My inquiry

I have finished my inquiry now.  I am pleased with the points I have made.  I however am also reflecting on my time being a student at Middlesex University and have realised that I will miss it after this module has finished.  I have learnt so muvh about the topic that I have investigated, however I have also learnt a lot abojut myself too.  I realise now that I understand my own professional practice more now then ever, and I am looking forward to what new experiences may come my way in the new year! A BIG thank you!

Artifact

I have really enjoyed completing my artifact.  It has shown me how much a picture can mean.  I based my artifact on my sister and I.  I have arranged photos that were took of both of us throughout our life that are relate to dance.  It really shows how much we have been through together and what we have accomplished in order to get to where we are.  It also depicts the strong bond we have and how we share the same passion for dance.  It makes me excited for what pictures will be took in the near future...

Class Observation - Bodywork Company

Class: Ballet	Bodywork Dance- family run business
What teaching strategies does the teacher use? Example: imagery/demonstration...	·        Imagery- the teacher focuses on phrases like ‘up like a rocket and down like a parachute’ when completing grand battement ·        Demonstration- the teacher marks through all the exercises with the students ·        Repetition- the teacher encouraged repetition of enchainments so the class could improve on their previous attempts
How do they cater for all abilities?	·        The class was already levelled. ·        It was depending on what year of Vocational college the student was in
Time management strategies	·        The lessons are 1 hour and a half long ·        Warm up/barre work/pors de bras/centre work/corner work/jumps/cool down ·        I t was roughly 45 mins to warm up and finish barre work – 45mins to complete the rest of the class
Any other comments	·        The students were all seriously partaking in dancing as they were at vocational college ·        I still found that upon observing primary school children, children that partake in dance as a hobby and students that want to make it a career all three had a succinct enjoyment from expressing themselves through physicality.

Dance Class Observation - Family run business

Class: Jazz	Starlight Dance - family run business
What teaching strategies does the teacher use? Example: imagery/demonstration...	·        The teacher demonstrates all movements ·        Using repetition is allowing muscle memory to form ·        The teacher has broken the class into groups, to add the performance aspect into the class ·        The correct dancing terminology has been used so the students can pick p choreography quickly
How do they cater for all abilities?	·        The class is a specific level already. ·        This isn’t determined by age, unlike in a dance school.  It is determined from ability and talent
Time management strategies	·        The lesson was 1 hr and a half long ·        A warm up/corner work/centre routine and cool down were all catered for ·        The warm up was pre-learnt, the music went on and the students knew what they were doing
Any other comments	·        There was an obvious difference (as expected) from observing this class to that of a dance/movement class in a primary school. The children all has more dance experience and their ability to pick up the moves faster. ·        However the desire to impress and learn was no different from that to children who were participating in primary school.

Dance Class Observation- Primary School

Class: P.E - Dance	Year 3/4 at Corby Old Village Primary School
What teaching strategies does the teacher use? Example: imagery/demonstration...	·        The teacher actively joined in every section of the class. ·        Demonstration was used before the children partook. ·        The teacher used references to the Olympics to inspire the children
How do they cater for all abilities?	·        Some children have special needs...these children have a teacher assistant that works with them and helps the children to stay on task. ·        The children were working in groups...the groups were blended randomly. Each group had two team leaders
Time management strategies	·        The teacher gave the children the challenge to complete a dance and show it to the rest of the class for the end of the lesson. ·        A countdown from 20mins right down 5mins was called out.
Any other comments	The children were clearly excited to be doing dance.  They were jumping round excitedly; they enjoyed music being part of the lesson. They thrived at the prospect of performing, I have been fortunate to observe the children over a period of weeks in all subjects...some children who appeared timid and quiet in the classroom setting became confident and group leaders when given the task. The children gave each other support when they were performing.  At playtime they all were dancing again.

Sir Ken Robinson

I have found that researching Robinson has been an invaluable way of gathering international literature.  He is a leading senior advisor and educationalist.

“America needs

a workforce that is

flexible, adaptable

and highly creative;

and it needs

an education

system that can

develop these

qualities in

everyone.”

Sir Ken Robinson

This quote is from an Education Commission of the States Arts and Minds series,the interview features the views of today’s leading thinkers on topics pertaining to the arts in education. ECS is pleased to provide this series under its 2004-06 ECS Chairman’s Initiative, The Arts – A Lifetime of Learning, led by Arkansas Governor and ECS Chairman Mike Huckabee.

The title: How Creativity, Education and the Arts, Shape a Modern Economy.

Everyone have a look...it's thought provoking.

 

 

Is there a fear of failure in education

I have found this article by Kerry Eustice on the Guardian website.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/teacher-network/2012/nov/23/failure-in-education

I found it really interesting...I am aware that I want my personal view point that - dance in education is an important attribute to the education system to appear well researched and more importantly fair.  This piece of literature enables me to give a non-biased viewpoint at which to entertain the education system as a whole, rather then pin pointing one particular subject.