Reflecting on Reflective Practice Week 3

A quote was shared this week - and though we do not know who might have originally said it - it felt very relevant for these strange times we find ourselves in:

'Don't worry, we will just rise to the challenge'

Much of our reflective practice focused on the joys and challenges of doing work online. We are sure that many of you can relate to that! 

We will not be sharing details of what was discussed in the group rather our own further reflections.

Netty reflects...  

Our group today made me think a lot about how many changes I have had to make in the way I work and some of the considerations I have had to take into account both professionally and personally, so I thought perhaps I would reflect on some of that here. 

1. I can see my face as well as the full face of the person I am talking to: Working hard so that I am not staring at the other person or the image of myself!

2. The space I work online is work space anyway,but I find i am much more aware of the fact that I am letting someone into my space with the view of things behind me and so I am mindful of what I have on my walls. Also I personally make sure I am dressed as if the person were going to be in the room with me; I have seen too many images of embarrassing moments recorded and shared to let that happen to me. Another reason for getting dressed is it also it helps me to be in the right mind space for being at work rather than being at home (which I am!). 

3. I miss the transition from work to home and vice versa. Although it is great that I just have to walk into another room in my home to work, I miss the mental space the journey creates as I move from my professional life to my personal life. I don't, however, miss the rain soaking me through whilst I wait for the bus!

4. I feel so much for the parents/carers who are struggling to be everything to their offspring right now, with teacher now being added to the already overwhelming list of roles an average day includes. I am working over zoom to help my daughter and grandson who were having meltdowns over school work. I so get it, children are used to the transition from home to school and have a space where learning is the goal, but now they are expected to do work where usually they get to relax, play, possibly do a bit of homework but not a whole days learning with a parent/carer! I don't have children at home but even on our Zoom calls i can find it intensely dis-regulating when my grandson is struggling to engage with an educational task! I have got impatient at times and been tempted to just answer the damn maths problem because I know he knows the answer and he knows I know he knows but still he will not or cannot engage. We have lots of fun as well though and I think my grandson enjoys showing me how clever he is when he is able to engage, it feels like a gift to me because I would not ordinarily get to see his working out process or have the kind of discussions we get to have. This morning we even sang along to a song with such gusto I am sure everyone from London to Essex must have heard us!

5. I get tired more quickly on Zoom calls than I do when I am in the room with a person. I am looking at another person but I see less of them so it is harder to pick up on body language, I feel like I have to concentrate much harder. Even when I am calling friends or family, when there are others in the space, it is hard to focus on the conversation, plus there isn't much going on in life during lockdown to be able to build a conversation out of!

6. It is great to see people's faces and I am grateful that, even through these trying times, I am able to connect with others.

7. Personally I prefer the physical presence of those I wish to connect with but as online is the safest option at the moment I will rise to the challenge 😃

Marta reflects...

Rising to the challenge

Upright we stand, 

One, two, three... ready... go!

Nowhere to go this time

A challenge to sit, stay.. don't go!

One, two, three, four, five... endless rows of sheep jumping the fence

I happily help them jump as I lay

Sleeping escaping where there's no escape

Lucky them, those sheep...

Let me wear their suit and join their jumping party

Certain relief in humour

Shared laughter across screens

Laughing aloud alone is allowed too

Finding companions within ourselves

Finally some space to make those acquaintances

Obscuring thinking times

Blurring, but clearing too

Blurring boundaries when there's none

When thresholds appear abysses

Sinking sands

Seeking ropes

We rise to the challenge