How to move on to the next module? What topics interest me and what area do I feel will have enough literature in order to shape my research? It's certainly a tough one!
From the group conversation yesterday, it was interesting to learn that others are in a similar position to me in that do they carry on with something they did in their AOL or find a new area. As I touched on very very briefly, I will moving on from my job role as of April and therefore do not feel I can continue with my AOL's due to them all being based on this particular job role and therefore I will not be in this same career position to help base my research and ethics etc. I feel a new area for me based in a dance school I teach just once a week is going to be more of a realistic possibility in terms of time frames, research and gathering evidence. Additionally, I don't think it is specific to just the aol's as it is a learning journey and therefore I would imagine it would be ok to look at a different area, I wonder if there is some way I can link it back to one of my aol's...will think this one through further.
It was interesting to hear some wonderful thoughts off others, it helped me to feel like I was not alone especially in my uncertainties and often the questions that are asked reflect my own areas where I lack understanding and clarity. Although these were not directly answered, I think it still helps to know you are not alone in this process. Besides, our one to one tutorials can help with direct questions and for me, I go away from one to one tutorials with a lot more clarity and understanding. I think for me personally, this way of learning is a lot better and more thorough. I very much wanted to be involved yesterday but didn't feel I had much further to add or contribute, however, I learnt from listening to others and I am a very good listener and this does help me. After inputting just once at the very end, I felt I had perhaps said something wrong as it was then queried whether these groups are helpful as questions are not directly answered. I went away and reflected as I have spent the entire first module reflecting on my practice and used Gibbs Reflective Cycle to help me to understand how I was feeling. I left the conversation as though I had said something wrong, I felt I guess, just strange like somehow I had annoyed others - again I left the last Skype chat feeling the same as a very very similar thing happened. I found the experience as a whole was good as I learnt from others and it was so good to hear so many differences in thoughts and contributions. For me personally, I felt it needs to be a more positive experience for me to continue attending these Skype sessions as the last twice I have left feeling quite down and disappointed and I simply cannot and will not allow myself to feel this way when it is not about that. I am learning more about myself than maybe I realised both from both a teaching and personal point of view. Perhaps I am quite sensitive to people's responses (perhaps raging pregnancy hormones also aren't helping me here!) and that also I feel I need to contribute more. In reflection, this is something that I would do differently next time. I think that maybe because I tend to hurry through what I need to say on the Skype chat to avoid babbling on and taking up too much time, maybe I do not clarify the most important points of what I am trying to say. Perhaps in another conversation, I need to learn to relax and make points of what I want to contribute prior that will enable me to speak directly about what it is I wanted to say...otherwise, I tend to drive myself crazy wondering what did I say? How should I have said this more clearly / concisely? Additionally, in reflection, I think for me to make notes on what I want to contribute and what I learn from others is also valuable. Again this enables me to speak directly about what it is I need to address and clarify etc.
So the start of module two has been a lot more complicating and confusing than I originally anticipated. I did't expect to start reflecting myself from a personal point of view and I am surprised that I am learning through more ways than one, this is not a bad thing, it just wasn't expected. So now I know how better to approach a Skype conversation and also to not take things as personally - however, this process enables me to link this directly back to teaching practice. I will make notes before every lesson, I will deliver the lesson and certainly do not take comments from students personally. I reflect on my practice and move on from the learning experience. I feel this approach works for me in my professional career and therefore can link back nicely to planning, preparing and moving forwards in my personal life. So there we go, I am learning as I am writing!
Onwards and upwards to find a topic suitable for module two...I am interested in two areas mostly, one being dancers of whom have physical and mental disabilities, and then contrastingly would be to look at how progress in dance is measured, i.e; exams, competitions, shows, I just feel this area needs a little bit more meat to it in order to make it into a project. The latter idea allows me to link to my teaching practice that is an ongoing position and therefore a little bit more realistic to time frames, ethics etc.
Off we go taking a huge leap (grand jete for the ballet dancers amongst us) into the unknown that is module two!
Monday, 13 February 2017
Wednesday, 4 January 2017
2017 begins
Hey and a happy new year to you all.
The end of last year was crazy to say the least, there's a lot going on in my world right now, much more than I had bargained for but I think the best way to deal with having 'a lot on your plate' is to just take every day as it comes. So, with that in mind, I have continued my MA studies, I have now posted my submission and have emailed my Review of Learning. I felt I had put as much in as I possibly could have and therefore, I have done the best I can at this part of my learning journey. Life is a continuous learning journey, as is this course, as is my job. One step at a time...
