A
beginning of an account of the Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) action
research and inclusion group with a contribution from Jack Whitehead
Marie
Huxtable DRAFT 2nd Nov 05
Background
The B&NES action research
and inclusion group started life September 04 and over the year has had a
changing membership with each member having unique and changing relationships
with the group. The progression of the group can be understood by its influence
on those who have been involved and the contribution individuals have made in
their turn. But it also feels as though the group has an identity and life that
is independent yet shaped by those who have formed it. It is this account I
would like to start with.
To give an account sounds
rather as though the group is mine which feels very inappropriately
egotistical. To give an account of the ‘group’ as a parent feels different. I
don’t want to stretch this analogy too far but I would like to experiment with
the idea to see if it helps me look in a way that is not egocentric but does
enable me to acknowledge my influence and improve my practice while
understanding that I am only a small part of the whole and it is an inclusional
relationship.
The idea came to me after
talking with Chris J recently. A parent has particular responsibilities and
pleasures in nurturing and supporting the learning and growth of the other
while recognising, respecting and enjoying the influence of the other in their
own learning and growth. A parent knows that they are only one of many who
influence the growth of the other but that does not detract from the special
relationship they have and enjoy. The closeness and nature of the relationship
changes and the other has a life beyond the relationship with the parent which
in turn spores and influences other lives. The understanding of ‘parent’ is not
restrictive. Some may be ‘birth’ parents others may be surrogate, foster, step
or adoptive parents, and others maybe in-loco-parentus and you can have a whole
raft of parents during your life. You can also parent many ‘others’, each
contributing something unique but entwined.
My work seems to consist of
the establishment (or giving birth to) and subsequent nurturing of many groups
and connections. It has been difficult for me using other framings to recognise,
acknowledge and understand my influence and hence improve my practice. Looking
at my work as a ‘parent’ of connections, conversations, enquiries, learning
opportunities… using a living educational theory and living values as standards
of judgment action research framing offers me a different way of understanding
how I am accountable. I have been dissatisfied with previous approaches to
monitoring and evaluating educational practice in the field of ‘high ability’
and related interests such as ‘Thinking’, ‘creativity’, learning beyond the
curriculum, and I am hoping through this experimentation I might start to
develop a more appropriate framing.
A first step is to see if this
helps me give a useful account of my part in the B&NES Action Research
Inclusion group.
The
group comprises:
The group has many parents but
the most significant from my point of view are Chris J and Jack and my account
of the group and my part in it is bound up with the influence these two people
have had on me. So, I am but one of many parents; other ‘parents’ may have a
very different story to tell but perhaps telling my story will help me and
others add to the understandings of the ‘group’, what it offers and invites,
and how I can help it grow benignly to make a significant contribution to our
attempts to live satisfying, productive lives.
Like all entities the ‘group’
has its roots in the history of its parents that stretch before its inception,
conception, gestation, birth and subsequent growth and development. Again, like
all entities, it has the potential for influence during and beyond its life
whether brief or long, colourful or apparently uneventful. In giving an account
of the group I must therefore give some account of the root it has in my own
history and the influence it has beyond the immediate.
As I said before, the group
seems to have an existence as a developing entity although the constituent
members change. There have been learning support teachers, behaviour support
teachers, parent liaison officers, EWO, inclusion manager, educational
psychologists, administrators, Head of School of Education from Bath Spa
University, head of EMS, members of school improvement and the strategy team.
The meetings have ranged in size from 3 to double numbers. Unlike an entity the
group does not have a rigid boundary. There are other conversations and
explorations I am involved with some of which are closely intertwined, such as
the action research accredited module that Jack is running for teachers, and
the ‘Pause for Thought’ Heads group, some with a more distant connection. I
will come to that later.
The
inception
Like most accounts I will not
start at the ‘real’ beginning. I will start at the conception which is
relatively easy to define. At the Inclusion Support Service Education
Development Plan planning meeting July 04 Gail Quinton (Head of Service,
Inclusion Support Service) offered the opportunity of developing an Action
Research Project – Learning and Learners; which was wonderful and anxiety
provoking in equal measure. I was excited by the possibility of being able to
progress a part of my work that I have not been able to do before.
I have become increasingly
aware of the contradiction between what I exhort others to do and what I
actually do myself. I say children should engage as active enquirers, pursuing
their questions of personal interest, in a disciplined manner, within a time
frame and with a valued outcome. I say that children can most successfully be
helped to explore their abilities and potential passions for enquiry through
engagement in different learning opportunities. (ref Renzulli). I say that they
need role models, a supportive context and we should find ways of overtly
valuing positive attitudes, attributes and achievement. I say the principles
underpinning successful learning for children holds true for adults. I am good
at telling others but not so good at doing myself; walking the talk.
I have been working to extend
the opportunities for children and the teachers and assistants, employed by
schools, to be introduced to new ideas and engage as active enquirers. The APEX
Saturday workshops, the B&NES focus days for teachers, the collaborative
creative enquiries are some examples.
Schools as organisations are
also becoming more aware that they need to do the same, but what about those in
the central staff? A few are involved in their own enquiries through
professional development but rarely share what they are doing. I have been
seeking opportunities to engage my colleagues in education as active enquirers
and to contribute to the development of B&NES as a learning organisation.
I am very aware that I have
not been involved as an active enquirer myself and as I said before I have been
looking for alternative ways of understanding, monitoring and evaluating my work
as I am not satisfied that the models I am familiar with through psychological
research or the DFES.
The opportunity Gail Quinton
offered me through the action research was therefore a golden moment.
I was not very familiar with
the action research frameworks but what I did know suggested they were
consistent with problem or enquiry focussed models that I did know and value
and that seemed to frame the ‘disciplined’ enquiries I was proposing for
children. I can give more account of the influences of Jo Renzulli’s school
wide enrichment model and Belle Wallace’s TASC (Thinking in a Social Context)
another time. The anxiety? The usual questions of doubt; can I do it, what do I
know, what if I fail…? But really nothing to loose except a bruised ego.
The
birth
So what did the Action
Research Inclusion group look like when it was born? It was respectable enough,
ambitious but fairly quiet, traditional looking with an air of pleasant
sobriety as you can see from the description in the EDP.
The first EDP contribution was
written with Gail and K if memory serves me and is as follows
|
ACTIVITY: ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT– LEARNING AND
LEARNERS |
|
PURPOSE: To build the capacity of schools
regarding inclusive practice through Action Research.
TARGET GROUP(s):
Primary, Secondary and Special (All Educators) |
|
SUCCESS
CRITERIA (including intermediate steps) By
July 2005: 1.
Six schools
will have undertaken an action research project with a view to improved
understanding of issues around inclusion and lessons for improved practice. 2.
Inclusion
Support Service Teams will be aware of the nature and benefits of action
research on inclusion and how to support schools in undertaking the research 3.
A range of
examples of Action Research projects relating to inclusive practice will be
publicised ‘on the website’, Name and Acclaim’, authority conferences etc. 4.
Accreditation
opportunities will have been identified for the Teams and Educators. Vision for the future: all schools will be
engaged in action research regarding inclusion |
|
LINKS WITH OTHER SERVICE PLANS/PRIORITIES Behaviour
Support Plan |
ACTION TO BE TAKEN |
TIMESCALE/ DEADLINE |
PERSON RESPONSIBLE |
|
1.
Training
session will be held for ISS teams on Action Research models, and how it could
inform their work with schools. 2.
Work
with Bath Spa to sign up Accreditation Opportunities. 3.
Identify
schools that might be able to build on/develop inclusion via action research. 4.
Identify
six
schools where a research partnership could be formed with a member of ISS. 5.
Action
research projects to take place. 6.
Identify
schools with examples of good practice and disseminate. 7.
Review
project |
September
04 September
04 September
04 October
2004 November
2004-May 2005 June 2005 June
2005 |
Marie
Huxtable Marie
Huxtable Marie
Huxtable Christine
Jones Staff
involved in projects Marie
Huxtable WJ? All |
Although it looks as though I
was a single parent Chris J rapidly became a co-parent with joint custody; she
was volunteered without giving her permission at the time but I knew she was
doing magic with the Inclusion Quality Mark and action research would fit well.
I had worked with Chris J in our previous lives as SENCO and school
psychologist and knew how stimulating it was to work with her. What I hadn’t
appreciated at the time was how significant an impact she would have on me and
the development of the work.
Being a co-parent to the group
with Chris J and now Jack has radically affected my thinking and practice
beyond this group and the accounts of both are significant for me to understand
and improve my own practice.
Chris J and I arrived at an
initial plan in Sept 04, had a go, revised in the light of practice, regrouped
a number of times and increasingly with Jack to our current place.
The
first steps
Chris J and I devised a plan
which she summarises as:
Session
1 What is Action Research?
Session 2
Action research methodology and process for practice
Session
3 Data sharing, analysis and hypothesis
generating
Session 4
Mentoring and supporting Action research in schools
Session 5 Participants to
share progress, access help as they need to go forward and provide support to
colleagues
The meetings were initially
scheduled fortnightly, 4.00 – 5.30. We thought we stood more chance of
getting people to come if it was out of school time and we didn’t think we
would get a weekly commitment. The initial plan would take us to February when
we would regroup and see where to next on the basis of experience. Coffee was
offered and we tried to create a conversational space rather than a formal
‘training’ type of setting.
