was to learn more and become a more effective teacher. This combined with reviewing the opportunities in the forthcoming year both on my course and at work resulted in me leaving this meeting feeling very motivated. Reviewing the weakness and threats was also very useful. Threats required me to talk about some of the difficulties I faced last year and how I could avoid things happening again. The discussion around this area highlighted that it wasn’t my ability to critically analyse theory that was holding me back, but the time that I devote to reading in the first place. I had highlighted a big risk for year two was around continuing to work in the same way as I did for year one, not devoting enough time to read, research and contrast and just sourcing high level theory that would do the job. Moving up to a level 5 qualification along with my desire to produce written work that I am really proud of will require me to devote more time to this area. The process of getting to this point required me to admit some of the short cuts that I had taken in year one. Rather than judge this, my mentor enabled me to see that by balancing my commitments I had achieved a lot in year one and rather than be hard on myself I should celebrate this. She did however; agree the need to step up this year was a good observation. Action Planning I left the meeting feeling very motivated but also clearer in my thinking. I had been able to visualise the year and had anticipated things. I felt in a string position, this was a marked difference to how I felt this time last year. The process of under taking a SWOT analysis had resulted in some far reaching thinking. As a resulted I found myself reflecting a lot of the next week or so. I revisited my KPSC’s and undertook specific action. • Planned in module deadlines on the family calendar, earmarking study days • Booked holiday to provide “child free days” to study • Reviewed my work and study programme to highlight very busy periods • Committed to reading/research time every other week to broaden my knowledge • Committed to take a risk in respect of referencing different sources – prepared to make a mistake • Committed to submit my first assignment to my mentor for proof reading and feedback in respect of critically analysing and sourcing/referencing data • Joining a gym to factor exercise into my routine – something that I missed in year one Review I am now another month into my programme and things are progressing well. Although I am extremely busy at work, I am managing my time to allow for reading and my written work. I feel that that by devoting more time to reading and research I am building on my knowledge and as a result feel more confident when writing. I have revisited the SWOT analysis technique a couple of times, as I find it useful as a quick planning tool to consider where I am at a point and what options are available to move on. I think that this process enabled my relationship with my mentor to move to a different level. At previous meetings we have always reviewed useful things and I have taken a lot from the process. However, although I think I am quite honest in my personal reflections I don’t think I have always shared some of my personal thoughts with my mentor in the fear of being seen as incompetent in areas and sometimes lazy. My mentor is very capable and really thorough. At times I have had to do just enough to get an assignment submitted, something that my Mentor would struggle to do herself. This process enabled us to talk through some of the wider issues, including the (numerous) demands on my time and as a result my Mentor has a much clearer picture of my journey. I was really pleased that this process enabled us to talk through some of the wider issues as my mentor was able to offer really good observations and suggestions.