Data Collection

Since I've been in Australia since Module 3 began, it was difficult for me to get my head around my data collection.

I had originally wanted to go in to dance  classes and observe the teachers and how they teach different genres.

The dance world is very different in Australia and they don't have the same examining or teaching bodies so it wouldn't be beneficial to observe classes here, when my title is Mapping the different ways Dance is taught in the UK.

I had to really sit down and think about my data collection process.
I decided the best thing to do was speak to teachers via skype/email about their opinions. After all, my inquiry is about how dance is taught, so the teachers opinions are most important in my opinion.

After speaking to a teacher of Zumba in a local gym, I was certain that this wasn't a route I would want to go down as a teacher myself, and also that the process to teach it, isn't very extensive, so I took Zumba off my "list" of genres of dance I'm interested in being taught.

I have decided to focus on RAD Ballet, ISTD Tap/Modern/Jazz, GCSE Dance and BTEC Dance.

Back for Module 3!

So for those who don't know, in June I started my role as a Singer onboard a cruise ship.
This is something I had wanted to do for a long time, and finally I was successful which was great.

I was extremely busy at first with learning new material (I had to learn on board as I went because of taking over someone who left immediately), but eventually settled, however with such rubbish wifi and still getting to grips with my new life, it felt best for me to defer.

I am now home, until 26th February, and will start Module 3 in Feb.

I am still going to be cruising, however I have a rehearsal period in Sydney from 28th Feb for 6 weeks (Mon-Fri) and then 2 week handover on ship so it is a lot better for me to do BAPP and my job!
I can prepare a lot now over the next 7 and a half weeks before I fly, and will have decent wifi for 6 weeks at least after that!

Anyone else on Module 3 from Feb let me know so we can keep in touch as much as possible :)

Critical Reflection Portfolio

Critical Reflection Portfolio
Sarah Dunn - Module 2

 

I started this Module 2 and the tasks at first got me a bit anxious as I just wasn’t sure what I was meant to doing or looking in to. Appendix A
Fortunately with help from others on the course I was able to start exploring and really trying to find out what it was I wanted to look in to. Appendix B

After a few weeks I finally thought I was getting somewhere with my award title and inquiry question Appendix C until a Skype chat with my advisor and other students shook things up.
The Skype chat was one of the most beneficial things for me through this module though.
I was originally quite confused about why I couldn't teach without a degree, or why Dance was in the PE curriculum, and I had to stop being negative, and focus on something that I would actually benefit from. I started looking at Dance as a whole. Appendix D

The work on the module helped me to explore this in more detail and I was able to finally start looking properly into my Professional Inquiry Proposal.

I had decided to go down the route of why the arts are not as specialised in schools.

I joined SIG Performing Arts in Education which was set up by Emma Corboz Appendix E and was able to speak freely about all my concerns, ideas and also receive feedback on my line of inquiry. Appendix F

 
A part of the module which was different but extremely beneficial was section 5, ethics. I was able to explore the ethics needed for this proposal, and also the ethical practice in teaching, which is my future career. Appendix G

This suddenly then shook things up for me. All of a sudden it became apparent to me, while submitting my first draft to Adesola, that I was more interested in the different types of dance available, and the ways this can be taught. After all my future career is dance, and I am confused about which genre of dance teaching I want to go down!

I sort advice regularly on my blog and SIGs to ensure I was having a range of people’s opinions. We have a Facebook group for students of Module 2 which has been helpful for us all, no matter our line of inquiry, to talk freely.
Web 2.0 which we discussed in Module 1 has been the greatest tool for my inquiry.

 

Something that helped me structure my Inquiry, all 3 drafts I eventually did was listing the headers on a blog post. Appendix H. Whilst it doesn’t look much as a blog post, this was ideal for me when writing up my final Professional Inquiry Proposal. Even though what is on that blog post now is nothing like how my final inquiry propsoal turned out!

My main progress was made when I submitted my drafts to Adesola. I eventually was able to stop being so broad in my subjects, to finding a topic I really wanted to explore and that would be beneficial to my future.

I benefited me greatly was looking at the Module 3 material so I know exactly what I am preparing myself for.
This has given me confidence in my preparation, schedule, ethical practice and proposed inquiry.

Outline of the Inquiry Plan

Using the headers from the handbook, I have briefly noted down below a summary of where I need to go from here. I felt this has helped a lot with starting to create my proposal.

Title of Inquiry (a working title of your inquiry)
Why is the Arts not more specialised in Secondary Education?
Would it be beneficial for the Arts to have a more specialised curriculum?
Who benefits from Arts in Education?
Who can gain a PGCE to teach the Arts in Education?