To give it a higher profile
and to involve those above we asked the Director of Education to give some
input for session 2. He had told me he had learnt about various methodologies
as part of his masters and was willing to share that with us. Chris White was
also willing to help by giving some input and support. I had worked with him a
lot and was keen to make the connection between B&NES and Bath Spa
University where possible. Chris J had undertaken action research enquiries
before so I took courage from her and she would lead the input for the first
session. I had done a lot of work in years gone by as a school psychologist
setting up support groups and felt comfortable facilitating even if the actual
content was not so familiar.
The plan was conventional,
safe and covered the bases and Chris J and I felt fairly confident that the
programme offered something that some of the people in ISS would think useful
and would want to engage in. Initial publicity was through email and invitation
via team leaders.
Five people joined us for the
first meeting 22nd November 04.
We took notes at the meeting
and circulated them afterwards. I include those from the first meeting as they
illustrate how we tried to engage people, their interests and their response. I
have annotated to make them clearer for other readers and to link with future
developments
Action Research inaugral
meeting 22nd Nov 04 4.00pm – 5.30pm
Five present
Marie set the scene
- walking the talk –
children, teachers, schools are being encouraged to research their own learning
and develop as collaborative learners, they face the same challenges, this can
give us insights, increase our skills and provide role models
- a number of schools are
engaging in research and this will enable us to support them better as we
increase our own understanding and skill
- collaborative learning
communities powerful in supporting change
- in EDP
Chris J introduced AR –
what and why is it relevant and provided handouts
Comments recorded
show people were making the link to their work as we had hoped
– links with monitoring
our service
– similar to business
process re-engineering (BPR),
– will provide
motivation to reflect as we say we should
- fits with team types and
makes the best of strengths in the research group
Chris J has been involved with
other projects e.g. amalgamation of schools – looked at provision of
special ed of 4 children as focus, gave confidence to teachers starting to
include pupils with special needs in the classroom
– fits with shared
ownership
– database
Chris J and I
briefly touched on other cross authority initiatives that would link with the
AR and other people might want to be involved in or at least be aware of
PASS (Pupil
Attitudes to Self and School)
Creative Enquiries (teachers and children as collaborators in learning –
creative writers and mathematicians)
Inclusion Quality Mark (A dozen schools and a number of the ISS were involved in the
pilot)
3 people talked about their
Wave 3 Literacy project
- Paired reading, reading in
context
- Phonics
- Paired writing
Test – 20 weeks
intervention – retest, training
Threw up questions e.g. how to
bring about change in school as well, how to support LA progression, how do
school improvement and pupil services work together, reading improved but less
apparently spelling - why
2nd stage is being
worked on, how is programme being used, how can it be rolled out…
A team had introduced talking
partners
Agreed action
Between meetings (we wanted to try to maintain momentum between meetings)
- What else are we doing and our
teams
- Share a database of which
schools are involved in what
- Send out invite to others
– to see what nibbles we get
Next meeting (we wanted to value what people were doing, encourage them to
share and to take the AR to the next step)
- Sharing what group members are
currently doing e.g. wave 3 intervention
- Sharing ideas that people
would like to start but not sure of,
- BPR
- Schools AR data base –
- P.A.S.S and TASC –
Marie, Chris J
- Next step for building the
support group for action research
Looking at the notes I think
you can see why I feel that some people saw it as a ‘show and tell’ opportunity
rather than an opportunity for mutual support with the enquiries they were
involved in, I felt they did not want to question what they were doing and if
they did not have connections with someone else’s work they appeared to have
little interest. But at least some links were made by some people and there was
interest in continuing to the next meeting.
Then the chinks began to show.
The Director was not able to do the next meeting and we have not managed to get
him to join us subsequently. I was disappointed as I thought it indicated the
work was not of high priority or interest above Chris J and me at that time.
Not to be deterred Chris J and
I revamped the programme based on what was agreed at the first meeting. I again
include the notes from that meeting as you can see how we were still not really
engaging most of the people and this was still seen as a ‘show and tell’
exercise
Action Research meeting 1st
Dec 04 4.00pm – 5.30pm
5 present and one joined to
share what she was doing
Notes from last meeting OK
with a couple of changes
Action since last meeting
What else are we doing and our
teams? – people are doing as they can
Share a database of which
schools are involved in what – PASS list sent out with notes
Send out invite to others
– to see what nibbles we get – others invited
EDP2 not published yet –
so people not received copies of AR bit in the EDP -
Todays meeting
Sharing what group members are
currently doing e.g. wave 3
– worked on writing in
Wave 3. Produced guidelines for teaching assistants to follow across any
activity, clear, precise method based on DFES material. Anticipate growth in
self esteem and writing confidence and competence. Have a before and after to
show progress, ‘p’ levels, examples of work – some moved up a level, a
few not. Spelling, Sound Discovery and writing part of the package. 4 focus
schools over 20 weeks. Hypothesising that confidence is key – it has
short achievable objectives, introduced to assistants putting them in position
of learner.
Two people working together
now bought in by 2 schools, running course for LA based on intervention. LA
need confidence to approach teachers, LA feeling more confidence, enthusiastic,
had problem broken down
Proposal being put. May follow
up with LA – how have they done it in the classroom, what have they
managed…, how does SENCO, literacy coordinator work together – time on
task did not relate to improvement seen in Primary Strategy presentation in
Birmingham, increase in LAs not linked with rise in attainments. Hypothesis
– what this project has done is teach LAs to support cognitive engagement
rather than finishing work for child or giving unchallenging tasks not related
to objective
- thinking about where next
Sharing ideas that people
would like to start but not sure of, – started the ball rolling. She has
spoken to line manager and Chris J about exploring parent school partnerships
through Inclusion Quality Mark. Has a questionnaire to sample parents views and
looking at ways of processing data, and Chris J has questionnaires for pupils
Schools AR data base –
introduced
- had starting a spread sheet
noting practice
Chris J has started one
- offered some information
Marie has various information
folders on intranet for LBSS
could log in there
Process review
Change order of agenda
More equitable management of
time
Next time
Could do something on P.A.S.S
and TASC enquiries – Marie, Chris J
Next step for building the
support group for action research
Action
Chris J to ask line manager
about position on EDP2 , inform others , Adviser, consultants,
Meeting with line manager re
shared data base
Chris H et al taking Wave 3
proposal to other
Next meeting 11th Jan
Share what, where, how
BPR - not yet scheduled but everyone interested
There is some evidence of
engagement, a sharing of information, the beginnings of an understanding that
it had something to do with research and there was a willingness to involve
other people. However I think you can see why Chris J and I knew the original
programme was inappropriate; it was taking much longer for people to feel
engaged and begin to understand what action research was about. It is a big
shift from the other framings where the researcher, the subjects and the
enquiry itself are seen as contaminants rather than integral to the
understanding. LEA staff are also usually in the role of supporting others in
their change rather than understanding themselves as part of the change let
alone researching their own practice. Chris J and I had a rethink.
The
first metamorphosis
A new year saw the first
significant change in the nature of the group. The agenda for the group meeting
11th January 05 reflects our move in thinking away from a
predetermined training schedule to a more open sharing and questioning as to
the purpose of the group and one more responsive to the needs of the members.
Agenda
11th January 05
How action research can
transform practice. Dr Chris
White
Discussion of method of action
research projects. (Please bring along your projects or any ideas you have on a
project you are about to undertake)
What is the purpose of the
group?
How can group support each
other in their research?
Future needs of the group
Future dates
This was also the first
meeting Jack joined. Meeting Jack and going to his Monday conversations created
a seismic shift in my thinking. Jack joined the B&NES group meeting 11th
January 05 and noted the work in his Monday conversation notes 17th
January 05. My email to Jack 12th January notes the subsequent
change in the group and the first real move I made towards looking at my
practice in the way I was exhorting others to do. It also reflects the need I
recognized for considerably more sensitivity to the emotional challenge that
talking about what is important in your work presents.
Email to Jack
from me
Many thanks
for your contribution to our group in the making. I really appreciated your
involvement. Between you and Chris W I feel there is a vitality that was
missing before. I am usually in a facilitating position in such groups and I
was very aware that this time I was trying to get a better understanding of
what I am trying to do. I am concerned on reflection that I didn’t
inadvertently make some people feel uncomfortable when what is needed at the
moment is a
growth of
confidence.
This theme of the need to
provide a space for people to feel confident and the growing understanding of
the place that the affective domain plays in understanding and improving
practice comes through in an email to Jack and his response 17th
January 05
Part of the
email to Jack
‘Do I need
confidence to practice a public voice or do I get confidence from practicing a
public voice?
Where does
the sense of unease come from? Does it limit our access to learning
opportunities and restrict our aspirations?
How do we
invite people to go into those uncertain places? It felt rather like that is
what I wanted to happen on Tuesday at Riverside.’
