Part 2...The Reflective Practictioner

As I am currently writing my reflective journal I wanted to share what I am learning so far. Understanding how you work as a person is extremely important as personally I always strive to improve and grow. Writing this journal is really helping me notice my actions and thoughts during a normal day. Especially when teaching classes I make sure that all my thoughts and actions are noted in the journal so I can improve.
So far, I have defiantly noticed an error in my practice about how my thoughts are on the next job and what is happening in the future. Recently I have tried to slow down and concentrate on the job in hand. My professional practice is my future, so always needs improving and I am trying hard to reflect on my actions.

Reflecting on my actions is slightly difficult for me, I feel being a dancer we never write anything down all our work is in our brain. Our practice is based on muscle memory and repeating the same thing is normal. Trying to change and adjust is a challenge therefore, as I am an action girl and very hands on taking a step back and thinking about my actions is a test. Reflecting is helping me and making me understand my work.

Researching and reflecting on Kolb's cycle made me decide to try different experiments instead of staying in my comfort zone. Taking some notes and using 'Concrete Experiment' and 'Active Experimentation' to start is helping me figure out achieving the best and most efficient results.

Anyway.. I'll keep you updated.

My YouTube Clip

Check it out....

Its taken me ages as the computer is not my friend.. But it a working progress...

More Web 2.0- Flickr

1C of this Module was to create a Flickr account, Reading through some notes on Peter Bryant's post it seems like another social site. This is most interesting, I feel that Flickr is more about the photos and less about the interaction chat like Facebook. 

Peter makes a comment about photo being emotive, personal and creative, which I defiantly agree on. Photos are a snap shot of a moment in your life at a certain time. Usually the moment is a special time and by taking the photo you want to remember it. Your facial expression creates the picture, whether your happy, sad or just blank this shows the emotion your going through at that specific time. Capturing the scene whether its a holiday, memory or a work project, this also reflects on your personal thoughts and feelings. Sharing your photos on the internet can be very brave and personal, depending on what the picture contains your sharing alot with a people you don't really know.

If your photos contain work projects, then Flickr is a effective way of selling. Your profile contains your details and the photos contain your personal work. Just like a CV or Showreel, Flickr could be the next way for maybe Photographers or Artists to showcase their work.

I am still getting the hang of using it but you can check it out....

http://www.flickr.com/people/sonal_patel/

Self Management

Basically, yesterday I was lost, however, closely looking at the Handbooks and Readers several times, I realised what we are suppose to be doing. As I have been away from academic studies for a while I got slightly lost with all the modules and parts. After some observation and contact with Sophie Douglas, I decided to contact Paula and check that my line of thoughts was correct. Making me feel alot secure, Paula assured me that all my thoughts were correct.

Looking into my decisions more, realising that I had been actively using some "Self- Management" by using my initiative to contact Paula and Sophie to figure out my problems.
This course is based on self management, containing time keeping and self study. Doing this course can get you lost and defiantly on a tangent.

This has shown me that without even realising I was managing myself effectively.

Here is a Wikipedia on Self Management...See what you think. You'll find out that you come across this in your daily activities and it doesn't even crossed your mind!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-management

The Rise of the Video CV....

Regarding Rosemary McGuinness notes on 'Digital CV'. I looked more in-depth to the article as I found it extremely interesting, this seems to be a modern way of looking for work. With my own professional practice I use showreels and videos, Maybe now I should think about adding to my Showreel with dialogue.
Taking off in the States before landing here.  Currently everything is about standing out, This article I found uses a quotation from the movie 'Legally Blonde'.....

See what you think....

http://www.recruitmenttimes.co.uk/video_cv_gocv.php

Take look at this, two different video CV's with different ideas. One contains all the professionals and what employers want, the other more of the art and references.

'Do Web based technologies enhance professional practice?

Regarding Paula Nottingham's notes from Session 1, I added my own thoughts,

From my professional experience, Web based technologies for professional dancers/singers/actors/teachers such as social sites Facebook, Myspace and Twitter and also profile sites DancersPro and Spotlight are a beneficial way for enhancing professional practice.These sites are mainly used by artists and agents. The sites are use to browse and find the best people for the job, by browsing uploaded CV's and Showreels. The sites are very accessible to new artists coming into the industry.

Using Facebook as one of my main sources for jobs and updates on classes, this was firstly my personal site but now has turned into a work based site. Daily I receive jobs from a group call "Professional Commercial Dancers" and from other agents such as "Mark Summers," "Headnod" and a choreographer that I know "Mark Battershall. The groups have casting breakdowns, teaching jobs and many more. If new to the industry, this is the best way to build your CV without an agent/agencies. Most agencies are on Social Sites, however once you have an agent they will send you jobs directly with a head start before it broadcasts on Facebook.

There are also profile sites that us professionals use, Spotlight and DancersPro are sites that list your Credits, CV, Photos and Showreels for employers and clients to browse. Again this is another site that is Web based, which enhances our chances of getting work. 

Social sites are not the only way of enhancing your professional practice, YouTube is a site allowing you to upload videos and showreels. Along with being a Dancer, I teach regularly and I find exploring choreographers a helpful inspiration for getting ideas. Using only the basics and expanding my own style on top. I find this a positive way to enhance my professional practice by watching others.

Here is a video example of what I watch on YouTube. Two famous American choreographers, Lindsey and Craig Duet and Teresa Spinosa.

See what you think!

Going through the Readers

Still getting the hang of this Blogging....

Just been reading through the readers and especially Reader two- Reflective Practices.

This is a quick post, currently just reading through Reader two and I am finding it very interesting as this reflects alot on myself. Kobes article about the cycle of learning on Blogging. This is exaclty how I set up my blog by researching, looking at other peoples blogs, changing it as I got more knowledge. Many of my ideas came from Reflective Observation and then expanding with my own thoughts and knowledge that I already know (Concrete Experience).

Recently many of the new elements that come into my life are always built on Reflective Observation and then expanding. I found using other people foundations and then building my own ideas has worked for me in my present and also in my past.

 Just thought I'd share my thoughts as I found it interesting and I would have never known that someone could pick up on this cycle.