Context of the inquiry (why it is important and who will benefit)
I endeavour to find out why the arts are in "trouble", why they are deemed less important than other subjects and if there is any way for them to break through in to a more specialised area on the curriculum.
Current teachers, as well as aspiring teachers will benefit.
I will also explore how to arts are beneficial to all types of people, whether or not they aim to become a performer, which will support my inquiry in wondering why it is deemed less important by so many.
I started off wondering why National Diploma holders could not obtain a PGCE but realised that would be a bit of a dead end subject to look in to.

Rationale and Inquiry Question(s)
How many inquiry changed from why diploma students can't become teachers, instead positively focussing on the arts and why it is not deemed as important as other subjects.
There is a lot of pressure on teachers at the minute, especially with cuts being made to the arts like Drama and Dance. I will explore why, and look into where the arts can go from here.
Literature review, interview with secondary drama teacher and Ballet teacher.. Questionnaire filled in

Aims/Objectives (explain what you are actually going to do in the inquiry)
Logically I want to explore WHY the arts isn't more specialised and if it ever could be?
Beneficial to performers, but also to people who find support in subjects like Drama.

Literature and Publicly available ideas - What is already known about the topic of your inquiry?
Brenda Pugh McCutchens book
Articles such as http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/9653088/Arts-luminaries-warn-of-threat-to-creative-subjects-in-schools.html

Inquiry tools that you will use and why (based on your review of pilots conducted with SIGs)
Interview with Jess Smith, Head of Drama in Secondary School
Questionnaires filled out by 1 teacher in Secondary and 1 in Primary school.
Conversation with a teacher from Walton Hall Special School majoring in Performing Arts, as well as liaising with RAD Ballet teacher, who teaches this in an after school club. Also feedback sourced from aspiring teachers and get feedback from SIG.

Approach to analysis of information you will collect in the inquiry
Whilst I am hugely supportive of the Arts staying in the curriculum and becoming more specialised, I will endeavour to be fair and appreciate any findings which support why the arts are not as specialised. I aim to understand why Dance is in PE curriculum and Drama is in English and look into if this would potentially change. If not, why not?

Ethical practice in the inquiry
See blog re ethics of a teacher
Discuss ethics when discussing how the arts can be more specialised or if they never will be?

Resources needed
Articles referred to re cut backs and why the arts are important.
All the above conversations and questionnaires filled out.

Schedule
Order of activities like this above plan.

Conclusion
Conclude how my inquiry will go, like the above headers have assisted. Focus on who will benefit, why it is important to explore, the ethical values included and research gathered. Design a detailed inquiry outline and how I intend to get my findings
Managing to mix all the above in an informative equal way for my proposal.


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Why is your inquiry important?

Who will benefit?

How will they benefit?

What is already known about your line of inquiry?

How will you go about the inquiry?

Why will you go about it that way?

How will you ensure that ethical considerations are adhered to?

What order of activities / time span will you employ?
 

Ethics. 5a and 5b

5a. Taking your place of work which is familiar to you, consider ethics which might apply there.

With my current situation, I work in a customer service contact centre, but also choreograph and perform professionally in an operatic society and also audition regularly.

As a choreographer for SDOS, I do not refer elsehwere for any codes of practice/regulations.

I decided to look at ethics from my choreography point of view, which can also be relayed in to ethics when teaching.
Researching ethics it can be quite extensive. From not discriminating ethnicity, background, disability, gender, sexual orientation etc through to a more complex view. I have made a short list of other ways ethics can influence a choreographer or teachers day.

• Have suitable flooring, with a safe surface designed and constructed to minimise risk of injury
• Show professional attitudes, including punctuality, reliability and responsible care of students
• Encourage and support the individuality of a performer
• Seek to recognise and develop each student’s potential, whether it lies in dance or in related fields, and offer appropriate guidance for further progress.
• Recognise physical anomalies, modifying their teaching and seeking medical advice when necessary. Teaching and choreography must be anatomically safe, and teachers must be prepared to deal with medical emergencies.
• Person in charge needs to appreciate and understand the students personality and life situation.
• Teachers will take responsibility for seeking more knowledge in all aspects of their work.

 

5b. Find out what are the codes of practice / regulations which steer the ethical framework in the place of work / professional community.

I feel, from a teacher or choreographers perspective, any code of professional ethics for teachers should be valid for all teachers, no matter the subject.

 

I read online at http://www.aaeteachers.org/index.php/about-us/aae-code-of-ethics the following below

• Ethical Conduct toward Students
• Ethical Conduct toward Practices and Performance
• Ethical Conduct toward Professional Colleagues
• Ethical Conduct toward Parents and Community

I am glad to say whilst researching ethics, personally, a lot of it seems like "common knowledge" but then that led me more thinking about ethics.