And part of
his response
I include the notes from the
meeting 28th January 05 as they show not only the more open and
responsive form the meetings were beginning to take but also the
experimentation with a different form of documentation. Previously the
documentation was in the form of ‘minutes’ or notes, but the question of the
purpose of documentation was raised. Who should take notes, why, for whom? Lynn
commented at one point that not being able to rely on someone sending notes
meant she had to listen more carefully at the time. The reflections from the 28th
January 05 meeting was an attempt to invite others into the documentation
process to further build a shared understanding. This is a composite following
a response to an initial email.
Action
Research Inclusion group meeting 28th Jan 05
5 people present
The
conversation focused round ‘too much to do in too little time’ which arose from
a brief description (narrative) of why someone was late to the meeting although
they had wanted to come to the meeting. We shared the different experiences we
had of when that has happened and tested out different explanations we each had
for the problem and their validity - cultural pressures, personal ‘agendas’
such as wanting to feel needed, not wanting to let people down……each had a
different ‘take’, there was challenge but it felt like challenge to the
explanation rather than to the person. Other issues arose, such as: the
difficulty of trying to change your practice for the good eg to develop a good
life/work balance if it is against the culture of the workplace, whereby you
may be expected to work all hours; the use of time – managing time
– learning to work faster and more economically in order to achieve a
better life/work balance; the difficulty of breaking the pattern of habit of
how we work; guilt featured strongly in the session; people creating their own
pressure, their own busy lifestyle because of their nature. Are these people
able to change, to break away from the security they feel in the way that they
work and to take the courage to step into a ‘no man’s land’ with all its
uncertainties – even though eventually it may be for the better for self
and those we live and work with. We talked about different ideas about
different ways forward – trying out a different role, coming to terms with
personal traits that you do not want to change but make change in work practice
difficult…….Someone commented it felt like therapy. It felt therapeutic in the
sense that I owned my own problem and the solution, but therapy focuses on the
individuals needs alone rather than exploring the impact beyond self. If I
continue to rush to action then I am continuing to model the sort of behaviour
that is the antithesis of learning and in turn I put pressure on others to
continue in unproductive activity.
We
agreed to continue to explore using the structure and discipline of action
research to understand some of our own motivations and experiment with change
and how that impacts on our work.
Between
this meeting and the next we will try to have coffee moments to continue the
conversation begun and add to our narratives.
We
felt that the expertise of Chris and Jack help with finding focus for action
and their facilitating approach was in sympathy with supporting us in moving on
from anecdotes to learning.
These
sessions are proving to be enjoyable and thought - provoking. Looking
forward to seeing you at the next session:
MONDAY 7th
FEBRUARY 4.00 – 5.30 Room 1
I hope you get a sense of the
change in character of the group; less impositional and more invitational, less
mechanistic and more in sympathy with an action research ethos. The membership
of the group at this time was very small and only Chris J and I have continued
however the growth of the group in other ways is quite noticeable at this time
through this documentation and subsequent emails.
The meeting of 7th
February 05 was very small and focused on the work of a head of a service and
how she empowers her team while maintaining a sense of wellbeing. She didn’t
come again which seems to reflect the group still had some feeling of ‘show and
tell’ of earlier times but what she excited us with was very much in the spirit
of the move to trying to understand what we each value and express in our work.
Another conversation I was
having at the time concerned inclusionality and the relationship between
teacher, learner and enquiry and my thinking is caught in the email to Jack 23rd
05 (you might have gathered by now I have discovered emails help me think and
articulate more clearly than just trying to reflect alone)
Email to Jack from me
You sent
You offer acceptance of me
for what I am and push at the boundaries of what I could become. You accept
ideas, puzzlement and confusion from me as part of a process of me coming to
understand but the understanding reached seems always a new understanding for
us both. I think I've seen our work as collaborative parallelism - which was part of the
correspondence between you and Erica.
I am really excited by this. I
originally saw this as an excellent description of what a child should be able
to expect from their teacher but after lengthy discussion with a friend who is
enthusiastically engaging with me on my enquiry I think this is also a good
description of what a teacher should be able to expect from a child in enquiry focused
learning. Each has aspects of being teacher and learner although the emphasis
of roles is not the same for each. The teacher has the prime
responsibility for inviting the child into the space (thanks to the provider of
that concept for me) for enquiry, making the processes of enquiry accessible,
extending the skills, experiences and knowledge that the child can
progressively bring to bear on the enquiry but the teacher also has ‘rights’
and expectations as a learner in the enquiry. Our discussion progressed over 4
hrs and was on the back of thinking provoked over the previous week so it is
difficult to sum it up concisely yet but ‘Collaborative parallelism’; is an
excellent term to describe the whole process. We developed a picture but I am
no artist and I am a decidedly messy thinker so I do not expect it means
anything to anyone else at the moment but I include it anyway.
It has implications for how I
look at points that have arisen such as – numerous efforts have been made
over years to teach teachers to ask questions rather than give answers with the
same result. If we try to follow through ‘collaborative parallelism’ the
problem then becomes how can we as teachers make accessible to the learner the
questions we are asking of the enquiry, how can we share the construction of
the question at the centre of the enquiry with the child so we also are engaged
in learning,…The teacher in the classroom is the adult and the learner the
child, but it works the same for me if teacher is the more experienced in the
discipline and the learner the comparative novice. This is now how I am
understanding the inclusion action research group. You and Chris W are the
teachers but I would understand you also as learning from the encounter and the
rest of us as the learners but we would also be expected to contribute to the
enquiry process.
A conversation between myself
and Chris J before the group meeting when we gate crashed the end of the
psychology service meeting and had an unprecedented number at the group took us
into new territory. We had an amazing discussion about what we understood about
inclusionality and how it influenced our work over a cup of coffee and took the
enthusiasm and determination to try to try to work from where people were and
their point of passion into the meeting. The response of the group was very
interesting. It was so pleasurable that the issue of feeling guilty about
enjoying yourself at work surfaced and at least one member felt it was self
indulgent.
The meetings continued to open
up and explore what we meant by inclusion, those moments that give us a buzz at
work (Lynn’s term) and what light they threw on what we each value.
The nature of the group
changed subtly over time and has been commented on by – ‘deeper, not
better or worse but different’. There was an energy that was noticeable every
time we had a meeting, irrespective of who came,
The EDP review in April 05
focussed the mind back to the original plan.
15th April 05
ACTIVITY: ACTION
RESEARCH PROJECT– LEARNING AND LEARNERS
PURPOSE: To build the capacity of schools regarding inclusive
practice through Action Research.
SUCCESS
CRITERIA (including intermediate steps)
By
July 2005:
4. Accreditation
opportunities will have been identified for the Teams and Educators. 17
1.
Six schools will have undertaken an action research project with a view to
improved understanding of issues around inclusion and lessons for improved
practice.
Where we are:
A lot of schools and teachers
are engaged in Action Research in some form and are different points in the
process. Some have a very obvious question focused on inclusion but as Action
Research is about ‘how can I improve my practice’ all such work must come back
to deepening an understanding of inclusion and how that translates into changed
practice as it is fundamental to what we are working for.
Do we need to collect specific
data on who is doing what? We did think about this early but the mechanisms
then would have required one person and a lot of questionnaires etc. which few
have the motivation to complete. It therefore did not happen formally but the
informal knowledge of at least some of the group has grown. Formalising that
knowledge now may help to inform the whole group, open access to those not yet
involved, and progress the engagement of B&NES LEA staff
We have direct knowledge
(there a lot more – see map) about some of the initiatives that
incorporate action research in some form – (some teachers and schools are
involved in more than one) e.g.
- Inclusion Mark
- 5x5x5
- BLN
- Primary Networks
- P.A.S.S.
- Challenge Award
- CEDES
- TASC
- Creative enquiries
If we start a folder in the
Southwest Grid for Learning portal which Inclusion and School Improvement
people could access, this list could be grown by everyone
Through this we could:
- See the growing picture of who
is doing what
- Know which schools and
teachers are willing to share their work in progress
- Improve our understanding of
what Action Research ‘is’
- Begin to look at what schools
find helpful
- Improve our practice as
mentor, critical friend, collaborator, consultant … to support schools
developing as inclusive learning communities
Action needed:
- Decide if this is a useful
approach to try and if so
- Talk to - about ICT logistics
- Marie and Chris J to start a
billboard as a trial
- Share with next group meeting
and get their perspectives on it
2.
Inclusion Support Service Teams will be aware of the nature and benefits of action
research on inclusion and how to support schools in undertaking the research
Where we are:
We have direct knowledge of
some research (there are others) that Inclusion Support staff are involved with
in some role e.g.:
- A lot of Inclusion staff
(list) working with Chris J supporting and mentoring schools on Inclusion Mark
- - and Marie are involved in
the CEDES project
- Twilight AR – 6 people,
have come when diaries have allowed. 2 people came to first couple but have
withdrawn (work pressures) but they are involved in research projects with/in
schools – unclear whether action research. Chris White (BSU) and Jack
Whitehead (Bath University) are now part of the group as collaborators,
consultants and supporters and also come whenever diaries allow. The last
meeting was the first time 5 people joined a meeting. The program has been
reviewed and revised progressively in the light of each meeting.
Are those involved progressing
their own understanding and practice?
