Work-based learning is obviously what the BAPP Arts course is all based upon. But what I've already discovered within my new job as a Teaching Assistant is that the job itself is all about work-based learning. I constantly learn new skills not just from practically doing them myself, but also through observing the class teacher I work with. There have been many times where I have been thrown into the 'deep-end' and had to discover and learn things for myself without much help or guidance. This has forced me to learn things about myself as well as what the job entails. With my experience from working in lots of different schools over the past year as well as my current place of work, I have built up a large network of different colleagues who all work within different realms of education and performing arts. This will be an interesting tool for practitioner research and will give me great scope over a wide range of different topics within schools in general and teaching performing arts specifically. With this in mind, I tried to think of areas I find particularly interesting within teaching and attempted to put these into questions that could be developed into inquiries. Behaviour management and the affects that performing arts can have on children are two topics of interest that appeal to me. Therefore, the following questions are what spawned from these initial thoughts.
How do schools and dance schools manage behaviour? Is there a difference with how it is managed between school and extra-curricular? Do children behave differently in comparison between the two? Do children who attend extra curricular performing arts behave better at school? Why?
Can participating in performing arts as an extra-curricular subject affect children's learning in school? Is there a correlation that suggests this is a positive or negative effect? Can it improve/certain aspects of their development?
My next questions came out of reading about Argyris and Schon's single loop and double loop cycles and it made me question how my current place of work look to change and improve for the sake of the children's learning in line with OFSTED. It also made me think about how I look to improve my work as an individual. I would like to think I'm very flexible and adapt to new methods in order to improve. This lead me to my next train of thought with my questions...
External performing arts schools (not for further education purposes) aren't assessed by any external board (e.g. OFSTED). Therefore, how do performing arts schools measure their success? How do they know they're adhering to certain codes of conduct? Is there a board that could come in and observe these? How do performing arts schools know what/how to improve without this? How do they create their expectations and set their standards? Could having something like OFSTED have a positive impact on such schools?
I then took a particular interest to theories that Peter.M Senge had about 'The Fifth Discipline' and how teams in the workplace can only thrive when open minded and flexible with change and when this is done together. It made me think about how my school are currently working on keeping a 'Growth Mindset'. This is the idea that children should never be labelled by their abilities and should understand the power of 'yet' ("I can't do this yet, but with more practice I will achieve it"). Ranking children on ability and using certain words when praising good work can let them forget that putting in effort and determination is just as important as getting things 'right'. The emphasis should be placed on the idea that if they keep trying hard at something, they will excel eventually. The growth mindset theory resonated with me and my time as a child when I attended an external dance school. A lot of the praise given to me and the attitude that was had towards dancing was all to do with hard work and determination and how that was more important than always being 'perfect'. It seemed that the school I currently work in (and schools across the country in general) have not always had this outlook. These thoughts lead me to question...
Do performing arts schools encourage a different mindset in children? Is determination and effort given more emphasis in performing arts schools over actual schools? Are children who attend external performing arts schools more prone to a positive attitude and are therefore more hardworking?
I went on the read more about acquiring knowledge in the work place. I am confident that the knowledge I have and am still collecting is 'transdiciplanry'. Skills that I have learnt from working as a performer such as discipline, time-keeping, memory, resilience etc. are used everyday during my time at school. The techniques I used during my hours of dance teaching such as planning, behaviour management, etc. have also been carried over to my job as a teaching assistant. This lead me to consider the amount of teaching experience I have actually acquired over the past 3-4 years. I've had a lot of positive feedback in that time and have supported children through dance exams nod performances where they have been very successful. As a teaching assistant, I feel I do as much teaching as the class teacher just in different settings and contexts. However, I would be confident in teaching a class of 30 children and do the job to a good standard (especially if this lesson was in dance or musical theatre). Which leads me to some other questions that I have constantly thought about...
How beneficial is a PGCE to a dance or performing arts teacher? Could the job be done based purely on experience? How does that compare to the importance of a PGCE for a primary school teacher or secondary school maths teacher? Do some schools take on dance or performing arts teachers who don't hold a QTS?
In conclusion, whichever question I choose to develop further, it will be some form of comparison between the teaching/school of dance/performing arts in comparison to teaching/school in general. Please feel free to leave comments below on your thoughts and how I could take these questions further.
Hi Eleanor,
ReplyDeleteI think you have used the Reader really well to support your ideas and develop your thinking.
Your questions about extra curricular and behaviour are similar is similar to my question about extra curricular performing arts clubs and engagement. I think it would be interesting to explore. Have you observed anything within your work places to date that have promoted this question?
I find your sets of questions surrounding the idea that performing arts schools encourage a different mindset very intriguing. I have had no experience of independent schools within my own compulsory education or within my work practices, so this would be interest to me. The aim of every teacher is to raise aspirations and standards, but you raise an interest point with this question.
I read an article for my literature reviews within Module 2 recently, which outlined some theories why students engage or disengage from dance. The study's participants were from a range of dance abilities, schools and countries. One of the main factors they found that contributed to hard work was 'intrinsic motivation'. Do you think this could be a factor in students from performing arts schools always working hard, and not just the teachers high standards? I don't want to put too much detail in case I am on the wrong lines but, here's the blog address: http://jessicaplant.blogspot.co.uk/p/task-4d.html.
I hope this is helpful,
Jess.