It is about understanding that each child comes from different walks of life, and not everyone is brought up or educated in the same way.

 

 

4d. Reviewing Literature for your Inquiry Planning. Literature 1.

Have you identified any literature that is important to understanding your inquiry?

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I have found an excellent book Teaching Dance as Art in Education by Brenda Pugh McCutchen.

What are the main points that alerted you to its importance?

The title grabbed my attention straight away. It has been a fascinating read. She not only looks into professional performers who are now teaching, but those who obtained a degree and PGCE like most teachers do. What I found fascinating is how Brenda explores the use of reflection. She states reflection does not always call for response.

 

She discusses three types of reflection from a teachers perspective

In class (integrated reflection)

At the end of class (Culminating reflection)

In the long term (Broad reflection).

 

She goes on to ask sample culminating reflection questions, such as

"What did you learn about negative and positive space today?"

What ways did you solve the movement problem of turning negative spaces into positive in your exploration today?"

What difficulties did you have today and how did you solve them?"

"How might you use negative and positive space consciously in daily living"

 

Straight away I was revisiting Module 1 and my research in to Schon and his clock like reflective practice going through states of appreciation, action, and re-appreciation

In module one I was exploring this from a choreographers point of view, and it's interesting intertwining it into the view of a teachers.

Have you looked at the References or Bibliography? / Can the literature signpost you to other important sources of information?

From reading Teaching Dance as Art in Education by Brenda Pugh McCutchen it was interesting to see what came up under "related items" online. The Art of Dance in Education by Jacqueline M. Smith came up, as well as Knowing Dance: A Guide to Creative Teaching by Marion Gough.

I intend to read these to see if any new points are raised which can aid my inquiry.

I want to read the indivative bibliogrpahy provided in the Module 2 Handbook, especially those focused around work based research.

 

4b - SIGs

How does your SIG compare to other groups or communities that you are a part of in the workplace?
How will you use your SIG?
How will you evidence the shared practice within your own professional inquiry process?

I've been fortunate enough to join Special Interest Group "Performing Arts in Education" which Emma Corboz has set up. There is a few of us in the group posting different links and sites of interest around the arts in education which is really helpful.

I think this SIG will really help towards my Inquiry as people are posting links I have not seen, and posting things I would not have thought would be beneficial, but when looking into them further they really are.

I have been reading through Teaching Dance as Art in Education by Brenda Pugh McCutchen and it is very helpful aiding my line of inquiry.

Something that really interested me when reading this was How ED (Educational dance) differs from a Physical Education Model.

She states "Aspects of dance are easily adapted to physical education. Indeed physical educators historically brough dance into the curriculum and make a place  for it longer before there were dance specialists in K-12. Dabce training for certified physical educators is usually activity based. Rarely do physical educators study dance performance. Choreography, criticism and dance history. Their dance goals relate to fitness, skill development and recreation, rhythmic activity, locomotor skills and sequences.
Dance can be taught in both ED and physical education with the highest integrity. Both the physical educator and dance specialist bring specific skills and backgrounds to dance, and both ably teach dance to achieve their goals and standards."

My inquiry is forever adapting, which is great as it shows my research is progressing.

Originally I had quite a one sided view.
I was unhappy that the arts were being taught as part of the PE Curriculum for Dance or English Curriculum for Drama and didn't understand why.
Now, because of skyping with Adesola, through to reading this book, along with conversations with a good friend who is a Drama teacher, I am now not exploring why the Arts is being taught by teachers from those academic areas, because like the above states, these teachers still have their own standards and achievements, but, why is the arts is not more specialised in schools?
The arts seems to have a stigma attached to it. For example, people do Dance or Drama if they are not succeeding in other subjects. Like it is an easier grade to achieve.

What I have found interesting when talking to my friend Jessica, who is a head of Drama at a secondary school is that she is very much agreeing that the arts are deemed less valuable yet she signposted me to a link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/creative-industries-worth-8million-an-hour-to-uk-economy which shows the arts industry make such a large revenue. She is now interested in my inquiry as well. What is beneficial is that she is that whilst she is a drama teacher with no "professional" performing experience, she went to university, obtained a degree, then PGCE and from there now teaches. She is valuable to my discussion as she is educated in a different way to me and everyone in the SIG I am within.

Because of this article and reading other peoples opinions in SIG "Performing Arts in Education" I have changed my inquiry to:
"How can the arts become more a more reputable subject in schools"

With my award title sticking at  "BA Hons Professional Practice in Performing Arts and Education"





Reference:

B Pugh McCutchen (2006) Teaching Dance as Art in Education: How ED (Educational dance) differs from a Physical Education Model.