- in the nature of AR
- the benefits of AR on
inclusion
- in their work for and with
children, young people, and schools
- Are some ways not effective?
Is one way better than another?
Action
Decide how to find out in a
manner consistent with developing inclusive practice and AR that can enable us
to continue to develop a way forward that spirals up and risk of going round in
circles
3.
A range of examples of Action Research projects relating to inclusive practice
will be publicised ‘on the website’, Name and Acclaim’, authority conferences
etc.
Where we are:
This is dependent on 1. but
even with what Chris J and Marie have direct contact with this can be done in
June.
4. Accreditation
opportunities will have been identified for the Teams and Educators.
Where we are:
Not very far
Action
Ask Chris W and Jack if they
can help
The review was useful and
surprising. We had increasingly moved from having the targets dictate the pace
or content of the meetings but we had actually made some sizeable strides
towards them. We felt comfortable in as far as the group was moving at a
pace that was useful to the participants and supported their change. I had
underestimated the time real change takes and looking back the 5 step plan was
obviously doomed to failure even if we had appeared to have ‘delivered’ to
schedule. The new planning was a way of giving the new trajectory on the basis
of evidence but was tentative and questioning rather than attempting to impose
another straitjacket.
The value to the authority of
action research and the commitment to the work is seen by the it’s’ continued
inclusion in the EDP
|
ACTIVITY: ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT– LEARNING AND
LEARNERS |
|
PURPOSE: To build the capacity of schools
regarding inclusive practice through Action Research.
TARGET GROUP(s):
Primary, Secondary and Special (All Educators) |
|
SUCCESS
CRITERIA (including intermediate steps) By
2007:
Vision for the future: all schools will be
engaged in action research regarding inclusion |
|
LINKS WITH OTHER SERVICE PLANS/PRIORITIES Behavior
Support Plan, Inclusion strategy, ‘delivering’ SEAL Priority 1
– Raising standards Priority 5
– APEX, Thinking Skills, Widening Learning, |
ACTION TO BE TAKEN |
TIMESCALE/ DEADLINE |
PERSON RESPONSIBLE |
|
|
2005/6 2005/6 2005/6 2005/6 2005/6 2005/6 |
IO SEP IO SEP IO SEP IO SEP IO SEP IO SEP |
At first glance the EDP
appears very similar to the first and doesn’t reflect the progress the group
had made in developing a culture which would support action research as a way
of the individual exploring their values expressed in their work and how they
can improve their practice.
The
second metamorphosis
The group had given up wearing
its metaphorical collar and tie and become more relaxed and confident but we
were getting stuck. We had a more open responsive session where people felt
they were personally getting something from it but there was no shared
evidential base, no public articulation of what we were each trying to do, no
‘disciplined’ enquiry, no real collaboration.
Chris J and I again talked
about modeling and ‘walking the talk’ ourselves. We were also concerned that
people seemed to need ‘permission’ to come and work in a very pleasurable way.
We reasoned that the ‘permission’ would be most easily understood if someone
above us joined in which would also demonstrate the importance of the work and
give it validity. We begun to talk about what would be useful Gail and Nigel;
why would they want to come; want not should.
Chris J led the way in walking
our talk in May and the beginnings of change can be seen in the email from Jack
following one meeting and Chris J’s response 23rd May 05
' If you
encourage Chris to produce an account of her
learning as
she explores the implications of asking
'How do I
contribute to improvements in inclusionality
in BANES?' I
think this could be shared with Gail and
Nigel and the
rest of us a couple of days before the
next meeting
with an invitation to come and help to
move Chris'
enquiry forward and to strengthen the
validity of
her evidence-based accounts.'
And Chris
replied
Yes. I am up
for this. The exercise will help me to pinpoint what I am learning and what
contribution I am making!!!
At this stage
my account may be quite informal but I am happy to share it and discuss ideas
Chris J brought a substantial
piece of work based on her Inclusion Quality Mark work and Jack’s response in
June demonstrates how this took us forward with beginning to support more
disciplined enquiries. Two members of the school improvement team joined us,
one was working on an accredited module at Bath University and the other was in
the process of registering. The parent liaison officer had previously completed
accredited modules and her interest in completing her masters was renewed. She
has subsequently registered with Bath Spa University.
Jack wrote
–
I think I
showed my enthusiasm for your question (Chris J), 'How do I contribute to
improvements in inclusionality in BANES?' and your willingness to focus on the
importance of your values in understanding and explaining what you are doing,
learning and influencing. I could see that the volume of things to accommodate
in the 10 elements of the assessment framework with 10 or so categories
in each element, might be helpful in a 'tick box' form of accountability. I
found myself focusing on different 'boxes' and wondering what might be done to
produce an evidence-based explanation
of
educational influence in learning. For example in Element 8 on
Parents and
carers, I looked at the box on Parent confident that
child is
valued with the guidance notes:
Parents
receive regular feedback about their child's achievement
through
informal and formal reports and reviews plus certificates,
stickers etc;
I wondered
what might happen if we focused some attention on the
nature of the
conversations that could take place over time with
parents,
children, teachers and yourself (ourselves) that could
develop the
idea of feedback into educational conversations that had
an
educational influence in the children's learning?
This might
connect with parent liaison roles. I'm not sure if you
have shared
each others accounts - for example the previous masters
work for the
OU, Sue's report on the enquiry network, Marie's
analysis of
her rationale for APEX - each of these could provide us
with lots to
think about on the 22nd. See what you think.
The email also demonstrates
some of the linking between people and working from their passions – as
Jack had previously offered
‘I can show
you how I do it through an interest in what the other cares about and
connecting that to what they are passionate about in their workplace.’
June 28th saw the
group at its most chilled and perhaps an indication of the security it offered
can be seen in my confidence to venture an account myself. An extract is as
follows:
How do I know I am
contributing to children and young people developing informed aspirations and
gaining the confidence and competence to pursue them to their own and others
benefit?
Perhaps a clue to the
standards of judgment I am using can come from reflecting on those moments when
I feel a real deep sense of satisfaction (maybe that is what I am trying to
achieve – for others to feel that same sense of satisfaction that makes
me feel good)
I get a huge buzz from hearing
or seeing directly or indirectly the response of children, young people,
parents and teachers to the beyond curriculum learning opportunities I have
instigated such as the APEX Saturday workshops, the summer schools, the
creative collaborative learning days.
It feels as though I have done
something useful. Maybe for the vast majority it was a fleeting moment when
they enjoyed creating knowledge with others, or they glimpsed themselves as
exceptionally able in something valued by others, or they took an ‘I can’ step
above where they thought they could stretch - to ‘boldly go’ beyond their
immediate backdoors. It is a fond hope that I can cross a person’s path at the
right time with an experience that can significantly influence their life for
the better. But I believe I can increase the chances of that happening by
increasing the variety and opportunities for such encounters. It is that belief
that led me to set up the Saturday workshops and subsequently the summer school
and creative collaborative enquiries.
…I still believe that life’s
success comes from finding your ‘thing’, your ‘passions’, where you might want
to devote the time, energy and dedication to.
I am trying to construct my
own understandings but I recognise that what I am trying to achieve is not new.
The more I read and listen to people the more I realise that it has been said
before more eloquently. So perhaps my question should focus on why is it that
the same ideas have been expressed by world renowned thinkers over generations
and we still insist that the majority of the time in school, and increasingly
now university, is dedicated to sterile and unproductive, or even on occasions
counter productive, pressures on children and staff?
I must admit that I managed to
offer this first account in a way almost guaranteed to avoid anyone reading it
but none the less I put fingers to keyboard and put the result in the public
forum. For me it offers a very personal landmark in the life of the group. I
see other people also struggle and find the courage to try out a ‘public voice’
and perhaps that is one pointer to the growth of the group and its changing
character. Nigel joined the group, which has given a message about the value of
the work and a very positive lead into the new academic year.
Trying to re establish a group
after the summer holiday can often be a testing time but for this group it provided
a refuelling break for a transforming lift off in September. For me the summer
was a revolutionary time and an increasingly significant part of my own journey
and hoped for trajectory, and my developing understandings through working with
Jack, gets caught up in the strands in particular and my work in general.
The
third metamorphosis: an emerging imago?
The group meeting 13th
September 05 was another springboard but the run-up had started in June and was
fuelled by an intricate plait of developing strands and the gathering pace of
my own revolution. It is hard – no – impossible to separate them.
There was the accredited teachers action research group offered by Jack, the
Emotional Literacy strategy, the Heads ‘Pause for Thought’, the collaborative
creative enquiries and the maturing of the Action Research inclusion group
itself. This so far has only been an account from this parent; the other two
(Chris J and Jack) have other strands contributing to the weft and weave of the
fabric of the group much of which I am unaware.
Logic dictates that I tell you
about each of the initiatives I haven’t mentioned before, describe the
interplay between them, and then come to 13th September and proceed
to today. Passion says do the last first. So I have written the last bit first
(which if you are impatient you can click on and read now) but so not to loose
my reader I will now return to a chronological narrative. I will come to the
other strands in a bit but first let me continue along the action research for
inclusion group path.
If you have a sense of energy
and complication then I am succeeding in conveying some of what I have
experienced.
