TASK 1F: Journal Writing Experience

TASK 1F: Journal Writing Experience

Having had time to get into the swing of writing my reflective journal it has been made clear that I have my own style of writing that sort of uses a variety of ways mentioned in the Module Handbook. This is similar to my discovery in TASK 1G for my Reflective Practice in which I discovered I use elements of reflective practitioners such as Kolb, Dewey and Schon's in my reflection in action as well as after the event to get a better result. I'm happy to see a correlation with my learning as I feel the best way to develop and improve is to use a variety of tools you have available! (That was slightly off topic, apologies)

I found certain ways of journal writing, when trying them out, far harder to extract feelings when reading the entries back than with others. The ways that were more personal and in the moment of a specific event helped me more to re-live the moment when looking back. I've decided to, in list form, briefly explain how I found the ways to write a journal.

Description: Being such a perfectionist, I initially thought that this would be my style of choice before trying the options. The entry from this style was detailed in exactly what happened, where, and even had mention of me wearing a "short sleeved white shirt, rolled up at the arms with black jeans and boots". But in terms of reflections on how I felt and what I feel went well it lacked. I could see the audition room again, the panel, the pianist, but could not recall my feelings or the vibe I was getting from the product team. It's a great way to remember a place and layout, although in terms of reflection, other than the detail of the event and guide to recalling the steps of it, feelings for me seem detached.

Initial Reflection: As I mentioned (unintentionally) in my TASK 1G post, this is the way I mostly structure my entries. For me it's freshly written down, explains how I felt through each part and is aware of how my actions changed from the reaction of the panel. However at some points I found the entry to be too vague on the build up pre and post the event, but was great at revisiting my mood and feelings!

List: Everyone that knows me will know I LOVE a list! I have them for everything - to do, shopping, things I want to achieve, places I want to travel, restaurants I want to eat in... ect ect. But at the end of this entry I found I had a huge list of things and feelings that went through my head, what I saw, everything I did... and then saw I should make an extended list! Ha. I couldn't get to like this method at all no mater how much I love listing things. It was a huge collection of nothingness by the end with no specific detail or emotion attached with any of it. Lists will be something I leave for my shopping...

Evaluation: For me Evaluation was by far the best way of writing! It encompasses all aspects in a easy to note down way with good detail:feeling ratio that wasn't hard to recall at a later date. Unlike 'Description' writing it was more summative and gave a better idea of the whole day where detailed thoughts where important. This is now a large influence on how I will structure future entries.


Those were the ones I successfully tried, the other three really didn't work for me! I believe this to be as I was following the order of the module guide. By the time I got to the last 3 I already had a very strong idea of how my entries would now be structured. Mostly following the Evaluation and Initial Reflection ideas. I feel so much happier about my own entries having tried a range of styles, that's what's so great about uniqueness, what works well for one doesn't necessarily work for all. I'm looking forward to reading comment and blogs about others findings on this task to understand better others approaches!



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TASK 1G: Critical Reflection On Reflective Practice

Task 1G: Critical Reflection On Reflective Practice.

With working in such a competitive industry, self reflection and evaluation is always something I've done and be very aware of...having said that starting the course and reading through the mateial has opened my eyes to far more ways of evaluation and theories behind it, which to be honest I had never really considered them before now!

I fully agree with the reader, defining reflection as a tool for understanding what has happened and growing and learning from the experience. BUT had no idea there are so many ways to do so. Having looked at Kolb's Learning Cycle it's clear to me that I am a Active Experimentation Learner. Which I believe most Actors would be? There is no point me sitting there and planning a character, rehearsing to myself how I'm going to say something or planning a reaction to how I 'assume' the actor will deliver me the line. It has to be organic and natural. Which is done for me through DOING. 

Although out of a rehearsal room I have a different approach. If I have just come out of an audition for example the way in which I would reflect on how it went would not be initially through the same method. Kolb may best describe my reflection in the rehearsal stage, although after the event I would say I use different techniques. This shows me that for many years I've been using Donald Schon's concept of reflection-in (and on)-action very frequently without being aware of the theory behind it. The way in which I would conceptualise an audition would be by reflecting as an 'informal and personal activity for it's own sake'. I do this by 'taking the unprocessed, raw material of experience and engaging with it in a way that makes sense' as described by Boud. I digest what went well, what didn't and WHY?. Then HOW can I improve next time? I then get left with what I have learnt from the experience. Dewy believed that education (i.e- learning) runs parallel with consciousness and engagement. I fully support this thinking as throughout my training in acting, being an acting teacher myself and having been lucky enough to have the chance to showcase my talents in the form of professional work I have seen first hand the effect FULL engagement and interest can have on a learner, making a huge difference to the development of the subject as well as the ability to fully reflect on events within, in comparison to someone non engaged as the passion, drive and interest isn't there - as Einstein famously said ""Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."  The same works with talent within the arts, or any other matter. Reading up on theories about reflection and different ways of learning really made me understand the quote so much more!

To conclude my thoughts, as with acting techniques from various practitioners with different things to add to my 'tool box' of how I approach work, Reflection works the same. After carefully reading thought works by various authors I'm now aware how I mix pieces of many of their techniques to make a way that works for me. Which is, in my opinion, the best way. Use the knowledge you gather to find your own way of learning and growing from what you've learnt.

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Using journal writing to enhance reflective practice, 2001, David Boud, Jossey-Bass, San Fransisco