Module 2. Are there any ideas from Work Based or Organisational knowledge theories of learning that could be used to understand your own professional enquiry?

Reading through the material of Module 2, what stuck out for me was "The ultimate goal of the inquiry will be to explore a topic that will benefit your work and the work of colleagues and fellow professionals, including any work organisations with whom you are affiliated"

 

 

Looking back at my mind map I did last week as a starting point, I have been researching in to why, someone like myself, with 18+ years dance training in RAD and ISTD, a Level 6 National Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre, and the opportunity to qualify as a dance teacher in ISTD and complete courses for singing teaching, has to have a degree, to be able to do a PGCE before qualifying as a Perfoming Arts/Dance or Drama teacher in secondary school?

I fully understand having to obtain a PGCE, as teaching in education is totally different to a ballet class or choregraphy for example, however I am wanting to explore why a national diploma, what so many performers have, is not suitable, especially when their level of talent and knowledge, is on such a high level following their training.

There are so many questions that need exploring/answering.

For example, Physical Education teachers sometimes have to teach Dance, or English teachers may have to teach Drama, but I want to look at why the arts aren't always more specialised.
If teachers with English degrees can teach Drama, why can't professionally trained musical theatre performers teach performing arts?
Recently there has been a lot of discussion about the need for the arts to even be an educational subject, so of course there is a lot to discuss.

Are there any ideas from Work Based or Organisational knowledge theories of learning that could be used to understand your own professional enquiry?

Looking back in to Kolbs learning cycle, I will benefit from this theory of WBL.

It is a good starting point to look at my original inquiry thoughts.

 

Concrete Experience: I am currently studying for a degree to be able to do a PGCE to then become a secondary school teacher. I have the passion for my chosen teaching subject of Musical Theatre/Performing Arts, as I have been training in Dance since the age of 3, I have the training because I obtained a Level 6 National Diploma through a 3 year course at Liverpool Theatre School and I have the professional experience since graduating in 2009 and being in the industry working and auditioning.

 

Reflective Observation: What do I think of the above experiences. In a nutshell I loved it. I still have a lot I can learn about the industry, but my knowledge in Musical Theatre, or singing or dancing alone, is greater than a lot of people who get an English degree and end up teaching Drama because they have to, for example.

I have a Diploma, I have several Distinctions in Dance exams, I have applied myself and observed others in my situation and feel upon reflection I have applied myself well and feel confident I could teach, given the chance to go straight to PGCE training.

 

Abstract Concepualisation: I find myself less of an analytical, theoretical worker. I often find myself consumed by my feelings and thoughts as opposed to logic and fact. I think my main cause for this route of inquiry is that I am after already a lot of training and work, now have to apply myself to a degree, because educational and government boards see fit that I do. Factually I have obtain a degree before I can teach in schools. What I really want to explore is why?

 

Active Experimentation: With work based learning I am interested in working round this cycle from the point of view of a qualified Performing Arts teacher.

I already know someone who is a PE teacher, also doing dance. Is this benefical to those who want to become dancers? No. Having someone who has read the neccessary curriculum, teaching dance to teenagers is not how school should be. Would they have a German teacher, look over the French curriculim and blag their way through it? No. Why is the arts deemed less inteligable?

 

Already my original thoughts of "Why do I need a degree to do a PGCE" are changing in to "Why do the arts have a lesser reputation to other subjects" - Or something like that.

 

I have read articles recently that suggest that involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability and vebal skill.

Yet when articles like this "Drama schools are a waste of money" exist, no wonder people have a negative view.

 

I was fortunate enough to obtain a DADA in to Liverpool Theatre School, but not everyone is as fortunate.

Why are Trinity College London credited courses so expensive and not government funded?

 

 

 

I feel I have opened a can of worms for myself here, but it is exciting and a lot to explore. Going back to my introduction of this post "The ultimate goal of the inquiry will be to explore a topic that will benefit your work and the work of colleagues and fellow professionals, including any work organisations with whom you are affiliated", I know all these questions I am asking are beneficial not just to me, but a whole host of people.