5a - My first thoughts on my own ethics.

In considering the ethics that are present in my working communities I understand that the ethics that we are expected to follow to allow us to function as our employers might wish us to, are not always inline with the morals that we stand by in order to live our lives. I have had experience of this, and even left jobs previously as I didn’t feel that the ethical standpoint of the company was inline with my own, I was expected to work simply for the financial gain of the company at the expense of the personal experience of the customer, and for me this was uncomfortable, as I consider there are more important things in life than financial gain. I therefore think in order for us to get on well and achieve in a certain position there must me a similar set of ethics that guide the work that we are doing.

I personally find it very difficult to separate my personal ethics and morals from the workplace. To me personal ethics are not something that you can detach yourself from, if they were then they would not be ethics at all and just simply wishful thinking of how we should behave.

The work I do now I believe has an ethical standpoint of being for the benefit of the clients/ service users/ students. Therefore there must me certain standards that are maintained in order to achieve this.

Understanding - It is necessary in order to benefit the people that I work with that I actively seek to understand their needs and how best I can serve these needs.

Commitment – In order to meet need then there must be a commitment to the work and the people for whom we work. If some one is relying on us then we should be trustworthy and reliable.

Respect – In a learning environment if we feel respected then we will feel safe and able to take the risks that will allow us to grow and develop. Respect and respectful treatment and language should be of high importance.

Safety – When working with vulnerable adults or children then we should be held responsible and accountable for providing a safe, clean and pleasant environment whilst they are in our care. Especially if they are unable to judge these risks for themselves.

Professional Boundaries – We should be clear about the relationship that we have with the people we work with, especially if they are young and/or vulnerable. There should be no doubt about what our role is, although we can conduct ourselves with care and respect there should be no crossing of emotional or physical boundaries. This can only serve to benefit both parties.   

These are my initial thoughts on the ethics that I believe guide my practice and my work place. I’m sure that as I continue to work on this then more aspects will become apparent. I am not naive; I understand that we must all work for some personal gain, money, experience, career progression, but for me I have to work in an environment that is about more than that, something that has the potential to effect others in a positive way and I guess this is dictated by my moral code, something that I have developed as I have grown up as a result of the way I have been taught and treated.

Teaching children with learning difficulties.

On completing classes this week I was discussing with a colleague the students that we have in our classes and the ones that are making good progress and the ones that we feel need the extra support. When discussing one particular person I was saying that I often find that I am correcting, but i seems as though they are not taking on board what I am saying. I spend quite a lot of time with this student and I think they need it, but I was concerned that perhaps the attention would be putting them of. This was when my colleague said to me that this particular person has autism, it is mild and they attend mainstream school but that is perhaps why they don't respond quickly to correction.

I had three main reactions to this, firstly I was pleased about the fact that a child with additional learning needs has the confidence, the passion and the support to attend a technical ballet class. Just goes to show that learning difficulties are becoming less of a barrier within society and that is is not always necessary to have specific classes or groups for specific learners.
But it did display to me that dance teaching doesn't always know how to deal with this kind of situation, to me because I have some background in learning difficulties I would have made sure that all teaching staff were aware that this child does have some additional needs, not in order to treat the child obviously differently but just so that there is an understanding that the learning process might be slightly different.
It highlighted that there is a potentially a gap in the dance teachers education. The more people with learning disabilities and additional needs are encouraged to engage with the community as a whole and to take part in activities, the more that we as dance teachers will encounter this. The way it was dealt with by my employer displayed to me that there is a lack of understanding. When I attend class next week I wont bombard this student with corrections, I now understand that information takes longer to process and therefore will concentrate on one particular correction each week. If I hadn't worked within learning disability I don't think I would have understood this, I wonder how many dance teachers would feel they would be able to provide an appropriate approach?

The final positive for me was that I went on to discuss with my colleague how this student had come to join the school. The parents believe that attending these classes were developing coordination, spacial awareness, confidence and enjoyment. Even to the point where the mother had been into the class to learn a step in order to help her child as the repetition outside of class was needed to help the learning process. If parents of those with learning difficulties are that passionate about it because of the benefits for their child then I'm hoping that this is a good sign that my enquire topic is a valid one.

Reviewing Section 4 with reference to the Professional Enquiry reader

The process of Inquiry; “investigate, explore, evaluate and understand your professional practice.” This is the opening statement from the professional inquiry reader, and the reason that we have undertaken the tasks in part 4. To develop questions by looking at our practice and the practice of others, further develop them by conversing with peers, professional colleagues, SIG groups, using reflection and networking skills learned in module one. The purpose of which is to become more educated and rounded professionals by knowing what we need to investigate, understand and change in order to plan a meaningful and useful enquiry.