The email to Chris J before
the 13th September 05 illustrates some of what I mean
Hi Chris
Trying to get
a grip!
Action
Research (Conversation cafe) Tuesday, 13th September 05, 4.30-6.00
Why are
we doing this? (at the moment anyway):
·
To implement the AR strategy
·
Support action research and enquiries being undertaken by any individual or
team in the Inclusion Support Service.
Who is it for?
Anyone who:
·
wants to support, and be supported with, enquiry
·
wants to learn more about Action Research through practice
·
wants to contribute and benefit from the learning of others
·
likes to think with others
·
are just plain curious
They have been
told they will not be expected to talk more than they want to, know anything
about Action Research or do anything as a result of our conversation (unless
they want to), creative thinking is strongly encouraged but not mandatory.
The response
to the Emotional Literacy bit at the Inclusion Support Service Day has been
good and reached a couple of more people. When you and I talked we decided the
Emotional Literacy and Action Research are separate but interwoven strategies.
(I remember a mathematician who did work on fuzzy space and the maths of knitting
– shame I don’t still know him)
So – the
Action Research strategy
We have the
summary of progress that we did July if it is needed but I think we should
revise – the spirit is OK but the plan has moved on.
I think
we have a group who will now hang together even though not everyone can come to
all the meetings. Having fun and feeling good has the explicit support of Gail,
Nigel and Georgie.
We
talked briefly about the function of the conversation café sessions. Could this
be a sort of loose framing to get us going?
·
Examples of when you have had influence and made a difference as a result of
your practice - when in the last week have you felt a buzz from what you have
been doing? Might be a heart stopping event or just a small smile raising
moment.
·
News on the Action research front - schools, teachers, B&NES, a small
personal exploration you are or doing or thinking about
·
How can we support and provoke our own enquiries with schools and children in a
way which will... (in other words how should the cafes work, should there be
other things such as e based…) keep the energies, commitment, progress
understanding and practice…
We have
talked about ‘training’ being integral but also other sessions with specific
foci like ‘research methodologies’, ‘evidence gathering and analysis’, ‘action
research’ – whatever – which might involve those who don’t want to
go down the AR line or might not be comfortable enjoying themselves in the
café, cant get to the meetings etc
On Tuesday
I think we are expecting
·
You
·
Me
·
Jack
·
one person (after 5.00)
·
an admin person
·
a past student with Jack so very keen - will have to go early
·
someone very keen on Emotional Literacy will have to go early
·
someone from strategy
·
a team head
·
another new person
Apologies
·
from a couple of people
We were to be
in Room 4 (but we will probably be better in the behaviour support room which
is larger so we can spread out but we will have to do some table moving)
One
person is being lovely and will sort the coffee. I will sort the buns.
I will
bring my own laptop and an external CD/DVD drive and have a projector available
if we want to use one. I don’t know if it will play Jack’s CD if he wants to
have it to hand. If we don’t need any gear then nothing lost.
Does
this sound OK?
Are we
meeting up before? I am unscheduled from 1.00 onwards and will be in
Riverside all afternoon.
I will
check my home email frequently tonight
I will
email to Jack tomorrow morning early this if I don’t hear from you so he has an
idea what he is walking into. He is returning from his holidays today so he
might not pick it up. I know it is in his diary but just not absolutely certain
where we said we were meeting.
I have put the full email so
you can see that Chris J and I had tried to prepare for the meeting so we could
be responsive to where we thought people were coming from but maintain the open
focus and momentum of the group prior to the holiday. Chris J replied to me at
10.22pm, which says something about the enthusiasm and commitment to the work
we both feel, confirming we would meet in the Italian café under the offices,
which has been the setting for some of our most productive conversations.
Chris J worked hard to engage
people and encourage them to come through personal contact and email. I put up
some posters – including, with help, the men’s toilet, so few could say
they didn’t know about it.
The potential membership had
changed from the first meeting and in fact some of those who said they would
come didn’t and some of those who didn’t say they were coming did. A visitor
from China who collaborates with Jack also joined the meeting and added a
confidence and affirmation for us which only a new authoritative, yet
inclusive, voice can give.
I began to experiment with a
form of shared documentation with Chris J and Jack and I include a fragment of
what I wrote after the meeting so you can get a sense of my thinking, the
transformation in my learning that the group is supporting and for you to
decide whether you can see evidence that I have begun to ‘walk the talk’ a
little more. As I am writing this 2nd November perhaps it also
demonstrates how much more confident in the group I have become to feel able to
share some of my own thoughts that I have previously kept very close.
Me? – I tried to set
myself the task of listening and facilitating but also to put something of me
into the conversation. I had spoken to Chris J before about what the café might
be about – supporting energy and enquiry. I realized that when she said
we should ask people what they wanted I had baulked. How can people know what
they want if they don’t know what they want? But she helped me to remember
again that I don’t listen, I only want to hear what I am already thinking. For
example I find I cut across the end of what people say. I think I detracted at
one point by saying that it felt flat and we were dancing a bit around each
other. - didn’t feel that and neither did Chris J. I think I was voicing my
anxieties rather than listening and responding to others. I will see if this
account is any evidence that I have listened better when I see the response of
Chris J and Jack to it.
Before the meeting Chris J and
I had talked about the purpose of the meeting and how to facilitate it. We got
to the point of understanding the conversation café meetings were to maintain
energy and support people along their enquiry journeys (and this would be tempered
by what we heard other people say they wanted) but there was another function
– focused round ‘training’, skills, information, seminar, type event
which could not be accommodated in the time frame of the conversation cafes. We
were also aware that some people were excluded for a variety of reasons; they
did not feel comfortable engaging in an action research or living values
enquiry, they could not make the meetings, they did not feel comfortable in the
conversation café environment, they did not have the time or could not get to
the venue… We had thought that there was another series of ‘events’ that was
needed to run alongside the conversation cafes which would be less frequent,
but longer, possibly during the day and they would also be fed by other sources
as well. For instance ‘documentation’, data collection and analysis, an
overview of methodologies, are subjects that could arise from, the Challenge
Award, the Inclusion Quality Mark, and could arise from the conversation cafes
and a seminar or workshop might progress understanding, knowledge and skill by
some dedicated time.
I wonder whether the 6 weekly
type public articulation type sessions that Jack was describing and the
seminar, workshop type events that Chris and I had played with could or should
be brought together in some way?
And next? We will meet weekly
8.00 – 9.00 on Wednesday, starting over initially 6 weeks or so, in
Keynsham office. Chris J will pick up croissants and -. Initially we will share
our stories of moments of success, to help each other reflect on those stories
to understand better what we hold to be important starting to move through an
action research cycle and have a more public sharing possibly in the evening or
afternoon. - suggested that it should be during the day rather than tagged on
to give it importance and energy. Chris J will email around time date venue to
the group including those who couldn’t make it but wanted to. I will ask Jack
if he can join us and I will start an account as a way of beginning to start the
documentation etc asking Chris J and Jack to add to it.
Chris J’s reflections helped
me pick up better on what was conveyed in the group meeting and taste some of
the energy that continued to flow afterwards but that is for her to write if
she chooses.
The invitation to the next
meeting was sent round by emails from Chris J and posters and this
communication has continued since.
At our last
meeting it was decided to hold our meetings more regularly and to hold them in
the morning. Therefore our next
meeting
is on
Wednesday
21st September 8.00-9.00
We
shall be relating our stories, discussing partnerships and times whereby we
have made a difference
I shall
let you know the venue when it has been arranged
Please let me
know if you are attending as Kathie and I shall be buying croissants fresh out
of the oven from the bakery
that
morning. Homemade organic jam, tea and coffee will also be available.
Looking
forward to seeing you all
Chris and Marie
The group is very much part of
my own and Jack’s shared journey of enquiry currently which has taken me
further in trying to understand how I and others can hold me and us accountable
to my and our living values as standards of judgment and my and our living
educational theories. It has also given me an opportunity to try to understand
my own gifts and talents in a way that might enable me to help others bring
theirs more fully into an inclusional community to all our benefit.
It has taken me to challenging
places which I have only risked in this group. For instance, agreeing that the
group could see a bit of the video that Jack took of Chris J talking about
inclusion. I thought I was just going to be behind the camera but I should have
known better having got to know Jack a little – never imposing or
demanding, but always inviting that next risk – what I hope the group is
doing for others. Another example; venturing a piece of writing that people
actually read, the previous time I had avoided that bit.
Hi Jack
I dont know
if this is getting much closer but it is better than I managed to articulate
when I saw you.
Why do I do
what I do? I want children to grow as people who are comfortable in their own
skin, knowing themselves, liking themselves, at peace with themselves, knowing
what they want to work on, to improve, and to have the courage to change and
accept their own stumbling and that of other people as part of the journey.
I believe
that an individual learns what they see themselves capable of learning and what
is of value to them. The striving for excellence seems to carry with it a hope
of personal fulfillment and when that personal ambition coincides with the
needs of others, carries with it a hope for the progression of all of us and
‘twice affirmation’ for the individual.
