'Thinking outside the Tick Box' -Skype April 1st 9pm

This was a group discussion across all three modules. Some of the distinct points I took from this discussion were...

-Think outside the box

-Nothing in this course is a tick box activity.

-Don't make assumptions and when you do, question them!

I realised I was looking at the handbook and criteria for the essay in a very linear fashion. I was focusing on a lens per paragraph not taking into account that these various lens can intertwine and impact on each other. 

There is certainly nothing linear about my practice and life in general so why am I tempting to write in this way?

As described by our tutor, the handbook is the choreography you are given. It is then up to you to interpret this choreography and make it your own!!! 

Skype Monday 23rd March Module 1 focus

I found this Skype really useful and it was nice to talk about Module 1 after already writing my draft.
The areas we discussed were mainly
Literature
Artefact
Ethics

Literature
I have realized I need to read more literature to become more informed as opposed to reading just so I have a quote for my essay. As I now have plenty time on my hands this reading is starting today!

Artefact
This can be very individual to you. That is the idea. It can be auditory, tactile , visual. It reflects your practice and can focus on a certain area of your practice

Ethics
Think about Ethics and me not Ethics in general as that can be overwhelming. Start questioning everything.

Ethical consideration with online teaching

Due to the Covid-19 many dance classes,singing lessons etc are now being taught online. This comes with a whole new set of ethical considerations. I am currently making dance tutorials for the students in my primary school.
Here are some of the things I have had to consider...
-I have chosen to pre-record my videos and upload to you tube and create a link which can be shared. If I was to do a live tutorial I would need to ensure that there is an adult with the child as soon as the session would start for safeguarding. I would also need to ensure there is someone on my side of the camera and I would have to record the live session. 1 to 1 tutorials are not advised.
-My link is not on public viewing it is only for those who have been given the link. I have set it for 'Childrens viewing'. I have also underneath the video stipulated that an adult must be present, the floor space should be clear of trip hazards and we should be wearing shoes or bare feet NO SOCKS!
-Music choices, ensuring these are appropriate.
-Ensuring my language is suitable.
-Ensuring the space I am using is clear of hazards/ anything inappropriate or unprofessional.
-Ensuring I am wearing appropriate clothing and look professional.
-Ensuring the Web platform I am using is free of charge.

I hope this is helpful for others who are doing similar tutorials. If you have any extra guidance and advice please let me know!:)

Coronavirus and Dance education

I know it's all we are hearing at the moment but I have been thinking alot about the impact the corona virus will have on Arts, Broadway is already going dark for the next month. Unfortunately this is only the beginning of the precautions.

I'm teaching dance in a primary school at the moment and today I had to change everything that involved holding hands with partners, holding hands to get into the circle and so on. 

My class began and ended with sanitizing hands followed by sanatizing the ballet Barre. We sung a lovely song called wash your hands (a version of the dreaded 'baby shark song'). Children can sing this while washing their hands to ensure they are washing them for long enough. 

From this we even creating a little dance routine to go along with the song!!! 

Thinking about freelance dance teachers and teachers with their own schools how can they change their current practice to ensure the health and safety of their students? If schools close can they continue to teach using WEB 2.0? Virtual dance lessons? Can stage shows be live streamed??

What happens in countries where virtual learning is not available for the basics of mainstream education?

So many questions.....

For any of you teachers out there who know 'baby shark' here are the alternative lyrics...

Wash your hands do do do do....x3

Wash your hands...

Lots of soap do do do.....x3

Lots of soap...

Take your time do do do ..x3

Take your time...

WASH YOUR HANDS!!!!

'The Higher You Climb the harder you fall'

TED TALK Art in Education Sarah Choo (click to open)

I found this Ted Talk very thought provoking. Sarah discusses her experience of Art in education as a child and how her parents struggled to support her dream thinking it wouldn't earn her a living. (Something I'm sure many of us have battled with family members) She speaks about how she defied the odds and reached her goals. But what happens if we reach these goals and realise we have nothing left? What hapoens if we isolate ourselves and our identity becomes our art? 

