After taking quite some time avoiding my plan of starting to
write things up, being not too sure where to start, I forced myself to sit at
the computer, I have now been starting blankly at the screen for some more time.
I have come to the conclusion that I am not clear what to
write as I cant quite make sense of my findings and feel to a certain extent
that my emerging thinking is undermining part of the basis for my inquiry… and
how do you recover from that?!
I’ll start from the beginning in the hope that explaining
things in writing and perhaps some thoughts from fellow BAPPers may help me to
make sense of it all.
My Proposal and Questions.
“An inquiry into
different teaching approaches of dance and the benefits produced for adult
student with learning difficulties…”
·
Can positive changes in behaviour be seen in
adults with learning disabilities when taking part in dance classes?
·
Do incidences of changed behaviour vary between
the different types of dance classes? (creative improvisation, dance exercise,
dance performance, syllabus)
·
Are there obvious causes within each type of
class that produce benefits or behaviour changes?
·
Are teachers able to maximise benefits by their
approach?
Brief Findings.
Through conducting the inquiry it would seem to me that benefits
are able to be produced for adults with learning disabilities from taking part
in dance classes. Things such as improved confidence, communication, team work,
turn taking, expression, practicing emotional understanding and social awareness.
These are produced in differing measures in each of the
types of class that I observed. The key factors being that well structured,
planned, repetitive classes with plenty of breaks and clear positive aims seem
to produce greater benefit. And those teachers aware of these things are able
to maximise the benefit for their students.
My Dilemma.
This may all seem positive, this information is something
that I am pleased to have discovered and I feel will inform my personal
practice in the future. However I feel that it undermines part of my enquiry
aim somewhat….
“The overall aim of
the enquiry is to discover if there is a best practice approach to teaching
adults with learning disabilities dance to produce the maximum amount of
benefit for the maximum amount of students. And in doing so improve the ability of teachers to
provide inclusive classes, with the hope that it is possible to tailor
classes so they are aimed at achieving social, emotional, and educational goals
that make the experience of learning to dance more valuable.”.
Part of my thinking behind the inquiry was being able to
inform my practice, and perhaps that of those I work with, in being able to
provide integrated and inclusive classes. This is a point of view that is very
much shared by social care providers, there is currently a push in the company
that I work for adults with LD to seek their hobbies and activities in the
wider community, increasing integration, giving our clients more opportunity
and reducing discrimination. This in theory I totally understand, and when
initially planning my inquiry something I agreed with and wanted my inquiry to
support.
Looking at my finding I am now concerned that this is not
the best way.
The way in which I have seen classes run that provides the
greatest benefits for my clients with learning disabilities would not be suitable
for the wider community, I am beginning to believe that it would not be
possible to create a fully integrated and inclusive class even with the
greatest planning.
This thinking is something that is supported within
education generally; setted classes in schools are the norm these days in order
to cater to the individual needs of students. General dance and hobby classes
are often provided at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Perhaps
classes for people with LD should be separate in order to cater for their needs
and to gain them the greatest benefits in a similar way?
This idea goes against my original aim, and I find it an
uncomfortable thought to be batting around, the idea of inclusivity and
inclusion are valuable and positive so it is difficult to be leaning the other
way. I also feel it bringing me back to ethical concerns around discrimination
within my inquiry.
So what do you do when your conclusions and analysis make
you feel uncomfortable, hold the potential to be discriminatory and also go against your original aim?
Hi Danni,
ReplyDeleteFirstly I think it's very brave and honest of you to admit that your findings are not what you expected or hoped for. Don't worry about it affacting your research, as it's perfectly valid, in fact perhaps even more valid if your research findings have gone a different way to what you expected. I don't think you would be marked down in any way for that!
However, I understand that it's dissapointing in terms of what you hoped you might get out of it in terms of your professional practice. If you've discovered that integrated classes are not the best option for people with learning disabilities - perhaps you could think about ways in which students with and without learning disabilities could meet in a workshop scenario from time to time?
My Mother recently told me about a mixed workshop with professional dancers and local people with learning disabilites. The professional dancers took inspiration from them and used their knowledge to develop moves or ideas of the ld students to create a piece, which they then performed together.
Perhaps their regular classes might be better of being separate, but I'm sure these 2 groups still have a lot to offer each other.
Does this help at all? I love to know what your current thoughts are about it. I think Adesola might be able to offer you some interesting thoughts on this, will her wealth of experience - try getting in touch with her on the blogs.
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments. I am hoping that perhaps eventually this just be another aspect of my process, having these doubts and challenging my original beliefs using the critical thinking as we have all come to understand as being so important might eventually further my practice.
I have still come to understand the further benefits of dance for people with LD, and I think this finding supports the idea that if we as teachers understand the people in front of us then we can better meet their needs.
I spoke to a colleagues who teaches pottery and art about my emerging thinking in terms of inclusion, she believes that in an academic setting it may be appropriate, as with support and a little extra thinking time children with LD can manage and thrive in this environment, but as someone that has taught LD and mainstream she believe that for practical skills it isn’t as appropriate as if one step is miss understood then it is easy for people to get lost, and then lose interest. This is a perspective that I thought interesting as all the reading I have been doing points towards inclusion but doesn’t make this distinction between academic and practical skill.
Your workshop idea is a great one! And supported by your Mums observations, I am wondering if perhaps with some pre taught material, to level the playing field as such, and then coming together to develop this might be an option for looking at inclusion? I wonder how practical this would be, and whether more mainstream dancers would find this idea appealing? I am now wondering if the whole idea of how to think about inclusion might be something that I could transfer into my artefact?
Thanks so much Stephanie, your comments have really turned my thinking around!
Hi Danni,
ReplyDeleteWow! I agree with Stephanie - For the purposes of your inquiry and this course, your findings are valid and actually so interesting to read.
I appreciate your frustrations with regards to what you were hoping to attain from your inquiry, but if it's any consolation I was having a very similar chat with a friend last night - Saying that I felt disappointed that my inquiry was not going to lead or finish where I had expected it to in terms of my career / professional development. However, if you are able to articulate your findings as you have done above and to find arguments for and against the idea of inclusive classes, again which you have done above, then I commend you. There was a lady I met via the Foundation of Community Dance a couple of years ago who practices in Oxford. I wonder if looking at her website / chatting with her would be of any help? http://www.crossoverdance.co.uk/aboutus.html
I would say keep going - your findings are fascinating and I'm sure they will be incredibly useful when you are in the planning stages of the workshops - Great information form Stephanie too.
Best Wishes,
Jo