I believe
people (young and old) grow their understandings and create valued knowledge
through dialogue with themselves and others. Over the next year I hope to work
with Jack to bring people together
with others
with whom they have points of shared interests and with whom they can share
such creative conversations. Our focus is on working with 4 groups, the
B&NES conversation café, the Heads Pause for Thought, the Action Research
Teachers group and the collaborative creative enquiry groups (which include
children) and opening the channels of communication between them.
What I hope
to do for Jack.
- Offer a
productive enjoyable collaboration to create knowledge we both value
- Bring
accounts (including my own)into the public domain as further evidence and
legitimisation through the academy of living educational theories and the
importance of living values
- Connect him
with educators locally with whom there could be ‘rich’ conversations
- Connect his
understandings to other work such as TASC, Primary Networks, APEX, Emotional
Literacy, Inclusion… in the hope of continuing to influence educational
practice after we are both long gone
- Give him
reasons to laugh – rather than sigh
I have included this as an
example of how the nature of the group has changed to a space where the
tentative toe can be put in the water. The poem that - brought to the group and
the account by - is testament from others to the growth of the group.
I realise that this account of
the group has become quite personal and perhaps that reflects some of the
change of the nature of the group. Is the group a self indulgence? I derive a
deep sense of pleasure from being in a space that supports and provokes people
who share my values, to explore and experiment with learning, and I derive a
personal satisfaction from evidence that I make a difference in a direction I
believe is important; which takes me back to my account of the group as a
parent. As a parent I feel pleasure from seeing my son flourish and grow and
hopefully carry the better parts of what I have tried to offer and hope he has
survived my mistakes and I also derive a pleasure from his contribution to my
own growth. If enjoying those feelings through my work is self indulgent
– then yep, it is an amazing opportunity for me to be self indulgent
– and even beats Venetian chocolate ice-cream.
The group has taken on a new
energy, meets weekly 8.00am-9.00am and other people complain that they can’t
make the meetings at that time of day. How about that! People asking for other
meeting times as they can’t make the ones scheduled.
What is our little beastie
like now as it begins to wriggle from its chrysalis on its first birthday?
Energetic and warm to the touch; everyone says something if they choose in the
meetings and there is a buzz of conversation after. Responsibility for the
group is spreading, for instance another member of the group has taken
responsibility for putting up posters. Inviting; some people who would not
usually join such a group are a vital part. Transforming; some people who would
not normally speak in a group are contributing and thoughts sown during the
meeting have life afterwards. Thoughts taken from the group have been built on
in practice e.g. open conversations.
What needs to happen for the
group to grow towards being a boisterous toddler?
What are the keys to growth?
Essentials: the continued contributions by Chris J and Jack and -. Chris J does
a great deal between meetings to engage and encourage participation and
building from what was and linking with practice. She brings energy, material
and her thinking that makes the group accessible and stimulating. Jack brings
the framing, the horizon, the nudging on, the linking of people to their
passions and building the webs of understanding between people. - brings an
authoritative vision of a living learning organisation and gives the group
confidence to experiment. A question that will arise is how can the group build
and carry its own understanding and developing practice that will enable it to
eventually be independent of its parents and present members.
The group size is important;
there are now enough to give a vibrancy. From the work I have done before an
average of 10 seems to give an energy to conversations for a group in
formation, which allows for the plus and minus numbers that appear each time.
One question that needs to be considered is what happens when the group is too
big and what about those people who want to come but can not make the timing of
this one. Does it reflect a problem with the group if the membership ebbs and
flows?
The move to weekly meetings
was a bold suggestion by Jack and - but they were right – our beastie
needs to be regular in its habits.
While people are contributing
there is still a need to grow beyond what is essentially a ‘show and tell’
stage while not forcing the pace. How can we help people find and practice
their voice. Articulating to others is an important part of learning whatever
learning theory you go with. Many are not familiar or comfortable with the
language that is needed to build enquiries but Chris J’s injection of an
article and a story has nurtured the skill. The photo that Jack and I brought
provoked articulation. Perhaps we could bring further ‘provocations’. Jack’s
urging for us to bring our account to the group, to make us accountable –
must be right; I can feel the rising panic and the adrenaline rush as I type.
How can we encourage disciplined enquiries to be embarked on and shared without
frightening off those who are just beginning to gain confidence? -’s suggestion
seems to hold possibilities; Jack and I engage in a part of that conversation
of holding each other accountable with the group invited to join as they feel
comfortable. GULP!
How can documentation be
developed that supports and energises rather than hinders and enervates and
takes the work into the public domain? Could we play with different technology?
Would this be a way of desensitising and learning the skill necessary at the
same time?
How can the influence of
this group be understood and the strands of understanding plaited in with the
other work – to transform the individual, the group and beyond? How do we
know that what we are doing is of value and has a life beyond us?
?????
Joining and responding to
Marie’s story of the B&NES Action Research and Inclusion Group and moving
on my own educational enquiry – Jack Whitehead, 6th November
2005.
Dear Marie and the
B&NES Action Research and Inclusion Group,
I’m connecting to Marie’s
story with the following responses to her questions:
1) How can documentation be
developed that supports and energises rather than hinders and enervates and
takes the work into the public domain? Could we play with different technology?
Would this be a way of desensitising and learning the skill necessary at the
same time?
2) How can the influence of
this group be understood and the strands of understanding plaited in with the
other work – to transform the individual, the group and beyond? How do we
know that what we are doing is of value and has a life beyond us?
I’m offering my response to
Marie and the group as part of our commitment to hold each other accountable
for our educational influences, with other participants in the group invited to
join as they feel comfortable.
1) How can documentation be developed that
supports and energises rather than hinders and enervates and takes the work
into the public domain? Could we play with different technology? Would this be
a way of desensitising and learning the skill necessary at the same time?
I’m wondering if the following
documentation helps to answer these questions. It is based on the idea that
each individual is a knowledge-creator and can produce a valuable explanation
of their educational influences in their own learning, in the learning of
others and in the learning of social formations. When I say ‘valuable
explanation’ I mean that it is an explanation in which the individual affirms
themselves in their learning to live a productive life and that the explanation
can captivate the imagination of others and be useful to others in forming
their productive lives. I’ve called these explanations living educational
theories to distinguish them from the theories drawn from traditional academic
disciplines of education.
My responses to Marie’s
questions have a history in that they include my learning from the
documentation flowing from the living theory and masters programmes
section of http://www.actionresearch.net
. Before I give brief outline of this learning, I want to share my
experience and understandings of a video-clip that I believe shows flow of
life-affirming/pleasurable energy with Marie and Chris talking about their
influence with each other in relation to their work. I want to share my
knowledge of what pupil-researchers have accomplished in Croatia when working
with Branko Bognar as a University mentor and teachers who believe in their
pupils’ capacities as action researchers. I want to share my affirmations
of inclusionality with Marie through a photograph taken by Belle Wallace and a
photograph taken by Mark Potts. I also want to share my affirmations with Moira
Laidlaw, and other action researchers in China’s Experimental Centre for
Educational Action Research in Foreign Languages Teaching (CECEARFLT) of the inclusional
and collaborative meanings of the flows of life-affirming energy in our
educational relationships and hope in the future of humanity.
The following video-clip, with
its flow of life-affirming and pleasurable energy in the laughter at the end,
communicates to me the embodied meaning of the flow of life-affirming energy
Marie, Chris and I are experiencing and expressing through our relationships
and productive lives in education.
http://www.jackwhitehead.com/mariechris2.divx
(28.8 Mb – download the
divx application from http://www.divx.com/divx/play/download/
When I write about
affirmations of inclusionality as necessary conditions for the creation of
shared and communicable living standards of judgment, it is such experiences
and affirmations that I have in mind. As I move on to respond to Marie’s
questions I am wondering if we are sharing this understanding. Your responses
will help me to see if we are developing a shared understanding.
Marie asks: How can
documentation be developed that supports and energises rather than hinders and
enervates and takes the work into the public domain? Could we play with
different technology? Would this be a way of desensitising and learning the
skill necessary at the same time?
I am wondering if visual
narratives, that communicate the embodied values we believe carry hope for the
future of humanity, are experienced by you (as they are for me) as supportive,
and energising in your work. I’ve certainly found that playing with different
technology, usually with my son, Jonathan, has helped me to learn the skills
necessary to the production of the visual narratives and to make them available
through web-space. I have also found that watching video-tapes of my teaching
helped me to overcome my embarrassment (I have checked with Marie and this is
consistent what she is meaning by desensitising) at seeing myself as others may
see me and recognising myself as a living contradiction as I could see myself
denying some of the values in my practice that I thought that I was living!
