26/09/2019: I'm assuming you're assuming you already know this...yeah?

I'm assuming you already know this...you already know what I'm about to write about. Pretty pointless me writing anything but something inside me still propels me to write it. Perhaps there is someone out there who might take a shred, however small, and in years to come find it and put it to use in another context. In that time, thousands more will write about the same subject but it was this particular blog post, this point in time, that acts as a subtle reminder for the individual and stirs something inside of their memory and becomes of significance in their future.

Eh?

Is that what you think?

Bored? Lost? Pointless reading the rest right?

Wait...your still reading...yet I assumed you already knew what I was going to say?

Still here? OK...might as well go on. A few moments spent writing what could be a pointless task is still better than a few moments spent staring at the rain pelting on the windows and catching a few seconds of extra sleep.


We all make assumptions in daily life, it's part of being human. Sometimes we do this subconciously. It makes us judge, assume a prior understanding of something we in fact have very little knowledge of. It could perhaps have resulted from past experience but a lack of reflective recognition and thus cognition of this, causing these assumptions. We assume we don't or do need to do something with very little thought into why our minds are telling us this.
  The reason this is something I am currently thinking about is down to part of the essay we are required to write in the Module One. It asks us to refer to three 'areas of learning' (AOL). Since reading this a few weeks back I've been struggling to understand what this actually means. An AOL to me referred to the way we analysed development. From my experience working in early years settings I was far too familiar with the long lists of statements child development was measured against, categorised into specific AOL's. As they entered formal education these became broader, perhaps now named as subjects; maths; literacy etc. Each area had a set of requirements and also a set of assumptions as such, dictated by the cultural context. For example, success in physical education may instantly make you think of a person as 'sporty' or 'athletic'. However, the tools needed to engage in this area extend far beyond these assumed capabilities. They assume that a person can engage, they can change into suitable clothing, which they have correctly remembered to bring on the correct day to participate in the activities. They assume that child A has won a race because they were faster, not because child B was suffering from a injury at the time of the race.
  In terms of our module, we are told to read and re-read the handbook throughout the course. I had being doing this....or so I thought. Yet no matter how many times I read the content, I was still struggling to pinpoint exactly what was meant by an AOL in this context. I assumed I was being stupid, that there was no more detail because this definition was just something we were meant to know.

Today I discovered the Glossary. Today I found my answer; a more specific definition I had been desperately searching for.

Andre Gide, Journals 1889-1949

It had been there all along. Yet I had incorrectly assumed it was no use; not something that 'counted' in our reading and re-reading of the course content. I had skimmed the terms then incorrectly assumed they were just about specifically definable items (a handbook, a tutorial, a tutor) and therefore would not contain the answer I sought in this instance. I hadn't even bothered to refer back to it since skimming these few terms which had formed my assumption of what the entire section contained.

Yet now I had my answer. It was there all along and the only person to blame for missing it was me. I could say I'd searched, I'd read the handbook, but really I hadn't...not properly anyway. Full engagement was something I had falsely assumed I was doing.

I now have a much clearer understand of what AOL means in terms of this module. I've also discovered a few other facts in the glossary I had neglected to notice beforehand.

My assumptions were holding me back from the encounters that needed to take place. They had restricted my practise and led to much wasted 'thinking time' which could have been used to for other reflections.

At the beginning of the post I assumed you knew all that. Maybe you did. I'm assuming you now know anyway. I'm assuming you're not just doing the whole 'read the first and last sentence' technique to judge an entire texts value to you at that moment. I'm assuming these few moments typing are a waste of time right? Yet still I did it, and feel better for doing so.

The lesson? What you don't know...I assumed you did?! DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS!

Oh...and never assume you are not assuming.

Sorry if you already knew that. I hope some small part will stir up something in your mind though, assuming you read them. Sorry for the sarcasm too...I'm not entirely comfortable writing in this way but will post anyway :)

Hope the course is going well for everyone.
Amy x