Chapter Resources

Charlie’s course has only just begun and everything feels very new. Make a list of the things that Charlie will find helpful at the moment. Which of these would you find helpful too?

Nana is frustrated and finding it difficult to learn in the workplace. What could Nana do to develop further understanding?

Like Charlie, Bobby is also keen to be well organised. Nearly missing the first tutorial gave Bobby a wake-up call, so what else could Bobby do?

Julia shows us how we can use so-called ‘dead time’ to reflect. This is time we have but are not using for anything in particular. Think about your own ‘dead time’ and how you might be able to use it for reflection.

Charlie is clear about having a strong Please (people) driver and sees the advantages in this but also the disadvantages. How can Charlie work on minimising the disadvantages?

Gloria clearly feels put upon at work and is frustrated by being asked to do things more often than other people. What might she be able to do about this?

Nana shows some strong evidence of a growth mindset, having always had a high level of curiosity in many areas. Nana is also clear about having a strong Theorist learning style. What will be some of the advantages and disadvantages of this? Which other styles might Nana need to work on?

Bobby is already concerned about trying to solve clients’ problems. What does Bobby mean by ‘Observing my language for signs of sympathy’?

Bobby is learning some important things through reflective writing. Make a list of some key points.

What does Nana learn from using Constable’s model?

Like many busy people, Charlie is finding it hard to find time for reflective writing. Why does this need to be a priority for Charlie at the moment?

What can we learn from Amit’s case?

How might Nana be able to focus on Reflective Observation as well as by writing?

Charlie is thinking of interrupting his studies and taking some time out from studying. Make a list of some of the pros and cons of doing this.

Having some time out by taking some annual leave is a good move for someone like Tom who is finding work extremely demanding at this point. What kinds of things do you think he should consider?

It’s always easy to focus on what went wrong or what we didn’t do. Which specific things can you identify that are going well for Bobby?

Charlie wants to do more work on Coping and Connections. What could Charlie do?

What has Nana learned about the reasons why some people were very unhappy in school? Can you think of others too?

What factors does Bobby identify in the life of the family seen on placement?

As a counsellor, Jasmine has access to supervision which she uses well. But many practitioners don’t have this. Who might these practitioners be able to work with to a similar end?

What is Audrey learning through working with Jerome?

Nana’s assumptions about why people didn’t attend the open days were all negative. The learners were able to explain some of the valid reasons why they couldn’t attend. What other reasons might there have been.

Bobby is learning a lot from visiting Tom. Why do you think Bobby is making assumptions about Tom’s life?

Charlie is learning a lot about assumptions from working with the cancer patient. Why is this situation particularly difficult?

Lloyd decides to have a discussion with an experienced colleague about the difficulties he is facing with teaching the class on a Friday afternoon. List the pros and cons of this.

Bobby now has a critical friend who makes some great suggestions. In which other areas might Bobby’s critical friend be able to help, and vice versa.

Charlie’s study group seems very helpful. What are the pros and cons of a group like this?

Nana has obviously learned a lot by leading the tutorial group. What do you feel were the main lessons?

Bobby is experiencing a mixture of emotions thinking about the second placement. Make a list of ones that you can identify.

Nana does not like changing tutor groups. Make a list of the pros and cons of this for Nana.

Charlie is thinking through some big issues in relation to change. Make a list of them.

Siobhan is finding things difficult working with a woman who has suffered from domestic abuse. What could she do to help her process this?

Nana doesn’t like the idea of using visually creative approaches in reflection. What does Nana gain from drawing a graph?

Bobby gains a lot from listening to a podcast on reflection. What else could Bobby listen to?

Charlie writes some short but powerful unsent letters. What different emotions do these express?

Why are the sessions at the end of the day so important for Clifford?

Charlie finds the Kawa model a great metaphor for reflecting on overall development. Are there other aspects that affect a river that could be added to make it even more effective? How could these be applied to critical reflection?

Thompson (2005) uses another sewing metaphor (bespoke tailoring as distinct from making clothes that are sold off the peg) to describe reflective practice. What can we learn from this?

Thompson, N. (2005) ‘Reflective Practice’, in R. Harrison and C. Wise (eds), Working with Young People, London: Sage.

There are other things that plants need to grow, and these can be linked with reflective practice. Make a list of some that you can think of, with their links.

What might Kelly experience in the process of looking for a new job?

Bobby has become much more conscious of structural inequalities in society. What else could Bobby do to combat these?

Charlie is going to re-write a vision for professional practice. What might it say?

Nana still loves theory and wants to keep reading. How might this be achieved?

Shan is feeling the pressures of professional life. What else can she do to help her to cope better with this?

Bobby uses the Integrated Reflective Cycle to consider some key aspects of learning so far. Which theoretical approaches can you see in it?

Senge also discusses creative tension. How can Nana be sure to capitalise on this and prevent it from diminishing?

How can Charlie continue to grow and develop, especially in the area of self-confidence?

What has Sarah learned about herself as she has progressed in her career?