Here are two images that have influenced their viewers. The
first image is taken from Mark Potts’ (2003) enquiry, How can I use my own
values and my experience of schools in South Africa to influence my own
education and the education of others? http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/module/mpsa.pdf
“Perhaps
it was the optimism that I felt as I spoke with this 17 year old student of
Economics about his aspirations to go on to College and be an accountant,
followed by the sadness as I spoke afterwards to his teacher who told me that
there was no prospect of this because the family was too poor to pay the
College fees. In my mind I thought of the opportunities lying ahead of the
children in the well-resourced schools that I had seen during my visit. That
was the source of the anger that I felt.” (Potts, 2003)
The
second image below evoked shared affirmations of meanings between Marie
Huxtable and myself. Marie is a psychologist working on educational projects in
the Bath and North East Somerset local authority. Our
shared meanings are focused on our responses to the expressions in the eyes,
face, body and hands of the pupil below as she shows what she has been working
on, to the photographer Belle Wallace. Belle Wallace is currently President
of the National Association for Able Children in Education (in the UK) and you
can access her biography at http://www.nace.co.uk/home.htm?tasc_biography.htm~mainFrame
Both Marie and I felt a flow of life-affirming energy in our
responses to the image and with each other. We recognised this flow of energy
between us and affirmed that it carries our hope for the future of humanity and
our own. For us, the way the pupil shows Belle what she had produced carries
two affirmations. There is the affirmation from the pupil that what has been
produced is a source of pleasure and satisfaction. There is the affirmation
from Belle and ourselves that we are seeking to enable ourselves and others to
feel this quality of pleasure and satisfaction in what we and others are
producing. I am associating such affirmations with what I mean by living a
productive life in education.
Moira Laidlaw (1996 http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/moira2.shtml
) introduced me to the idea of
living standards of judgment. This doctor educator showed me, through her work
with her pupils at Oldfield Girls School in Bath, that 13/14 year old pupils
could use the language of educational standards of judgment in relation to
their own learning and help each other to improve the quality of each others’
learning. We also watched together the three video-clips below from Branko
Bognar, on the 7th July 2005 and both felt our understandings of
what was possible for pupils to accomplish as the pupils working as researchers
in their own learning in a way that demonstrated their understanding of action
research processes and validation.
I am wondering if you will
find the visual narrative produced by Branko Bognar with the three video-clips
below shows evidence of educational influence. For me it answers Marie’s question, ‘How can documentation
be developed that supports and energises?’. Branko’s document is certainly supporting
and energising my own work. I am thinking here of the motivational energy that
flows with the recognition of what pupil researchers can accomplish when
working with teachers and mentors who express faith in their pupils’ capacities
and have the understanding and skills to help others to develop as action
researchers.
Banko Bognar worked for six
years as a primary school teacher in the small Croatian town of Cazma and then
later as a pedagogue in the Primary School ‘Vladimir Nazor’ in Slavonski Brod,
Branko has now taken up a post in the Faculty of Philosophy at Josip Juraj
Strossmayer University of Osijek, where he has responsibility for the
professional education of pedagogues and teachers. Here is the
letter Branko posted to the 2005 BERA Practitioner-Reseracher e-seminar in
response to my request to the participants for evidence of their educational
influence:
Dear
friends,
I
worked hard for two days and two nights to translate and title video recordings
where you could see live example of our effort to apply action research in our
educational practice.
First
video (available at http://www.e-lar.net/videos/Creativity-en2.wmv
11 Mb) was starting point in Vesna Simic’s and
my action research. Our shared value is creativity, so we try to find a way how
to fulfil this value. We realised that creativity is enough fulfil in her
teaching of arts. But she confessed, and we find evidence for that when we
analysed video recordings of her teaching, that she realised subject society
and nature on traditional and uncreative way. So we
decided to improve creativity in that part of her educational practice.
On
second and third videos (available at
http://www.e-lar.net/videos/AI2_0002.wmv
30.5 Mb and at
http://www.e-lar.net/videos/Validation.wmv
29 Mb) we could find that children should not be treated only as participants
in action research of adults (teachers) but also as co-researcher or standalone
researchers. Marica Zovko, class-teacher was mentor to her students and I was
mentor to her. Her students evidenced that they understand the processes of
action research and know how to apply them to improve their living practice.
Warm
regards,
Branko
You can also access the clips
from:
http://www.jackwhitehead.com/Creativity-en2.wmv
Action Research – http://www.jackwhitehead.com/A12_0002.wmv
Validation – http://www.jackwhitehead.com/Validation.wmv
As I move into responding to
Marie’s other questions I am hopeful that you will find the above documentation
captivates your imaginations in ways that supports and helps to energise your
own enquiries. Does it engage with your own experiences and ideas about how to
enhance the educational influences in what you are doing?
Marie also asks:
2) How can the influence of this group be
understood and the strands of understanding plaited in with the other work
– to transform the individual, the group and beyond? How do we know that
what we are doing is of value and has a life beyond us?
I believe that one way the
influence of the group could be understood is through:
Producing
values-based and evidence-based accounts of our educational influences in our
own learning, in the learning of others and in the learning of social
formations.
I believe that one way we
could know that what we are doing is of value and has a life beyond us is
through:
Seeing
the influence of these accounts being acknowledged and used in the life-stories
and learning of others.
I tend to pause when I hear
‘we’ and ‘group’ statements and questions. I find myself wondering if I wish to
be included in the ‘we’ spoken by the other. Before using ‘we’ I tend to check with others that they do
not feel any tension in relation to their own identity in my use of ‘we’.
I tend to retain a sense of an individual’s identity and integrity in ‘I’ by
modifying ‘we’ to ‘we~I’ or to ‘I-You’ or to ‘collective~individual’.
In relation to my contribution
to an individual’s or group’s educational influence I imagine that it will
focus on the following three original ideas from my educational theory research
programme at the University of Bath. The three ideas I am thinking of are:
i) the inclusion of ‘I’ as a living contradiction in
explanations of educational influence as individuals explore the implications
of asking, researching and answering questions of the kind, ‘How do I improve
what I am doing?’
ii) that you and I can create
our own living educational theories as explanations for our educational influences
in our own learning, in the learning of others and in the learning of social
formations.
iii) that the living standards
(Laidlaw, 1996) of judgment we use in explaining to ourselves and others the
life we are living are formed from the embodied values we use to give meaning
and purpose to our lives. The living standards are formed in the process of
clarifying the meanings of the values we seek to live by in the course of their
emergence in what we are doing.
I imagine that you may
experience the educational influence of these ideas in your learning:
iv) if you recognize that the
story of your own learning includes your existence as a living contradiction in
enquiries of the kind, ‘How do I improve what I am doing?’
v) if you acknowledge the
creation of your own living educational theories as your evidence-based
explanations of your educational influences in your professional practice.
vi) if you recognize that, in
the process of clarifying the meanings of the values you are seeking to live
by, you are transforming them into the standards of judgment you use in your
knowledge-creation. I am thinking here of their use in evaluating the validity
of claims to know your educational influences in learning.
I also imagine that you may
experience my educational influence as I drawn your attention to (pedagogise)
the living theories of others. By this I mean that I intend to draw your
attention to the living theories of others in ways that I intend to captivate
your imaginations as you engage and integrate insights from the ideas of others
into your own learning.
What I am meaning by an
educational influence in the learning of others is not a direct causal
relationship. What an individual educator does with a pupil or student needs to
be mediated through the originality of mind and critical judgment of the
learner for me to recognize the influence in learning as educational.
Here are some more details of
what I am meaning by living contradictions, living educational theories and
living standards of judgment. My interest in hearing your responses to the
ideas has a bearing on my reflections on my own sense of living a productive
life. If you find the ideas useful in your own life in living values that carry
hope for the future of humanity, this affirms my own sense of living a
productive life.
Living Contradictions;
Living Educational Theories; Living Standards of Judgment. Three original ideas
that might influence your own.
1) Living Contradictions.
I first became aware of my
existence as a living contradiction in my educational practice when I saw
video-tapes of my teaching in 1971. I believed that I had established
enquiry learning in my classroom. However, I could see from the video-tapes
that the way I was questioning the pupils and the way I was organising the
learning resources were actually closing down opportunities for them to
question! I found myself asking ‘How do I improve what I am doing?’ in this experience of existing as a
living contradiction. The originality of including ‘I’ as a living contradiction
in explanations of my educational influence is related to its challenge to the
dominant logic of theory from the Aristotelean Logic of some 2,500 years ago.
This dominant, or ‘propositional’ logic claims that theories that contain
contradictions are entirely useless as theories. The clearest rejection of
dialectical theorizing is perhaps Karl Popper’s ‘What is Dialectic?’ (Popper,
1963, p. 316)
In a self-study of my own
learning I engaged with my living contradictions in the creation of my living educational theory. I found
that I could answer a question posed by the Soviet Logician Euard Ilyenkov
(1977) – ‘If an object exists as a living contradiction, what must the
thought be (statement about the object) that expresses it?’ The
significance of the question can be appreciated through the 2,500 year old
debate between those who believe contradiction is at the nucleus of correct
thought and those who believe contradictions must be eliminated from correct
thought. In the living inclusional logic described below I will explain how
insights from both propositional and dialectical theories can be integrated and
used within inclusional educational theories.
The originality of including
‘I’ as a living contradiction in theory generation, in educational enquiries of
the kind, ‘How do I improve what I am doing?’ has yet to influence some
Academies and colleagues. I am thinking of those who continue to reject the
idea that a self-study containing ‘I’, as a living contradiction, in the
question and explanation of learning could make an original contribution to
knowledge. When faced with this kind of response I tend to point to the 19
doctoral studies, already legitimated and available from:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/living.shtml
I also point to the masters
dissertations and individual units of educational enquiry which address
questions of the kind, ‘How do I improve what I am doing?’ at:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/mastermod.shtml
The experience of living
contradiction and generating my explanations for my educational influences in
my own learning, led me to propose the idea that such explanations formed
living educational theories.
