The worst day ever, BEST LESSON EVER!

I recently lost a good teaching opportunity. I got my first proper job in dance working in a school in South London. Even though I had little experience in schools, I have worked with children and young people in various settings over the last four years and I knew I had the dance knowledge and skills to deliver what the teacher wanted. So I asked for the top end rate and was happy when it was approved. I found myself really looking forward to going to teach and even my attitude at my retail job improved because for once I had a balance between what I had to do and what I wanted to do for money.

When I made the agreement with the school, I had only been given five hours a week on the weekends. However in the second week I was working the school students, I was given a further ten hours for the week and on the same day I had to work at the school. This only left a window of half an hour to get from one side of South London to the other, which was definitely possible in a car but not by bus(which is how I’m accustom to travelling). In a dissussion with the teacher she explained how challenging it had been  to get this after school programme up and running and that she has to send letters to parents about all the deatils and changes. Hearing this I didn't think that anything could be done about the change in my availibility so IK didn't mention it. The first week I managed to pre book a cab that would pick me up and drive me to the school. The next week my next shift at my retail job to my horror those that were doing the next shift were running late as well as there being a  cashing up system was had been malfunctioning for the last few weeks so when I eventually left I was meant to have been at the school.

When I finally arrived at the school all the students had left. I was of course apologetic but to no avail. I was told that “We should just put a line under it”. I even offered to work free in order to finish the work, I was devastated when my offer was not accepted. It was a long journey back to south east London and by then it was rush hour. Even though I was stuck in traffic my mind was racing, my most disturbing thought was that the students wouldn’t actually have a piece that they could perform.

My other thoughts included:

“I think we should just draw a line under it”

“You’ve let them down”

How dare she criticise my way of working

If I’m a winner, why do I keep acting like a loser?

Why did she bring another teacher, did she think I’d be confrontational?

My Feelings

 Disappointed             

Apprehensive

Misunderstood

Annoyed

Gutted

Tearful

The lessons Time to be on time!

If there was anything that I was pleased about in such a difficult situation was how I handled myself and I was able to keep humble and composed when I wanted to break down (I didn’t cry). On reflection I can now see how difficult I made it for myself I mean half an hour please, what was I thinking?! Although I gave myself too much of a small window I also see how the lateness of my employees affected me and it gave being on time more wait because I experienced how costly someone elses lateness can be to another. There are a lot of things that I have learnt and been reminded of from this experience.

These are the practices that  will apply in the future to my way of working:

·         I will tell whoever I’m working with any changes like my schedule

·         I will avoid doing two jobs on the same day less than two hours apart.

·         I was aiming to be on time, should aim to be early

·         I will always use and carry a journal/diary

The most important thing that I have learnt and that will be most useful to me in my future choreography ventures. What I was most devastated about my experience was not being given a chance to show my best. As a choreographer,  when I'll have to be auditioning people and offering opportunities to them that means a lot to them,  I will reconsider someone that may not initially perform the first time because I now believe it is not about the initial chance that you give someone but about the chance that you give them after a mistake that will really let them know how much potential or faith that you have in them.  

The Phoenix has risen!

Quick Mock up of a Professional CV

From the look of  my 'professional cv' I need professional help to improve it. I have done some research and found some sites and businesses that help imrove your cv.  So I'm going to try them out. So watch out for my new and improved cv. Coming soon.

Professional CV

       Sheika Edwards

Sheika.edwards@gmail.com

Teaching

Irie Dance Theatre

The Norwood School

Journey2Greatness

Rks Community Solutions

RYDT Rehearsals

TV/Video

Lovers Rock Production

Menelik Shabaz

OH Tv promotion video for

‘Da Truth’

Diahgev Music BB film productions

So you think you can Dance auditions

Choreography

Irie Dance Theatre

Red Cross Fundraiser

Performance

Hammersmith Apollo

BAFTA Awards Conference

Gaumont State theatre

Connecting Vibes

Ruach Ministries Youth Conference

Jacksons Lane Theatre

Dance united Lyric Theatre

Lewisham College Tour / End of year show

Training and Qualifications

Current BA Professional Practice Work based Learning

FD African & Caribbean Dance

 Irie Dance Theatre, City & Islington & London Metropolitan University

2 years Lewisham College Foundation Dance/ Access to Dance (Level 3)

1 year Kensington and Chelsea College

Mission Impossible?

In my previous post I shared with everyone my frustration with a friend of mine posting a not so flattering picture of me on FB (face book).

Knowing that my friend is a lovely considerate person who didn’t set out to hurt me does give me some comfort and some humour to the situation but there are people who I don’t know, who maybe don’t have good intentions which makes the following question very serious question:

 How much control do we have on our own information once we put it into the net?

In response to this question I will be on a mission that (I do choose to accept) should give us an idea of how much control we have over our personal details. I will attempt to erase the picture of me at my fancy dress birthday party. Will you join me and become agents? Do your own investigation and try to delete a picture from face book. See for yourselves  try and track a picture or a piece of information about yourself and then try to retract that piece of information. Be sure to post your findings as I will be, if you choose to accept this mission?!

Operation: “Bye Bye Baby”

Aim: Delete incriminating birthday pic

My Peace

Self Employment

I am trying to finally register as self employed because I am getting more opportunities for teaching. Recently I did a job for the Norwood School in South London and had to send them an invoice for the work I did. I’ve finally found a clear template for an invoice and thought that the self employed among you would appreciate it and those that are a little nervous about becoming self employed that it doesn’t have to be complicated.

To:

From: National Insurance Number: Address: Tel: Mob: Email:

Date of invoice: Invoice No:  Description of Work Date of work:

TOTAL COST                                                                              BACS Details Bank: Sort Code: Account Number:

Why so blogged off?

After some reflection I realise why I had such a problem with that picture of my birthday party being posted on face book. Well, firstly when I took the photo it was in the context of the private comfort of my own home and the fact that at the time I was posing for this photo I had no thought of it being put in to a public context; not of my choice and without my consent! It felt like my right to decide what aspect of my life I share was taken out of my hands, which raises an issue of Image Management.

From the beginning of my decision to become a ‘book face’ as I call it, I was very aware of and tried to avoid the usual misdemeanours of users of face book. How? I was very careful about whom I added as a friend for one. Even people I’d say I know reasonably well had to be scanned. By scanned I mean before I added someone as a friend I’d look and read through their profile and if I saw something i.e. pictures, comments that would be offence to me or someone I knew i.e. swearing, half naked pictures etc I would not add that person. This may mean me being given the title of 'prude' amongst my peers but as I currently work with young people and knowing that I am a person of influence, I’ll gladly take the title. I didn’t just check the profiles of the people I knew but who they knew because I find truth in ‘Show me your company, I’ll show you who you are’. So for me to take precautions and still get stung is in a word, annoying!

Social networking sites and the web in general are feeding the notion of ‘You can be whatever you want to portray yourself as', which is something I found fault in. This is a large part of the appeal and success of many web-based technologies and is an aspect that I believe a large number of people are taking advantage of and was a point that came up in the ‘Does Web Technologies enhance Professional Practice?’ session. In the session, good Self Management was a solution in the conclusions of all the groups as the most important way to safe guard ourselves against ideas theft and other cons of web based technologies. Laura Jane Weir shared some advice from her agent who suggested she have two accounts one personal and professional, which was good advice which at the time I didn’t really consider but now appreciate. The general consensus of the group was that self management was a key point in the usage of these technologies. Personally, I’ll even go as far as using an alias.

Is anyone else safe guarding themselves?  

Please let me know what you are doing to safe guard your ideas and information and if you’ve discovered any pitfalls to avoid.