Working collaboratively towards creating positive possible selves Sarah Fletcher http://www.TeacherResearch.net

Who is using these PPS techniques? Business executives Human resources providers Sports coaches and athletes Students in schools and universities Anyone who wants to improve their practice Anyone who wants to alleviate their stress!

Step One: Introduction Who am I now as a teacher? Who do I want to be as a teacher? What are my targets for improvement ?

Step Two: Drawing my PPS Try drawing yourself as a stick figure What does your face look like? What’s in your thought bubble? What are you busy doing? Where are your friends? How do you feel now?

Step Three: Drawing a map Start from you as you are now. Draw yourself on a journey to your PPS. What happens between now and then? How long will your journey take you? How will you feel along the way? Who will be alongside you?

Step Four: Overcoming problems What is that problem on your journey? How does it feel when you look at it? Who can you discuss problems with? How might you get over the problem? How do you feel when you do? How do others feel now?

Step Five: What am I good at?

Step Six: What do I need to work on?

Step Seven: What can I change in me? Who can help me to change for the better?

Step Nine: What am I afraid of? How will I overcome my fears? Who will help me overcome them?

What’s my plan to reach my PPS? Today This week This month This term How will I record what I achieve? Who will I share my record with?

Potential benefits of PPS Possible selves are thought to influence the motivation process in two ways: on the one hand providing a clear goal to strive for - and to avoid if they are negative - and on the other hand by energising an individual to pursue the actions necessary for attaining a Positive Possible Self. Fletcher, S. (2006) Mentoring Adult Learners: realising possible selves

Potential Pitfalls of PPS Positive selves may not be ‘possible’ Timescale for realising PPS is unrealistic There is insufficient support available Pursuing the PPS becomes sidetracked The teacher does not model PPS well The pupils experience failure in PPS

How can technology enable PPS? KEEP toolkit templates are easy to build web-pages for students and teachers. They enable multi-media record keeping. Do a GOOGLE search - there are many useful sites on applying PPS in practice. Draw photos from the web to stimulate visualisation of PPS (choose with care!) Use email to keep in touch with pupils as they form their PPS and keep one another informed about their progress in attaining their goals.

Where can I find out more? sjfmentor@yahoo.com http://www.TeacherResearch.net http://www.StudentsResearch.net