The last Skype chat back in December left me feeling a little confused, I was on a time limit that morning and had been feeling particularly ill but I was struggling which way to gear the direction of my Review of Learning. I felt a little disappointed that I felt my question had been deemed almost irrelevant as though I had been patronised in my questioning, and fair enough, it's someone else's opinion or idea, however, I was asking my peers for their advice and the way in which they had geared their Review of Learning. In the end, I decided to go with my instinct and hope for the best. I was sorry I felt that way, and perhaps it wasn't meant the way. Onwards and upwards, as said previously, I have too much going on to worry about what other people think and say.
My learning journey has been insane. I am enjoying reflecting on my classes through using Gibbs Reflective Cycle and Kolb's Learning Cycle. They have been most useful for me and are allowing me opportunity to reflect on my classes. From this point, I can learn from my teaching and improve my classes for the next time. Additionally, I have learnt to use abstract conceptualisation as a highly useful tool to research and use other ideas that I find to help inspire my classes. This has been highly useful in helping me to teach learners with disabilities and I have been further encouraged and inspired to continue improving.
I have learnt a lot about myself in terms of my motivation and my passion. Sometimes, life can get the better of you and you need to reignite that passion that was once inside you, perhaps your passion is no longer your priority - and I think for me this has been the case. Especially now this term I am having to teach an area that is not my dance specialism. Having said that, my learning journey will continue to develop, I will add more strings to my bow and become more skilled and experienced in teaching another area. Additionally, I will perhaps learn and grow in areas where I didn't expect.
Thankfully, this part of my journey has been completed, fingers crossed for a better 2017!
The end of last year was crazy to say the least, there's a lot going on in my world right now, much more than I had bargained for but I think the best way to deal with having 'a lot on your plate' is to just take every day as it comes. So, with that in mind, I have continued my MA studies, I have now posted my submission and have emailed my Review of Learning. I felt I had put as much in as I possibly could have and therefore, I have done the best I can at this part of my learning journey. Life is a continuous learning journey, as is this course, as is my job. One step at a time...
The last Skype chat back in December left me feeling a little confused, I was on a time limit that morning and had been feeling particularly ill but I was struggling which way to gear the direction of my Review of Learning. I felt a little disappointed that I felt my question had been deemed almost irrelevant as though I had been patronised in my questioning, and fair enough, it's someone else's opinion or idea, however, I was asking my peers for their advice and the way in which they had geared their Review of Learning. In the end, I decided to go with my instinct and hope for the best. I was sorry I felt that way, and perhaps it wasn't meant the way. Onwards and upwards, as said previously, I have too much going on to worry about what other people think and say.
My learning journey has been insane. I am enjoying reflecting on my classes through using Gibbs Reflective Cycle and Kolb's Learning Cycle. They have been most useful for me and are allowing me opportunity to reflect on my classes. From this point, I can learn from my teaching and improve my classes for the next time. Additionally, I have learnt to use abstract conceptualisation as a highly useful tool to research and use other ideas that I find to help inspire my classes. This has been highly useful in helping me to teach learners with disabilities and I have been further encouraged and inspired to continue improving.
I have learnt a lot about myself in terms of my motivation and my passion. Sometimes, life can get the better of you and you need to reignite that passion that was once inside you, perhaps your passion is no longer your priority - and I think for me this has been the case. Especially now this term I am having to teach an area that is not my dance specialism. Having said that, my learning journey will continue to develop, I will add more strings to my bow and become more skilled and experienced in teaching another area. Additionally, I will perhaps learn and grow in areas where I didn't expect.
Thankfully, this part of my journey has been completed, fingers crossed for a better 2017!
Wednesday, 9 November 2016
After the most recent Skype conversation on Sunday November 6th, I am inspired and ready to embrace the up and coming challenges of this MA course. I had not overly considered what evidence I would use in order to support the work that I will be submitting and this has got me thinking! My areas of learning will include choreography and therefore, I thought video evidence would be useful to document my evidence. Our tutor Helen described evidence very interestingly as something that you do not have to 'prove'. I felt glad that this was clarified as I was approaching my areas of learning thinking how can I 'prove' that I do what I do. Now with a new spin on this, it appears to be more evidence based such as what documentation do you have that demonstrates what you have done. This struck a chord with me as I now thankfully do not feel that I have to got though all modules trying to create evidence and in fact I can use what I have already...ahhh in essence isn't this learning from what you have already been doing? hence the actual topic of this assignment!! The penny drops!