I wanted to take this opportunity, now that I have a better idea of my questioning and the direction of my enquiry and look back over the reader and reflect on whether I am using the ideas, explanations and concepts and how they relate to my inquiry and the work I have been doing.

Kahn and Rouke (2004) describe inquiry based learning as requiring the learner to

“engage with relevant problems and scenarios, draw on existing

knowledge, seek out new evidence and analyse and present

that evidence in appropriate ways.”

In developing the questions for this enquiry I have undertaken the first part of this, I have looked into my areas of practice and considered the problems that are encountered, I have also questioned peers in order to evaluate whether they share similar concerns. I have considered my existing knowledge in terms of dance education, working within mainstream and special needs to ascertain the difficulties and benefits and used particular scenarios to develop my lines of questioning.

I am hoping that through these lines of questioning I will be able to undertake the second part of the quote. To seek out new evidence by further investigate what is already being done in terms of inclusive dance education, dance therapies and the benefits, potentially apply this to my own practice and to analyse whether an integrated approach could be developed to use in all inclusive dance education.

The concept of “Learning organisations” Senges (1994) could be potentially relevant when an individual undertakes a professional enquiry within the work place. Learning organisiations can be defined by dividing it into five points.

·         Systems Thinking – Understanding how things influence one another as part of a whole. In terms of my inquiry line this is relevant, understanding how the teaching of dance influences the student from a holistic view point. Then using this to influence my practice and potentially the practice of my colleagues within our organization, setting new best practice ideas and techniques.

·         Personal Mastery – “commitment of the individual to the process of learning”. I am committed to learning in order to improve my practice and pass on development to my colleagues.

·         Mental Models = Assumptions, we assume we know how or why we are doing specific things, often to bring about meaningful change and growth these models need to be challenged. For my inquiry I am interested in challenging traditional teaching methods in order to see if alternative methods might be appropriate.

·         Shared vision - This is an important motivation. If undertaking enquiry in the work place it is essential to know that this information will be listened to and taken into account in order for there to be a drive to complete and a benefit for the organisation.

·         Team learning – An individual piece of work or enquiry that is shared with the whole staff has the potential to strengthen the team as a whole, enabling everyone to benefit and possibly change widly used practices.

I understand then that being part of a learning organisation hold benefits, as there is a potential to learn from many sources, if more than one individual engages in individual learning as it will strengthen a team, it allows rigid ideas and models to be challenged enabling the a systems thinking approach allowing the change of one element to influence the whole.

This I think relates directly to Argyris and Schons double loop learning. Rather than detecting an error, correcting it and maintaining the outcome or strategy, it is the strategy itself that is questioned and modified, changing the way consequences are seen. Reflection is then aimed at making the strategy more effective, I think this is the motivation for my enquiry. I understand my teaching techniques are sound at achieving the outcome required – improved technique. I wish to push this further by adjusting the required outcome, in order to achieve greater benefit by including social and emotional growth, I then hope that this will have a secondary effect of improving the original goal of technique. By adjusting strategy and challenging original ideas I hope that it might be possible to gain greater results.

Kreber (2009) Talks about Transdisciplinary Knowledge and describes it as

“a lense or framework through which to explore,

understand and act upon the world.”

For me again this is where I have found the motivation for ideas behind my enquiry. I work in three main areas, as a ballet teacher for young adults and teenager, within adult social care, working with adults with learning disabilities to lead fulfilling lives, and supporting workshops for those with special educational needs. It is the combination of these factors that have given me a different perspective on what I wish to achieve as a dance teacher. For me looking at a student in terms of technique is not simply enough, I have learned that personal fulfilment is vital for wellbeing through working in social care, and I have also learned that expressive arts can have a massive impact on this. In addition I have witnessed that people excel at what they enjoy, I hope to find that there is a way to combine all three aspects in a method that includes additional benefits, creative therapies and technique teaching to create a much more dynamic and valuable teaching environment. It is transdisciplinary knowledge that is informing the direction I wish to move in as a professional practitioner and is the entire basis for my enquiry.

Eraut (1994) discusses professional knowledge and how it is achieved,

“professional knowledge is constructed through experience, and its nature depends

 on a cumulative acquisition, selection and interpretation of that experience.”

This directly supports the notion of professional enquiry as it gives the learner the opportunity to create new experiences, acquire the skills to undertake the experience and then the opportunity to interpret of reflect on that experience, to form knowledge, not unlike the ideas put forward in module one of Kolb’s learning cycle.

