PAL session - Time Management

MONDAY 3RD OCTOBER 2008

This mornings PAL session went okay I think - we decided before hand that we would do Time Management with them - they hadn't said there was anything in particular they wanted to cover this week, and Kit suggested Time Management would be the most relevant - at least to get them to make a realistic list of everything they have to do before the hand in which for them is a couple of weeks!

At the start we asked them if they would like to do this, or instead do an 'Inspiration' session - where they all share any inspiration they have found lately with the group - but they wanted to do the time management exercise. I think with their hand in coming up they want to make good use of the hour while they can.

They worked really well and as usual we all entered into discussion about lessons and work. I find this is really good, because even the quieter people end up joining in and after a few minutes people seem confident enough to share any concerns they have.

Next week is the last PAL session before their hand in, so they have asked if we can do a mini-crit! I think this will be really good for them, as they are already getting along really well within the PAL group, so hopefully they will have the confidence to crit each others work.

I found it really hard in my first year to crit peoples work. Its hard because you feel you are being negative, but in actual fact, its constructive criticism, which is important. I think doing a mini crit in their PAL group will be good for them. When we did the RBL brief - that was the first time people really started to get involved and be critical of peoples work - positively and negatively - and that's why all the work that was produced was so strong - it helps you consider you work from different angles.

I think we are going to try and give the crit a bit of an edge to get people motivated - we will decide that in the week I think.