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Hi,
Just thought I would let you all know about my recent trip to the BFLG meeting in Reading.
In case you are not sure if you have the time to read this... then I should let you know that the WIIFM is.... If you have not yet been to a meeting, and are unsure what to expect, then this is the ideal posting for you to read!
I was not sure what to expect, and thought that I would find it a bit of a waste of time, neither gaining nor contributing anything..... How so very wrong I was!!!!
I have tried to get to these meetings on 2 prior occasions, and both times I have had something come up at the last minute that stopped me, I was almost going to give up, but have found that third time really is lucky.
I arrived at the meeting about 15 minutes early, and found that plenty of people had already arrived, it was a very friendly room and I found that we all mingled over coffee and everyone seemed to make everyone else feel at home. I originally thought that I was the only 'newbie' but in chatting to people I found that this was the first meeting for a few, and they were as unsure as I was about to what to expect.
Stella and Tina then updated the group with a few notices, and then Stella went into a brilliant demonstration as to the differences between brain friendly and 'standard' learning. The whole group was really enthusiastic, and lots of really informative questions and answers were raised. We even managed to have a snowball fight with BFL questions!
Lunch was relaxed and the food enjoyable (but not quite as much as all the sweets and choccies dotted around the room all day!) and everyone spent the time chatting about the morning, BFL or just generally networking. After lunch we were then asked if any of us had any training challenges we would like help with. 4 of us came up with 'problems' and then everyone else chose which they would like to help with. I had a problem as to how to motivate people to do something I needed them to do, and only had 15 minutes of their time in a rather dull day in which to achieve this.
Jane, Holly and Alyse brainstormed with me with Ann joining us at the end(thanks all)and enabled me to see it how to put the session together from a completely different perspective, they also come up with some brilliant ideas as to how to engage the group, and how to minimise the possibility of awkward questions. We then got back together as an entire group and discussed what each of the 4 smaller groups had come up with, with further input being invited.
All too soon it was time to go home, but I drove away with not only with more knowledge of how the brain works and therefore why brain friendly learning works, but I also left with an excellent plan for my 15 minute training session(and more importantly, I was now enthusiastic about it, and actually looking forward to it as it would give me a chance to use the techniques), but I also left having met, and exchanged contact details, with friendly like-minded (and innovative) people.
I know I am now raving on about the meetings, and I am impatiently waiting for the next one. I cannot wait to use some of the new techniques I learnt and try out all of the hints and tips I picked up.
So if you have not yet been to a meeting, all I can say is.... see you at the next meeting!
Tracey
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