S5E02 - Annie Pendrey talks about the power of reflection in Early Years and Education

00:00 Welcome to POD-CACHE, the portable professional development podcast from CACHE Alumni 

00:23 Coming up in this episode - thinking outside of the box with Annie Pendrey

00:43 Annie's career so far.  From Early Years Teaching Assistant to training, writing and research

02:43 Creativity and changing careers - How Annie found her path

03:50 Three books in two years - Reflection and reflective spaces in Early Years Education

07:46 What makes reflection important to Annie? The power of reflection in supporting engagement and attainment. Reflection helps us to be better and feel better. 

09:13 We all have different gifts and experiences.  How to improve, develop and progress. 

10:01 Japanese philosophy - Learning to celebrate your perfectly imperfect self, slow down and understand your reason for being. 

11:24 Standards, values and actions - Understanding what we need to succeed outside of set metrics. 

12:55 Get started with reflective practice;  How to make time to listen to yourself. 

15:56 How to start your own reflective journal and overall journey

19:00 It might not be words - you might want to draw something.  How talking to yourself can help you to be your own coach and stop you from feeling stuck. 

20:08 CACHE-Back promotion

20:25 Building the habit of reflection - Observations and reflections aren't always the same thing.  How not to lose yourself in other people's feedback. 

23:48 Starting again with reflective practices after negative experiences.  Owning your own journey and understanding your gifts. 

26:40 Overcoming fear and asking for feedback from others.  The value of other people's insight and opinions of your work.

30:33 Continual feedback - gratitude and building a culture of feedback and reflection

32:00 There is no 'just' in Early Years - Owning your own power and accepting compliments and positive feedback

35:00 Finding spaces that children can really be part of.  The need for research in Early Years roles. 

36:21 Prompts and support for journaling and ongoing reflection

37:00 Thanks for listening

 

Annie Pendrey started her career as an NNEB working across Early Years and the Primary sector before becoming a lecturer and Professional Development Manager. Today, Annie is freelance, an External Examiner for Open University, an author and on her way to becoming Doctor Pendrey.

Annie has written several academic journals, has publications within books and writes regularly for educational columns alongside her own book publications which include, The Little Book of Reflective Practice and Reflection and Reflective Spaces in the Early Years.

Annie has created her own online platform and hashtag #Reflect Connect, a weekly space over on Twitter where you can connect with others in a quiet reflective thread.

Listen as Annie talks to Dawn about reflection, self-confidence and reflective spaces in the Early Years and, if you can, join us for our Reflect and Recharge event on 30 November 2023, where Annie will be supporting us to start our own reflective journals as part of our amazing line-up of speakers. 

Until next time, take care!