2) Living Educational Theories
The second original idea is
that you and I can create our own living educational theories as explanations
of our educational influences in our own learning, in the learning of others
and in the learning of social formations.
This idea emerged from my experience as existing as a living
contradiction and my recognition of an error in the view of educational theory
that dominated my studies of educational theory in the late 1960s and early
1970s. This was the view that educational theory was constituted by the
philosophy, sociology, psychology and history of education – disciplines
of education. The error in the disciplines approach to educational theory was
in the attempt to eliminate the embodied values individuals used to give
meaning and purpose to their existence by replacing them by principles from the
disciplines of education.
Paul Hirst, one of the
proponents of the disciplines approach to educational theory in the 1960s and
1970s acknowledged this error in 1983 and gave a very clear articulation of my
experience in 1971 of the mistake of eliminating such values, or maxims, I used
to make sense of my life in education, when he wrote about the mistake of
replacing pragmatic maxims in practical experience:
Much understanding of
educational theory will be developed:
"… in the context of
immediate practical experience and will be co-terminous with everyday
understanding. In particular, many of its operational principles, both explicit
and implicit, will be of their nature generalisations from practical experience
and have as their justification the results of individual activities and
practices.
In many characterisations
of educational theory, my own included, principles justified in this way have
until recently been regarded as at best pragmatic maxims having a first crude
and superficial justification in practice that in any rationally developed
theory would be replaced by principles with more fundamental, theoretical
justification. That now seems to me to be a mistake. Rationally defensible
practical principles, I suggest, must of their nature stand up to such
practical tests and without that are necessarily inadequate." (Hirst, 1983, p. 18)
I rejected the disciplines
approach in 1971 for this reason, while retaining valuable insights from the
disciplines in the generation of my own explanations of my educational
influences in my own learning, in the learning of others and in the learning of
social formations. My move to the University of Bath in 1973 was based on the
decision to see if I could contribute to a reconstruction of educational theory
from the ground of such explanations that I called living educational theories.
The paper of mine that is most often quoted in relation to living educational
theories is:
Whitehead, J. (1989) Creating
a living educational theory from questions of the kind, "How do I improve
my practice?'. Cambridge Journal of Education, Vol. 19, No.1,1989, pp. 41-52
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/writings/livtheory.html
and this can be read in
conjunction with the Presidential Address I gave to the British Educational
Research Association in 1988 on:
Whitehead, J. (1989) How do we
Improve Research-based Professionalism in Education?-A question which includes
action research, educational theory and the politics of educational knowledge.
: 1988 Presidential Address to the British Educational Research Association.
Published in the British Educational Research Journal, Vol. 15, No.1, pp. 3-17,
1989
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/writings/jwberapres.html
You can follow the growth and
extension of the idea of living educational theories from http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/writing.shtml and in the living theories of
others at:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/living.shtml
and
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/mastermod.shtml
My most ambitious multi-media
presentation to date is in the October 2004 issue of Action Research
Expeditions at:
http://www.arexpeditions.montana.edu/articleviewer.php?AID=80
and you might enjoy responding
to this presentation in the ‘Discuss this Article’ Forum on the web-site.
Having proposed the idea of
living educational theory I wanted to legitimate this idea in the Academy. I
recognized the importance of being able to communicate and legitimate the
standards of judgment in this new form for knowledge. The unit of appraisal
appeared clear to me. The unit was an explanation that an individual produced
for their educational influence in learning. Hence my interest in legitimating
living standards of judgment.
3) Living standards of judgment
Moira Laidlaw (1996)
originated the idea of living standards of judgment. My original contribution
lies in the process of transforming the experience of embodied ontological
values into living epistemological standards of judgment. It may be that the
ideas of ontology and epistemology feel alien to you. My reason for
highlighting their importance is that I associate the values we use to give
meaning and purpose to our lives as ontological values. These are the values
that I think ‘we’ seek to live.
The significance of
transforming or producing our standards of judgment from our values is that we
use these standards to evaluate the validity of our claims to know our
educational influences. The significance is related to the view of oneself as a
knowledge-creator, as a contributor to the knowledge-base of education. The
transformation, from the experience of embodied values into living and
communicable standards of judgment, occurs in the process of clarifying the
meanings of the embodied values in the course of their emergence in practice.
Here is one of my beliefs that
is open to question. Do please bear in mind the tentative way I am using ‘our’
and ‘we’. I believe that in our embodied knowledge as we relate to all the
pupils in a class we know how to do something of vital importance. I think we
know how to be inclusionally responsive. I think we live with this value and
skill as a living standard of judgment.
By inclusionality I am meaning
that we live with a relationally dynamic awareness (Rayner 2005) of the
multiple relationships that constitute
our educational relationships in the groups and classes that we
teach. I believe that we are
relationally dynamically aware of space and boundaries (Rayner, 2005) that are
connective, reflexive and co-creative in our educational relationships.
I believe that we live with a
relationally dynamic awareness of multiple relations while being able to focus
on the needs of an individual. I
think we have a systemic awareness of
interconnecting and branching networks of relationship of the kind you
will recognize being expressed by Moira Laidlaw at the end of a class at Guyuan
Teachers College. Guyuan Teachers College hosts China’s Experimental Centre for
Educational Action Research in Foreign Languages Teaching. Action researchers
in the Centre are working on the development of collaborative, living
educational theories with their collaborative, living standards of judgment.
The following 9 MB video clip will take
several minutes to download using Broadband (10 minutes on my system) and opens
in Quicktime.
http://www.jackwhitehead.com/mlendSorenson.mov
More still images from the classroom with
Moira Laidlaw at Guyuan Teachers College in China on the 15 October 2004 can be
seen at:
http://www.jackwhitehead.com/moira151004/moira151004.html
There is much original work to
be done in representing and communicating the meanings of such an inclusional
awareness and its expression in living standards of judgment.
The most recent original
contribution to the development of inclusional and responsive living standards
of judgment is Marian Naidoo’s (2005) doctoral thesis with its multi-media
visual narrative on a DVD. I think you will enjoy Marian’s Abstract:
I
am because we are (a never ending story). The emergence of a living theory of
inclusional and responsive practice.
Abstract
I believe
that this original account of my emerging practice demonstrates how I have been
able to turn my ontological commitment to a passion for compassion into a
living epistemological standard of judgment by which my inclusional and responsive
practice may be held accountable.
I am a story teller and the
focus of this narrative is on my learning and the development of my living
educational theory as I have engaged with others in a creative and critical
practice over a sustained period of time. This narrative self-study
demonstrates how I have encouraged people to work creatively and critically in
order to improve the way we relate and communicate in a multi-professional and
multi-agency healthcare setting in order to improve both the quality of care provided
and the well being of the system.
In telling the story of the
unique development of my inclusional and responsive practice I will show how I
have been influenced by the work of theatre practitioners such as Augusto Boal,
educational theorists such as Paulo Freire and drawn on, incorporated and
developed ideas from complexity theory and living theory action research. I
will also describe how my engagement with the thinking of others has enabled my
own practice to develop and from that to develop a living, inclusional and
responsive theory of my practice. Through this research and the writing of this
thesis, I now also understand that my ontological commitment to a passion for
compassion has its roots in significant events in my past.
at:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/naidoo.shtml
I now want to return to
Marie’s questions and my tentative contribution to moving Marie’s enquiries
forward:
How can the influence of
this group be understood and the strands of understanding plaited in with the
other work – to transform the individual, the group and beyond? How do we
know that what we are doing is of value and has a life beyond us?
I am suggesting that we
all produce and share our living theories of our educational influences in our
own learning, in the learning of others and in the learning of the social
formations in which we live and work. I am thinking of our living theories in
which we can embrace the experience of ‘I’ existing as a living contradiction
and can share our life-affirming energies in the process of seeking to live our
embodied values as fully as we can in our professional practice. It is my
belief that in co-creating and sharing our living educational theories with
each other, through their flow through web-space, we will be enhancing the flow
of values, skills and understandings that carry hope for the future of humanity
(Whitehead. 2004).
References
Hirst, P. (Ed.) (1983)
Educational Theory and its Foundation Disciplines. London;RKP
Ilyenkov, E. (1977)
Dialectical Logic. Moscow; Progress Publishers.
Popper, K. (1963) Conjectures
and Refutations, Oxford: O.U.P.
Potts. M, (2003) How can I use my own values and my
experience of schools in South Africa to influence my own education and the
education of others? MA Educational Enquiry Unit, University of Bath. Retrieved
6 November 2005 from http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/module/mpsa.pdf
Rayner, A. (2005) Essays and
Talks about ‘Inclusionality’ by Alan Rayner. Retrieved 6 November 2005 from http://www.bath.ac.uk/~bssadmr/inclusionality/
Whitehead, J. (2004) Do action
researchers' expeditions carry hope for the future of humanity? How do we
know? Action Research Expeditions,
October 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2005 from http://www.arexpeditions.montana.edu/articleviewer.php?AID=80