Online Module 1 Session 3 – Networking

During the session yesterday, we discussed two main themes of Module 1 in part two and three: reflection and networking. For me personally, the realisation that ‘we are not alone in this world’ really stayed with me throughout the session and continued into my own work on task 3b. Networking is about identifying the differences between us, seeing how we fit into this puzzle and then expanding our world and what we know by connecting with other people.

Paula asked us to draw circles on a page and try and fill them with our different communities of practice to create a diagram of all of our communities. I found that this really enabled me to see I that I have many more communities than I had previously thought. I have mentioned that I struggle with networking, but seeing these communities in a visual diagram on one page allowed me to see that I have been networking throughout my training and career so far. Now I just need to expand this by finding ways networking on a wider level – across different schools in my area, across my county and amongst other performing arts teachers.

As Tom said, by compartmentalising our networks it made it clearer to see which group we would call upon for different purposes and tasks. At the same time, we considered that a group should never be discounted because sometimes these groups over lap and interlink. You may never know when these crossings will happen.

We discussed briefly the work of Lave and Wegner (1991) in relation to being a novice in a work situation. This resonated with me because I remember when I was new to the Academy. I first had an induction, started my job and learnt many of the skills required to fulfil my post on-the-job. After a few terms, I had gained more experience and therefore was given more responsibility in the English side of the department. When I began teaching drama I felt like a novice all over again! I felt like I was almost teaching in a different school because of the age gap in the students (from working with Year 11 to then working with Year 7), the group sizes (from small classes of 1-6 to 26 students in one class) and the subject too (English to Drama). It made me realise that you do not have to change the environment you work in to become a novice again, just the task that is required of you!

Ultimately, we decided that networking is about survival and networking is about finding the means to survive in the tough recruitment industry we work in, in whatever shape of form, to be the best professional that we can be.