So, in order to consider my evidence, I have now gained feedback on my areas of learning. They needed tweaking but it was positive in as much as I have somewhere to go with the starting topics. It was advised to me that I need to make my work more about ME than the students so I had to go through my work thoroughly and adapt to these changes. I have decided that I will be looking at the following:
- My Motivational Influences in Vocational Dance
- Assessment for Dance Development
- The Challenges of Choreography
- Communication in Dance Education
- All Inclusive Delivery of Dance
These are the titles I would like to consider but ideally need to get feedback. I find that I am never quite sure with this module - I guess because it is so subjective but I feel I am always questioning myself and whether this is right or wrong, when actually, I don't think there is a right or wrong. Evidence wise, I will look at choreographic images, videos, written communication via email, feedback assessment sheets, a recording of verbal feedback, peer assessment sheets, a recording of my teaching, arranging and outcomes of meetings and whatever else I can find to submit that I believe is relevant to my practice. On the Skype chat, someone suggested a reference which I feel would be quite useful just as an addition to support an AOL. Will keep working on this area and look closely in my working environment to see what else would be useful!
Monday, 24 October 2016
A clearer idea
Having participated in a Skype conversation, I am a lot clearer on what I need to do to progress through this initial module. I have started by annotating my CV where I am surprised with the amount of my teaching practice that interlinks. I am continuously assessing my learners and am always giving feedback. In my position as a lecturer, we are always working towards a summative assessment, but the journey to get there is compiled of feedback verbal and written, reflection and implementing the feedback given. I have noticed that even teaching part time in a dance school, my focus is to always ensure that my learners make progress in each and every lesson. Some respond well to verbal feedback, whilst others require the practice of physically feeling the change in their movements or seeing it for themselves with use of the mirror before they are able to adapt to that change. the different types of feedback between my learners intrigues me to know they use their individual feedback in order to progress and develop. They take note, they take these notes on board but they are not always implemented into their technique and performance. I am curious to know what happens with this feedback outside of my class, how does my feedback impact on their learning once they have left the room?
So looking into my areas of learning (AOL), I would like to look further in to motivation between my different types of learners. I am currently teaching beginners right through to advanced standard. I am aware that my more advanced dancers are motivated by the profession and the industry. They are hungry for work as professional dancers and thrive on feedback to help them to develop. As a teacher, this is encouraging and inspires me to deliver and work hard to enable them to be challenged and continue progressing. My other group of learners have barely danced a step in their lives and therefore there is a different level of motivation. As they are studying performing arts, their interests lie amongst the arts as singers and actors also. They give all they can in my class but do very little outside of class to continue their development. They receive regular feedback and are committed to doing better for assessments and performances, however, do very little outside of my lessons to challenge themselves further. Their motivation is different and perhaps more short term than my advanced dancers who are actively auditioning for professional opportunities. I am intrigued to know more about what motivates learners that are of varying standards and what inspires them to be a better dancer and performer. I will continue observing my learners and challenging them accordingly to know how they adapt to changes, developments and once again I will always continue to push for progress constantly throughout my lessons.
Kolb's model of reflection helps me to assess where in the cycle of reflection I am and I enjoy tuning in to my experiences, sometimes mentally reliving my experiences to understand what I could have done to improve that class. What overall would have developed the progress rates in that class? I will continue to use this model of reflection and my concrete experience to help my classes progress and to continue to assess what could have been done differently, perhaps more productively to enhance learner development and understanding.
Having participated in a Skype conversation, I am a lot clearer on what I need to do to progress through this initial module. I have started by annotating my CV where I am surprised with the amount of my teaching practice that interlinks. I am continuously assessing my learners and am always giving feedback. In my position as a lecturer, we are always working towards a summative assessment, but the journey to get there is compiled of feedback verbal and written, reflection and implementing the feedback given. I have noticed that even teaching part time in a dance school, my focus is to always ensure that my learners make progress in each and every lesson. Some respond well to verbal feedback, whilst others require the practice of physically feeling the change in their movements or seeing it for themselves with use of the mirror before they are able to adapt to that change. the different types of feedback between my learners intrigues me to know they use their individual feedback in order to progress and develop. They take note, they take these notes on board but they are not always implemented into their technique and performance. I am curious to know what happens with this feedback outside of my class, how does my feedback impact on their learning once they have left the room?
