This week’s topic was centre around Performing, Reflecting and Mentoring.
To start this week’s lecture we looked at a bubble which represented reflections. This image inspired me to find my own image, which represented reflection. I just couldn’t go past the bubble idea, the more I thought about it, I realised that a bubble can represent opportunities and bubbles provides us with the opportunity to reflect.
As the lecture continued it became more apparent that reflection was an important aspect to expert pedagogy. While exploring Donald Schon an influential thinker, who developed theory and practise of reflection, reflective practise on of his contributions, was brought up. Reflective practice is "the capacity to reflect on action so as to engage in a process of continuous learning", this concept however is then sub catorgies into reflecting in action, a reflection while doing the action, and reflecting on action a reflect after the event has occurred.
It also became obvious that in order to reflect, evaluating and assessing had to be made during the activity and depending on experience recorded for later recall. When evaluating and assessing templates or criteria are often used, but not essential. Exploring different assessor resources such as the one found on Australian Sport Commission http://www.ausport.gov.au/participating/coachofficial/presenter/Assessor assessment could be based on just competency a ‘yes’ or ‘no’, the criteria is also aligned with qualifications. It is important to remember that assessments should be objective as to avoid prejudices.
During the second half of the lecture the focus changed toward the ideas of Mentoring and I would like to include this quote because I think it encapsulates the meaning of the word mentoring.
“Behind every successful person, there is one elementary truth: somewhere, somehow, someone cared about their growth and development’’
This quote suggests that mentoring is actually caring about someone. Is a mentor though, someone you look up to? Or is it a equal relationship, despite one member having more experiences. A mentor is someone you look to for help, so a mentor could be seen as a helpline, what is interesting though is as a mentor, are you always available? When does mentoring stop and start?. Much the same as with assessing, there needs to be an abandonment of your own personal values in order to be supportive and non judgemental.
To conclude my blog this week I would like to leave you with this thought. That maybe we are all mentor’s and mentee’s, in that we all have something to offer, we have all experienced different things, so we can all learn from one another.
This was a good read and I like your ideas surrounding reflection and the importance that it plays for both the coach and the athlete. On the topic of mentoring and in answering some of your questions, I feel that a mentor should be readily available for the athlete when they seek information or direction. This has been made easier by the advance, effectiveness and efficiency of information technology and other social outlets that allow mentors to communicate with their subjects on a more readily basis. On this note i feel that there is no 'stop' or 'start' signs indicating when the mentor must enter or exit the mentoree's needs or wants. Rather it is a continual flow. However, I feel that a mentor should be on response, 'on the back foot' to their athlete's needs, more often than they are on 'the front foot' as this could encroach on the athlete's thoughts and feelings. But again this idea varies with each individual. Id be happy to hear any thoughts on this
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