Friday, 13 May 2016

UNIT X - EDUCATOR: TOPIC: REFLECTION

Z ARTS WORKSHOP
Z ARTS WORKSHOP



DACA WORKSHOP

UNIT X WORKSHOP

POP UP POM POM'S WORKSHOP

POM POM GIRLS
UNIT X TEAM
New experiences I have come across in this unit for me was the collaboration aspect of working together as a group, in your own practices your quite isolated but yet surrounded by others of who you don’t exactly collaborate with. Another new experience was the placement- I openly admit I was not the most enthusiastic pupil and tended to stray away from school of which I could never dream of wanting to step back in one, but in that placement I realised that I would enjoy it- during that 4 week placement I saw different teaching styles to different year groups.. I realised how different teaching is now to when I was at school, the technology used now was way different to what I used and even the students are different to how I was, when I got talking to the students I had to remind them how lucky they were in this generation as I was so jealous that at the age of 12 onwards that they could use MACs, Photoshop, Pinterest, sewing machines, graphics, art history, photography, textiles and even have the experience of them having university students in the school. What I took away from the school is the passion both students and staff had for all of their futures and that subject taught. Each teacher I saw brought their own personality to the table, they teach in the way they found comfortable, they teach on how they learn. Whilst observing they reminded me of Amy Cuddys power poses of the stance and the volume of voices. What I can take away from this unit is the motivation and enjoyment of the area I specialise in and use my knowledge and the technology around me to learn something new. On the teaching side I’m still a bit wary if that could be me when I graduate, I do not want to rule it out but it definitely is something I would consider and having the placement on my CV will bring light to a job as well as having links to the school of even visiting the school again to do more.
My engagement through this unit has been throughout, I have learnt something new every day... of having talk about special needs to talks about programmes available at university and then talks on different kinds of ice breakers to get the workshops going to then the many ways of feedback and how to benefit from constructive feedback. All these quick sessions have given me new ways to look into my practice and develop it more especially the feedback side of how I can ask for specific feedback I’m wanting and different ways to give feedback in a formal and informal way.
I was given the opportunity to produce 3 workshops for very different ages.
Z arts I had most interaction in as being placed in a smaller group, I felt I had more interaction and more involvement on taking it upon myself to have visual imagery for the group to see the workshop in context as well as sharing our responsibility of buying the materials together- for the z arts work shop I would of changed to just using paint and not ink as we had very talented and hyper children that day where ink was on their hands which stained a little, other than that I felt that the activity was suitable for the age group.
Daca being the second placement now, I did have interaction during the idea process as I really went for it bringing ideas to the table of having visual imagery to go by, and once broke down again I had very strong ideas of bike wheels etc. (ambitious?) but when the idea was decided I was relatively happy with the workshop but I felt distracted with it being a continuous talk about what we were doing as others got confused with what the outcome was going to be etc.. so towards the planning stages I wasn’t very interactive or as involved as well as the actual time planning sheet though I volunteered to the dye station as I know about Brusho dyes as I work with them a lot so I would be more helpful with that station than any other but when we had to give each others jobs of when to talk through things I felt left out as it was always the same people talking and not letting anyone else have ago at it, then the same people talking over each other- so I guess I did sit back towards the end, and if I had the opportunity to the workshop again I would of argued the case of having a responsibility of talking. Most of all the group overcame a situation during the upcoming days for the workshop, due to another workshop being cancelled so we had to take on the other group, at first it was a strain as members didn’t want to join the group as they felt bad for us doing all the work so far, and then we as the original group felt more of a strain of having to include them, from how we already had our job roles sorted- once we included the group some members really did take part and came to the group talks whereas two other members really did not want to be part of it and did not respond to any messages.. so as a group we had to discuss where they will be placed in the workshop, what their job roles would be on the day as just TA’s or just taking pictures- so from that hiccup I feel that as a group we became stronger and realised that things don’t always go to plan and you have to negotiate with each other and move forward.
For all the workshops I have faced, it has to be the pop up Pom Pom’s that has really been the most overwhelming and enjoyable experience for me. The girls worked so hard to create a fun workshop. Generally all the group had felt more confident as we had tackled the most difficult workshops- I preferred Unit X workshop for it being catered to adults. I found it much easier to adapt to my surroundings in this workshop, As well as I understood the outcome and I had fun in the process- I introduced the contemporary and the product side to the workshop, which I don’t normally do in my practice until the end, but I found it much easier to work knowing what was producing so I will be taking that forward with me especially during this last year of uni as we are needing to think more of context. 
Reflecting back through this unit I have completed 3 workshops in the space of 7-8 weeks. & it all was/is a great experience to have. 
I have learnt so much from this unit:
- Child protection 
- How to plan a workshop
- Lesson planning
- How to work with people with special needs
- Working with Edlab
- Ways to give and receive feedback
- A workshop for young children (primary age)
- Charities and organisations to gain experience with and from
- Body language 
- A short 10 minute micro teach
- Placement
- Workshop for secondary school children 
- Workshop for adults (UNIT X) 

And all that learning has given me the confidence and awareness of how to work collaboratively and confidently as a team. I had a mix response on my first day of the unit as I was so happy to have a break from my course, I didn't need to do any designs, no boards to show the tutor but it was being placed in a group throughout the whole unit - That was the wary bit, but I overcame my feelings and was pushed out of my comfort zone, which now I'm grateful and glad that I had the opportunity for that.

The new discoveries I have personally learnt from myself is how controlled I was working in a group- it was independent as well as collaborative and I liked how I found stain-ability in my group of the importance of gaining a voice and always trying to be involved, from working collaboratively I’ve realised that an idea is never too small or too big as a group you can always work it out, planning time and making time together allows you to enjoy the work your producing collaboratively. 

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