ABSTRACT
We then went on to talk about the evaluation of our practice as supporters. We are all claiming to have improved our support practices: are those claims justified?
Jean What we’re looking at is evaluating our own education. Now, when I say ‘education’, I mean the attempt to improve the quality of life for an individual. I have tried in my work as a field tutor to improve my practice by carrying out a systematic evaluation with yourselves. I’ve asked you to comment and reflect back to me so that I can modify my practice, and in turn you have done the same; so we have set up this dialogue, on a one-toone basis, and also on a one-to-many basis, where we have all shared ideas to move forward our joint practice. Now, by the word ‘evaluation’, I suppose I mean ‘Does it work?’—that is, has the quality of life been improved for me and for the other individuals in this group? From my point of view, it has been improved. I can point to the evidence to my own life, in that I feel I have helped you to improve your understanding of what you are doing, so that you have now been articulating the fact that you have assisted other people in improving their understanding. So my claim is that I have improved my own education, in that I’ve helped you. Am I correct in making that claim? Would you substantiate it?’
