ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to ensure that you see reflective writing as both meaningful and valuable and to support the deepening of reflective thinking processes through introducing and exploring a range of reflective writing activities. It explores activities that enable a deepening of critical reflection through compiling a CPD portfolio, creative metaphoring, five-minute writing exercises to share with critical friends, writing an autobiography, timelines and creating digital paperchases to document personal and professional successes. As part of students’ study on a childhood and early years course, they had to enrol on a personal, professional reflective practice (PPRP) module. My research has been inspired by the students’ work and their evaluations, which have included such comments as ‘valuable and interesting’ and even ‘life-changing and cathartic’. Their comments, interspersed in the second half of this chapter, were made through their participating in my research, which occurred after they had completed the module. The chapter presents the theory underpinning the writing processes, and the students’ and practitioners’ opinions of how these reflective activities have worked for them. At the beginning of the PPRP module Sakinah, Gail and Alix did not believe that the module would be particularly beneficial for them.
I didn’t have a clue as to what it was all about until I read a bit on it and then we went on to discuss it in class. Gail
I was fairly cynical about the whole thing, having covered a little of reflective writing in my teaching on a foundation degree, I don’t think I had thought about reflective practice or even distinguished between the writing and practice, i.e. my teaching. I wasn’t sure what I would get out of the module. I had already started my MA as I began in January and had already written two assignments, and thought I’d done quite well in them without the need for reflective writing, or ‘navel gazing’ as my husband called it! Alix
