Reflective Practice for Educators

Joan Fogel; Belinda Moller

This is a version of the paper presented in Belgrade. Alongside was Bessy Karagianni’s moving paper about her group for carers.

THE WORKING GROUP: reflective practice for educators…. was born in November 2015. It is 8 years old now: a significant moment in terms of school age.

The Working Group began on the GASi forum. A colleague introduced us because we shared an interest in education and in group work for teachers and principals. We met and quickly assembled a mailing list of interested people,

From the beginning, the Working Group met termly (it was two years in, before we spotted this rhythm!) alternating between London and Dublin – the cities where we live. We met on Saturday afternoons for 2 hours, extending to 2.5 hours when the group wanted more. Irish people flew over to London and made a weekend of it, and vice versa. On average, there were 10 members from the pool of 80-100 on the mailing list which included teachers, head-teachers, school counsellors, child psychotherapists, SENCO’s, teacher trainers, specialist trainers in other fields, academic researchers and psychologists. There has never been a fixed membership. One of the features of every group has been the diverse and totally unexpected mix:

‘The ever-changing participant profile from meeting to meeting shouldn’t work but it does! There’s a new energy and focus every time and the affirmation and cross-boundary networking opportunities are priceless ’

As Balint leaders and group analysts, we decided to employ both traditions. As in an analytic group, we begin with a free unstructured space where we each say something about ourselves and our work, why we have come and what is on our mind. We co-leaders will have had a supervision session in the morning. Uncannily, themes which emerge from that, arrive via members into the group. For the middle part of the session, we remind everyone how a Balint case works. A member presents a case, answers a few questions about matters of fact and, remaining silent, listens to the group discussion which moves by free association. The focus is on the relationship between the presented and the presenter who rejoins the discussion for the last ten minutes or so before we move back into another unstructured period, and close.

After each meeting, we asked the members to email us their memories, thoughts and associations. Meetings and the notes included poems, literary quotes and associations to other works of art…. films, books. We anonymised and distributed the notes to the whole mailing list. (The quotes in this piece are taken from these.)

After 8 years, we have a record of the members’ experiences, and therefore a record of the development of the group.Right from the get-go, the group mirrored the struggle and ambivalence embedded in the educator’s role, as well as the anxiety of a new group:

‘…perfect coping shiny teachers and those who struggle. Something disturbing about theformer… the latter will become true teachers.’

‘The more I think about giving the group a name and/or focus, the more I think we probably shouldn’t! Isn’t it wonderful to just talk and listen (“listen” is an anagram of “silent”!).’

‘Reflective practice in a group situation with people of different trainings, some therapeutic and some not and two facilitators is an entirely different and less familiar situation for me with complexities that need voicing.’

‘I was not sure what to expect and I am still not quite sure what we were doing. Is that normal?’

In no time, the anger emerged:

‘“Ill-being!”. “Well-being” has become colonised by the corporate and organisational worlds.’

The Balint cases were about the isolation of teachers, the disappearance of staffrooms and collaborative spaces for teachers to congregate and process the experience; the competition inherent in the system and the consequent fear of failure for students and their educators; the silencing shame of failure; education as a coloniser and the hope for education as a liberator.

And then COVID struck!

The last in-person meeting was in Dublin in Feb 2020. We knew but not much, about covid. The notes mention, presciently, “crumbling structures”. There were only 5 attendees.

It seems there is just too much on everyones’ plates. We heard about students and teachers with an abundance (too many?) of resources, and we heard about teachers with, literally, nothing. Perhaps these extremes mirror the reality with all its realities, so that we can feel the ambivalence and be with the struggle that just is.

The group was online and gathered members from far afield – Australia, Russia, Iran…

Maybe it’s easier to think about when – ever – we will meet again in person, than it is to take in the shocking news of teacher suicides….

…..that’s what we are grappling with: how to carry on…and think…and be able to hear and allow space for the experience of others, in these meetings and in our own minds. How are teachers managing to carry on?

How far can I go, carrying on?….. like in the case, do I put on a mask and pretend all is hunkydory?

A smaller group than usual, intimate and close. Maybe absent others are overtaken and protecting themselves. Zoom brings us together from places far off but keeps us apart.

What to do? What do we want? Do we know?

Russia invaded Ukraine in Feb 2022.The worst of covid over, in May 2022 we tried a hybrid group: 7 in Dublin with 2 online. From the notes again:

…..Suffocating. Toxic leaders, global and local everywhere now. Are we colluding with them, enabling them, or fawning to them ……

Truth and life find a way. It doesn’t always call for a fight…. or calling it out. It’s… layered upwards, toxic bosses with toxic bosses. You can’t breathe.

The group has been on pause since the meeting last October was cancelled, the numbers too low and anyway, covid got the two of us. Ready to close the group forever, we consulted the most regular group members. The verdict that the group continue was unanimous. Encouraged – and by the presentation in Belgrade – we thought on. Nine months later, the following invitation was sent. Places are filling and with a few remaining, we present it here for you to forward to anyone who may be interested……………

An invitation to join The Working Group: reflection and support for Educators.

The Working Group began in 2015 meeting termly in person and then on zoom, alternating between Dublin and London. The members are teachers, educators, senior leaders in education, and those who train professionals from different fields/sectors. Currently, members come from Ireland, UK, Iran and Australia.

At a recent meeting, a member said, ‘Teaching is bringing the whole of yourself and how you relate to the work, to the role, to the people, and to the institution or organisation that you work in.’ The Working Group is a confidential setting to bring the complex groups and organisations that you work in, and is a group to hear about different working contexts to yours.

The Working Group is now newly structured on the basis of themes that have arisen organically and from consultation with members of the group:

Fallow field: the group has needed to recover and recalibrate following the pandemic and in acknowledging what some describe as societal collapse. Nature and wise farmers allow the soil to rest to regenerate and renew.
Begin again. Re-birth seems an obvious association and partner to beginning again
Integration: between the professional and the personal: that educators can be themselves in the group, and otherwise.
Commitment

Going forward, the Working Group will

– have a maximum of 15 members.

– consist of a 2-hour meeting as before: reflection/Balint case/reflection.

– meet 4 times a year from October 2023 – seasonally – online with, if possible, one meeting in person.

– charge an annual payment of £120/€140 – but no-one will be turned away because they cannot afford it.

These are the 3.30-5.30 (UK time) Saturday dates for 2023-2024:-