Interestingly Sarah's journey has found her back in education as a teacher. She explains how Art can help students to defy their limitations and how by being part of this process she no longer feels isolated as an artist. She learns from her students as they learn from her.

ETHICS IN DANCE TEACHING

ETHICS IN DANCE TEACHING-The dancer as a person
As one of my practices is dance teaching I decided to think about ethical considerations and questions I have regarding my teaching and also the teaching I experienced whilst training and from choreographers in my professional life.
I pride myself on my hard work and determination but why at times in my training was I made feel inadequate if my turnout wasn’t as great as someone else or my hamstrings not as flexible. Yet I would be working to the very best of my ability to achieve this.
The classes that I enjoyed the most and got the most out of where the teachers who knew I could do little to change the physicality of my joints but always continued to encourage me and praise my efforts and diligence. This positivity and praise in turn meant I gained more physically from the session.
I found very interesting research online from a wonderful lady named Sho Botham. She encourages teachers to look at their dancers as people,
                    ‘Dancers are to feel valued for what they are and not just what they can do’ Botham(2004)

She believes valuing the dancer as their whole self will result in healthier, more creative and successful artists.
It is this approach that I believe is most ethical and it is the approach I wish to take as a teacher. It’s an interesting area to discuss as you could argue that the dance profession isn’t ‘fair’ or ‘kind’ and people can be ruthless so therefore treating dancers harshly in training better prepares them? Or can it break them?

What are your thoughts? Please feel free to post below.




S. Botham, Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, (2000) Vol 4, No. 4, p146, New Jersey, Michael J Ryan Publishing Inc

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
Inspired by one of Adesola’s blogs about ‘collaborations and other knowledge gained from the arts’ I thought I would share my ideas on the topic. I have in fact been thinking about this topic myself over the last month.
I remember a teacher at college saying that this is full time training for a part time career. And yes although you may not always be using your art form in a direct way, the skills you gain from this training and industry can be used in our professional and personal lives full time.
One of the most useful skills that I have learned from the arts is the ability to work as a team and communicate with others. In the arts you have first days all the time and you are constantly meeting new people. I remember struggling with this as a late teen and although it can still be daunting to meet new people I find I have developed the skills and confidence to interact and work creatively with new faces on a regular basis.
In an interview for a teaching assistant role in a school the headmaster asked if I would be able to multitask and would I mind moving from class to class or would this ‘stress me out’. To with I replied ‘I’m an actor!’. As an actor I’ve been working 8-5 in the day whilst doing a fringe show at night, prepping for auditions, responding to emails whilst trying to eat and sleep and breath!! Whilst this level of multitasking may not always be sustainable it certainly made me organised and resilient.
There is sometimes an assumption if someone hasn’t taken the performing or teaching track after graduating that they have not succeeded in using their training. The above proves that an arts training can give you skills for life whatever area you end up working in!

GO FOR IT

JUST GO FOR IT!
I took part in the Skype session on Wednesday the 5th of February at 8pm. This Skype was focused on module 1 and module 2 learners. It was my first group session and I found it really reassuring to listen and discuss the BAPP with my fellow learners alongside the expertise of our supervisor Helen.

It was great to listen to the students working on module 2 and hear their reflective thoughts on module 1 and how they tackled their first module. I’ve entitled this blog ‘Just Go For It’ as one of the pieces of advise from both Helen and the module 2 students was just to get started with your ideas and go for it. I can be a procrastinator which can be beneficial at times but can also hold me back from just going for it and getting started. Since this blog I have got started and have found that I’ve become more aware of what my practice entails! Helen encouraged us to see our practice on a greater scale and not to isolate ourselves.I need to look at who else is in my field and how they engage in their practice.

The module 2 students spoke about how you can expand your research to journals, documentaries and even discussions with colleagues. I found this very interesting and I certainly intend on discussing my practice with my colleagues and friends.