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Facilitating Reflective Practices for a Change in Learning Modality

One takeaway from the MAPP programme for me is cultivating reflective practices.

It is a process of learning new self-questioning behaviors that make you open to new views.

I still remember when Liz Lerman’s Critical methodology was introduced to me during an improvisation class at Independent Dance year ago. I found this process provoking, almost irritating, as I did want to have a right or wrong feedback. That was not the point. I was not used to carve out answers from my own reflections, hence the difficulty of a new learning framework.

Comparing myself now and the beginning of this journey, I can clearly see the change I have made thanks to the ongoing self-reflective modalities MAPP proposes.

Tutorials and feedback have been nourishing places for me to be in.

I have gradually allowed my rational, pragmatic mind to enter into a constructive conversation with my tutor and the students community. Creating the space for a real dialogue exchange with my tutor first, then taking moments to further thinking over the meaning that came from that conversation, has safely scaffolded, in Moon’s terms, my understanding and naturally answered my questions.

My answers have welled out from within, through a curious, greedy and humble will to know and search more on my interest topic.

Non receiving straight answers to my questions, but being educated to self-reflection, searching and drawing out meaning from my unique thinking, has reinforced my sense of agency in deliberately using research methodologies in Module 3. Above all, this has helped me enjoy the research process, even when I felt absolutely disoriented!

In conclusion, a gift from this MAPP programme I will always treasure is independent learning. It is an active process I am involved in, and especially it’s not a solitary, rather a transactional awareness to build, like Dewey stated. The willingness of facilitating and creating new knowledge from both sides myself, a student, and my peers and tutor, have accelerated my deep transformative acknowledgement of my potential as a student, therapist and movement educator.

NASA’s Visions of the Future - Artvee

"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." A. Einstein



Comments

  1. Elly13 March 2022 at 10:01

    Dear Paola,

    Thank you for sharing this reflection! You seem so grounded and centred in your independent learning journey, and it is beautiful to read that! :)

    I am very happy for you. And I hope this keeps beautifully nourishing your learning journey also after completing your Master's Degree :)!

    Reading about your process made me think about my journey too...

    I don't think I am there yet, where you describe... or maybe I am...just...I don't know if I can close the gap I see in between independent learning and formal academic learning...

    Talking about Liz Lerman's introduction to her 'Critical Response Process', it is somewhat hard for me to see "opinions as just opinions" in a formal setting where I either have to grade someone (as a teacher) or be graded by someone (as a student)...

    Somehow "opinions" in this setting tend to have repercussions on people's lives (positive or negative), and they can impact one's self-confidence in an extremely powerful manner, especially in the formative years of a young student...

    So I wonder...is this approach a successful approach in all learning environments? Or is it best suited for peer review and informal settings?

    Would love to hear your thoughts on this, if you feel like sharing! :)

    Again, thank you so much for opening this topic to reflections!

    Have a wonderful weekend!

    Elly

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