So looking into my areas of learning (AOL), I would like to look further in to motivation between my different types of learners. I am currently teaching beginners right through to advanced standard. I am aware that my more advanced dancers are motivated by the profession and the industry. They are hungry for work as professional dancers and thrive on feedback to help them to develop. As a teacher, this is encouraging and inspires me to deliver and work hard to enable them to be challenged and continue progressing. My other group of learners have barely danced a step in their lives and therefore there is a different level of motivation. As they are studying performing arts, their interests lie amongst the arts as singers and actors also. They give all they can in my class but do very little outside of class to continue their development. They receive regular feedback and are committed to doing better for assessments and performances, however, do very little outside of my lessons to challenge themselves further. Their motivation is different and perhaps more short term than my advanced dancers who are actively auditioning for professional opportunities. I am intrigued to know more about what motivates learners that are of varying standards and what inspires them to be a better dancer and performer. I will continue observing my learners and challenging them accordingly to know how they adapt to changes, developments and once again I will always continue to push for progress constantly throughout my lessons.
Kolb's model of reflection helps me to assess where in the cycle of reflection I am and I enjoy tuning in to my experiences, sometimes mentally reliving my experiences to understand what I could have done to improve that class. What overall would have developed the progress rates in that class? I will continue to use this model of reflection and my concrete experience to help my classes progress and to continue to assess what could have been done differently, perhaps more productively to enhance learner development and understanding.
Friday, 21 October 2016
Here we go...
So I decided I needed a new challenge, something that makes me think, work hard and achieve. I have known for a while I am the type of person who enjoys being challenged and likes to be challenged academically as well as physical. As a dancer and now more so a dance teacher, I have been challenged physically for the majority of my life! Can I manage this turn? this rapid direction change? this sustained balance? and I have had to work hard to achieve and to work in the professional industry. I am fortunate to do what I have done but I have known I have always wanted to teach. I want to teach the 'next generation', the budding performing arts artists of tomorrow's future. Even though, I endured and successfully achieve my PGCE in Post Compulsory Education, I still feel unfulfilled. So I have asked myself, what is my next challenge? A Masters Degree it is! I am currently employed in an FE environment but only until April as I cover maternity leave. I love my job! I am fortunate to be in a job I love, and no I don't want to leave! However, you sign up for a contract and my whole career has been built on short term contracts that I sign up for and have to move on to the next thing (sometimes the end of a contract has been rather welcoming, others not so!)
I begin my MA in Professional Practice Dance Pedagogy. Apart from an unfortunate start with admin, systems not being updated and a huge lack of contact and communication, I am FINALLY enrolled! Ready to go, materials at the ready! Oh dear, what am I doing? This is going to be insanely challenging, but still I am more than positive and confident in knowing I CAN do this!
I have hit the ground running looking at Kolb's experiential learning model and my CV of which I am trying so hard to break down and annotate. When I look back at my teaching experience, I realise the amount of similar kind of teaching I do. For example, I am continuously assessing my learners formatively and I am constantly giving feedback to help them to develop and improve. I guess this is where my passion lies, I so want them to do better, I want them to improve and I guess this is why I am in the industry that I am! I also realise the broad range of learners I have taught in terms of age and experience! It's huge! But at the same time it's amazing and I love being challenged with different and new learners.
So this is just a short welcome really, 'hey there and welcome to my blog' I have a Skype call to look forward to shortly in order to check in with my lecturers and fingers crossed the work I have done so far is valid! Eek!!!! MA course, here I come!
I begin my MA in Professional Practice Dance Pedagogy. Apart from an unfortunate start with admin, systems not being updated and a huge lack of contact and communication, I am FINALLY enrolled! Ready to go, materials at the ready! Oh dear, what am I doing? This is going to be insanely challenging, but still I am more than positive and confident in knowing I CAN do this!
I have hit the ground running looking at Kolb's experiential learning model and my CV of which I am trying so hard to break down and annotate. When I look back at my teaching experience, I realise the amount of similar kind of teaching I do. For example, I am continuously assessing my learners formatively and I am constantly giving feedback to help them to develop and improve. I guess this is where my passion lies, I so want them to do better, I want them to improve and I guess this is why I am in the industry that I am! I also realise the broad range of learners I have taught in terms of age and experience! It's huge! But at the same time it's amazing and I love being challenged with different and new learners.
So this is just a short welcome really, 'hey there and welcome to my blog' I have a Skype call to look forward to shortly in order to check in with my lecturers and fingers crossed the work I have done so far is valid! Eek!!!! MA course, here I come!
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