http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2008/05/06/reconfiguring-services-meeting-the-challenge/ "We learn from our experience.....if we reflect upon our experience" John Dewey Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:05:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2008/05/06/reconfiguring-services-meeting-the-challenge/#comment-10907 Andrea Wed, 07 May 2008 16:46:54 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2008/05/06/reconfiguring-services-meeting-the-challenge/#comment-10907 "I reckon the solution/challenge here is to engage with all interest groups to describe what we want to do, why we are doing it and involve them in the solution - without this dialogue the system can begin to break down with single issue groups only focusing upon their own needs and challenging the wider agenda which is to advocate for the needs of all children." I'm finding this agenda very interesting in my new job - real self evaluation and honest discussion lies at the root of lots of things - whether it is the unconditional positive regard bit, the CfE bit, the improvement agenda and how outcomes are written, etc etc. The same risk of system break down with lots of disparate work going on without the basic questions of what we want to do and why is ever present. It's how to harness the huge amount of expertise, innovation and hard work at all levels to really concentrate on what's needed that I'd love to know the answer to! For me it always comes back to the "so what" question (which sounds unpleasant but isn't meant that way) - maybe huge energy has been spent on developing something which on the surface seems a great idea but what impact has this had on the children and if it hasn't or if the why are we doing this question wasn't asked at the beginning, then why expend all the energy there instead of on something that would make a bigger difference? I've spent long hours thinking about this! And think the answer is probably not too hard but we seem to make it hard for ourselves. “I reckon the solution/challenge here is to engage with all interest groups to describe what we want to do, why we are doing it and involve them in the solution - without this dialogue the system can begin to break down with single issue groups only focusing upon their own needs and challenging the wider agenda which is to advocate for the needs of all children.”
I’m finding this agenda very interesting in my new job - real self evaluation and honest discussion lies at the root of lots of things - whether it is the unconditional positive regard bit, the CfE bit, the improvement agenda and how outcomes are written, etc etc. The same risk of system break down with lots of disparate work going on without the basic questions of what we want to do and why is ever present. It’s how to harness the huge amount of expertise, innovation and hard work at all levels to really concentrate on what’s needed that I’d love to know the answer to! For me it always comes back to the “so what” question (which sounds unpleasant but isn’t meant that way) - maybe huge energy has been spent on developing something which on the surface seems a great idea but what impact has this had on the children and if it hasn’t or if the why are we doing this question wasn’t asked at the beginning, then why expend all the energy there instead of on something that would make a bigger difference? I’ve spent long hours thinking about this! And think the answer is probably not too hard but we seem to make it hard for ourselves.

]]>