I have been spending a lot of time reading the blogs and also thinking and talking with collogues about the issues around my enquiry ideas so far, I have had a lot of interest and been offered some avenues to be able to work on my themes around learning disabilities. But after a discussion today with a friend I have now been left wondering if i am asking the right questions for my career progression.
I am currently working in two areas of dance, teaching ballet and assisting creative workshops as part of my job with special needs adults. I have always considered that my next move would be towards mainstream education, I have been trying to increase my work experience within schools and have begun the process of researching and applying for a PGCE programme at Exeter University.
I have a love of working within the special needs education field and I find it fascinating the effects that dance and performing arts can have on behaviour, confidence and social skills within this group, and if I did make it to working within mainstream education I would also love to branch out and become part of a SEN team as part of this. I wonder if I should be asking more questions about making the transition from the work I am currently doing and becoming a academic teacher. Should I be asking....
1) What are the common skills required for teaching recreational dance classes and educational/ academic dance classes within a mainstream school?
2) What additional knowledge would a performer/ recreational dance teacher need to acquire to be able to keep up with the academic requirements of teaching within mainstream school?
3) Are there specific areas of dance history, dance theory, and sports science that may need to be learned or understood inorder to teach a GCSE or A level dance course within a mainstream school?
- How would an aspiring teacher aquire the knowledge and teaching skills to be able to cover these areas?
- Are there academic courses that would cover this or would it be case of own research and learning?
4) Is being trained as a dancer and teaching technical dance skills enough to be able to transfer into an academic teaching environment?
I would love to become a dance teacher within a school, and this has been an area that I have been wanting to move into for a long time, I hope that within this I would be able to include working within special educational needs, and believe that inclusive teaching is really important. But this leaves me with a dilemma, which area should I focus and enquiry on, is it possible to combine the two? Or should I just make a clear choice in order to get a defined direction for my work. In which case should that be focusing on information around my next career step of a PGCE and mainstream teaching??
Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated!?
Thanks,
Danni.
Hi Danni
ReplyDeleteI currently teach dance in a secondary comprehensive school, so hope to be of some help answering your questions.
Q1: Dance skills and a good background training and knowledge. In addition to this you must develop behaviour management skills.
Q2: In education you are likely to be teaching mixed ability groups (some students who have a good dance background in the same class as other students who are reluctant to take part due to embrassement). Planning lessons to accomodate every individuals needs is also important.
Q3: You will need to gain knowledge of dance practitioners (mainly contemporary, such as Christopher Bruce, Martha Graham, bob Fosse etc....this will also require you to look into the history of dance).
Q4 : The exam boards offer courses for teachers to teach the syllabus for GCSE and or A-Level dance. Look on-line at the official websites.
Hope this helps
Gemma
Hi Gemma,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your reply, that does indeed answer most of my questions! I will also be looking at the exam boards for further information so that's really helpful.
Still leaves me with a difficulty in which direction I should go into researching, mainstream teaching or dance for special educational needs. Because of this I am particularly drawn to your answers to Q1 and Q2. I wonder if you would mind me asking you some questions....
How do you find dealing with behaviour management? Where there specific skills or techniques that you needed to learn? I deal with challenging behaviour as part of my job within learning disabilities, but obviously within a school this would be very different. I wonder if the children that have behavioural difficulties at school are more or less difficult in a creative environment? do you find it gives them an outlet for this behaviour in a positive or negative way?
Also I wonder if you have much call for special needs education within your comprehensive school? and if so do you get specific training to deal with this kind of student? Have you found that students that due lack confidence grow with dance education or do you feel that it just increases their anxiety?
I would be really interested to hear your thoughts... perhaps I can combine my two interests.
Thanks Gemma, you've given me lots to think about.