Reflective Entry 8


Reflective Entry 8: Reflect on how you have changed your practice during your Postgraduate DCL journey.

Digital Learning has always been a passion of mine, and I have been lucky in my teaching career to have been supported by a principal who was like-minded. In embarking on this learning journey my expectations have been exceeded with great enthusiasm. At first, I thought I’d come to classes and get some ideas on what I could use in my class to further engage my students in learning using different digital tools, platform etc. However, I found that it was all of that and much more.

Throughout this course of study, I’ve garnered many eye-opening truths about the kind of classroom leader I am and the kind of classroom leader that I want to be. I have learnt that keeping a positive, agile, and flexible attitude can be interpreted as having a growth mindset which is crucial to developing into the teacher that I need to be in order to encourage and facilitate learning at a deeper level, that engages my students with 21st century skills and knowledge.

During MindLab I have learnt excellent research skills and how to critically analyse research, how to gather evidence and make hunches that are purely evidenced based. Growing my expertise around the spiral of inquiry and how it should be used to inform, and direct practice has been beneficial to my practice, increasing my confidence in administering this practice as part of my pedagogy. Before starting MindLab I thought that I knew all there was to know about inquiry practice, but I soon found out this was not the case. In improving my practice, I have gained a new sense of professionalism that I believe has grown into something unstoppable. My thirst for self-improvement and becoming the best teacher I can for my students has seen many positive changes in my practice.                 “Agile Leaders discipline their inquiry processes by seeking and harnessing evidence of impact throughout the change process”, (Breakspear, Schools, Education, & Kong, 2016, p. 69)

In conclusion, what I am most proud of is my new ability to critically reflect on my own practice, which is evidence based and without favour. The ability to analyse data whilst always reflecting back on what I need to change, within my own pedagogy first. Having Balance - Keeping an open mind but not wildly chasing rainbows and unicorns at the same time. By using evidence and reflection to determine decision making which in turn, should bring the desired outcomes for learners. Being brutally honest with myself has brought substantial change to my pedagogy as a whole.

“Why waste time proving over and over how great you are, when you could be getting better? Why hide deficiencies instead of overcoming them? Why look for friends or partners who will just shore up your self-esteem instead of ones who will also challenge you to grow? And why seek out the tried and true, instead of experiences that will stretch you? The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.”
― Carol S. Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology Of Success (2008)

References:
Breakspear, S., Schools, A., Education, T., & Kong, H. (2016). Embracing Agile Leadership for Learning – how leaders can create impact despite growing complexity.
Dweck, Carol S.. (2008) Mindset :the new psychology of success New York : Ballantine Books,




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