Starting back...

On Saturday I attended a "Starting back" Skype chat. It's amazing how fast the time has gone since starting the BAPP - suddenly I am beginning Module Two, offering anecdotes and tips to the new Module Ones and looking ahead to planning my inquiry! I also found it, in a way, reassuring to regroup with other Module Twos and hear their thoughts as they look ahead.

Adesola asked us to consider what we would write about in our first blogs of the term. I have decided to recap what I learned during Module One and and any useful tips I picked up along the way. It might be a useful read for other students, particularly those just starting out, and I know it will help me focus and think about what I need to do to help myself.

• Set time aside specifically for BAPP work. I have always had a talent for procrastination and will put things off for as long as possible. Although I work well under pressure such as a looming deadline, it can create a lot of unnecessary stress! By timetabling BAPP sessions into my normal working week, they become just that - normal - so that I don't think of the work as something 'extra' that I can put off. This course is about my professional practice so it should become part of it.

• Set mini-deadlines. This course gives us freedom to work through things at our own pace, however, I personally prefer to work with more structure. Therefore, to help manage the time and workload, it is useful to set smaller deadlines before the final submission deadline. This hopefully utilises the fact that I work well under pressure but removes the unnecessary panic before the final deadline.

• Have BAPP dedicated equipment/stationary. I found it useful in Module One to keep everything in one notebook. I would usually rather type than write but using pen and paper meant that I could grab it easily at any time to jot something down. Although Module One explored three areas of my professional practice, having everything in one place made it easier to see and/or make connections between these areas.

• Note key dates. The first thing I did after the Skype chat was go through the calendar and write down all the important dates for Module Twos. I did this in my dedicated BAPP notebook so that they are easy to refer to. Identifying important dates should make it easier to plan mini-deadlines - I may even use Skype discussion dates as mini-deadlines. This would also ensure I am talking about the most current and relevant topics in the Skype sessions.

• Stick to 400 word blog entries!!! I think all of my blog entries have been more than 400 words (this one included now!). It's not the end of the world in the blog context - people may not have time to read it so I may lack responses - but the skill of writing clearly and concisely is essential. I learned so much in Module One but struggled to write about it all in just 1000 words.

So, on that note, I will stop here. Feel free to comment - let me know if I missed anything or if you have any other tips for a successful BAPP journey!