Stage 2 The Reflective Review
These comments were written prior to my going through the 2000 Stage 2 "Reflective Review" process. Hopefully they will be of use, but they can't be taken as Gospel.
Background:
I attended a Stage 2 Preparation Session conducted by PDT
Consultancy. There are other groups who also offer this sort of
preparation. In my opinion, if you are serious
about succeeding, you will make sure you attend preparation sessions.
There were 24 people present. 22 females and two males. 16 primary and 8 secondary. Of the 24 people at the session, 18 had attended a "Stage 1" preparation session.
Have a look over those figures again ... 18 of 24 SUCCESSFUL Stage 1 applicant had attended a "Stage 1" preparation session.
In 2000 there are 100 vacancies to be filled. Around 150 people passed Stage 1. There were around 380 original applicants. The DoE says that there is NOT a "quota". The 'examiners' support that line. If you meet the criteria, you WILL be successful.
My View of the Process:
The Reflective Review is NOT about making a 30 minute presentation!
The first 10 minutes of the time is spent outlining an issue you have addressed, or an action you have taken, that relates to Competencies 1, 2, or 5 (or some combination of them.) This is ALL the time you will devote to an actual "presentation"!
The next 15 minutes you will facilitate a discussion amongst the other four members of your group based on your chosen issue/action.
In the final 5 minutes you will firstly sum up the points raised by the group and then outline what YOU learned as a result of feedback from the group.
| Time | Component | Content |
| 10 mins | Oral Presentation | Outline your chosen issue/action related to
Competency 1, 2, or 5. State which Competency you intend addressing. Discuss the problem/issue. Describe your solution. |
| 15 mins | Facilitated Discussion (See below for comments about your role when you are a member of the group, rather than the facilitator.) |
Have 2, or 3 'focus' questions related to your
issue. Lead (facilitate) a discussion based on the questions. Extract feedback from the group (record it on brown paper, summary sheets, etc) Maintain the "facilitator" role. This is NOT a time when you continue your presentation. You are there to listen to their ideas and guide the discussion with your questions. "Lead, not lecture!" NOTE: On page 14 of the booklet: "The Reflective Review. Guidelines for Applicants" it clearly states that ..."The only competency to be assessed during the Facilitated Discusion is Competency 4 which is, in fact, concerned with 'developing others' (for example, through encouraging them to reflect)." Comment: |
| 3 mins | Conclusion (part 1) | Summarise the group's feedback.(Using the brown paper, etc) |
| 2 mins | Conclusion (part 2) | Outline how the contributions of the group have influenced YOUR learning about this issue/action |
| Your role as a member of the group (while
others are guiding the Facilitated Discussion) ... Assessors are looking at Competency 3 which involves "self-development activities". You need to be an active member of the group and demonstrate, by being actively involved "... your ability to reflect on professional matters." (page 20 of the booklet) |