Eraut also discussed that the dual qualification system, that is undertaking academic education followed by apprenticeship may be inferior to a more integrated approach, and suggests that is the integration of both experiences simultaneously such as that achieved by part time study linked to regular employment could potentially achieve greater and more applied professional knowledge.  

It is through thinking about these concepts and theories that I have a greater understanding of the purpose if the professional enquiry, and also now I have begun to develop the ideas for my enquiry topic that I can see how it relates specifically to me. I now feel that this I am in a good position to move on to considering the Ethical issues that are presented in reader 5 and how this will apply to me as I move forward with my planning.

4D - Award Title.

Somewhere along the line when I was reading peoples blogs I came across a conversation between Rebecca, Jo, Kelly and Steph about using "Dance Education" within the award title.
Dance education to me would have a wide reaching meaning, to me it is anyone who educates people in dance, whether that is tap, ballet, jazz, gcse, whether you are teaching adults or children or those with special needs.
freedictionary.com defines an "educator" as

"one trained in teaching, a teacher"

 I am a trained teacher with qulaifications to prove it, however it also defines it as

"A specialist in the theory and practice of education and 

an administrator of a school or an educational institution."

Which is where the difficulty lies, "Dance Education" has connotations of schools and academic teaching and although this is what I had always considered that my award title would be this is not my area of expertise. I am interested in teaching dance in many ways to different people, I'm interested in the benefits of dance and the ways in which we can use it other than obvious performance and recreation and this is why I wanted to use this title, I wanted to educate everybody in dance for lots of reasons. However I now understand that it may mislead people into thinking I have vast knowledge where I do not, as my experience within schools is only just beginning.

For this reason I have thought of the one single and simple thing all my areas have in common and that is simply Dance. Everything I am interested in has its foundation in my initial dance training and how I can use that to achieve other things and therefore I think my award title can only be,

BA (Hons) Professional Practice - Dance.

Is it too simple? Do I need to specialise more?

Any thoughts?

4C -Some revised Ideas for Questioning.

I have had a crisis of confidence around my idea of researching the benefits Dance within the area of learning disabilities and feel that although it is an area that I find fascinating I am wondering if I should look to find a topic that is more related to the area I would like to move into as career progression. I have developed a further set of questions.

I have had conversations within the BAPP community about their interests in the further reaching benefit of their profession and skills. This has included, benefits of teaching for special needs, inclusive theatre for disabilities and underprivileged and the benefits of creative therapies and how some feel that more knowledge would benefit them in getting more from and for students. I have also had some feedback on my questions regarding the transition from teaching of ballet and "for fun" dance classes into mainstream education and the skills that would be needed, the two which interested me most within this were, behaviour management and the ability to tailor classes to get the best from unwilling or shy individuals.

I feel that there might be some scope to combine all of these areas of interest that I have found within myself and my BAPP colleagues. In developing these questions I have also had conversations with other dance professionals within my employment and those I work with within learning disabilities.

My new set of questions are as follows.

1) How do teachers feel about the inclusion and integration of learning disabled student within mainstream dance education?

2) Do mainstream dance teachers feel that they have the skills and training to be able to deal with learning and behavioural difficulties within the classroom, especially as creative classes can have a more relaxed teaching environment?

3) Do teachers feel that this benefits all students? Does it create more inclusion, and do all students get a fair opportunity to learn to their full potential?

4) If mainstream performing arts teachers are asked to teach children with physical disabilities are they able to adapt lesson plans to be inclusive easily? Are they forced to cater to masses or the few or is it possible to have a truly integrated approach?

5) Is it possible to include therapeutic benefits of creative therapies in the classroom to benefit learning and behavioural difficulties? Is there any evidence to show that creative lessons improve behaviour in these children?

6) How do you create lesson plans that cater to all children, learning/ behaviour/ social difficulties and those with low confidence/ self esteem? Can this be done in such a way to improve these behaviours?


Any thoughts on this new set of questions would be really appreciated?

LinkedIn - Am I doing something wrong?

I have created a LinkedIn accont and started a group around the benefits of dance educaiton

Inclusive Dance and Performing Arts Education

I have some followers, (I know that I need to send some requests to a few more people to improve this) and I have posted some topics for discussion, but I have had no replies. Is this because my topics are not of interest to anyone else? Are people not finding LinkedIn the best place to make connections to discuss their enquiries? Or am I doing something wrong and no-one knows I've posted??

Also I have found that I have joined others SIGs on LinkedIn and have not been able to find anyone's discussions, this is why I am particularly worried that I am getting something wrong.

Any advice gratefully received!

Am I asking the right questions?

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.