4d

I have recently been reading 'The Concept of Dance Education' by Graham McFee (Published by Routledge 25 November 1993.) At first I found this book very deep in the legal system which did not help me much at first, but I'm so glad I carried on reading as it is completely a different side of teaching I had not thought about before. I want to focus on one part of the book specifically in chapter 14 (p158-165.)

At the beginning of this section it talks about making sure your students enjoyment, interest, confidence and their sense of personal worth is happening in class this all comes down to active learning. If passive learning and inappropriate styles are being 'taught' this will lead to irritation and maybe even failure. Your students need to enjoy their class, if you want to enhance your students learning you need to work together, and having their full attention is crucial! I believe this all comes down to the teachers passion of their subject, they need to make it interesting for their pupils.

Graham McFee believed you had to plan your classes and put them into effect under 8 different headings;

1. the objectives of the style- what are you aiming towards?

2. the anatomy of the style- understanding the body in this specific style of dance.

3. the implementation- to plan your class and to make sure that this happens.

4. the implication of the style- the conclusion that can be drawn from something or an exercise in class.

5. selecting and designing the subject matter- distinguishing this style from others, make sure they completely understand, where did this style come from?

6. style-specific comments- understanding how to correct your students in this style, you need to have a lot of knowledge on the style before you teach a class.

7. the development channels- Being able to develop the steps, breaking it down at first and making it harder each week or each time you have a class. The class needs to feel like they are improving.

8. examples of subject-matter- Make sure your students have seen examples of performances or classes of this style, they can see how the body moves, certain positions or motif that happen regularly in this specific style.

Before teaching a certain element of a style it is important that you have thought about what your students will be learning and have broke down the material before teaching so much so that your students can observe and pick it up with pace. You need to make sure they find it challenging but not so much so they are put off or you spend too much time that they lose their concentration. Another side of teaching that is sometimes forgotten is the ability for students to work on their communication skills, skills of observing, analysing steps or routines; what is good about what they have watched? What can be improved? And the awareness of others. Some of these seem like common sense and can easily be forgotten about but for example when teaching leaps from the corner telling your students to walk around the room to the next corner instead of running across the studio in front of someone else who is attempting leaps, this comes down to being aware of others in the studio.

I found a certain section of this book fascinating it was about free expression and how every child can dance, the sharpness of their senses and the speed their reaction constantly, proves all children can dance. It is just turning their movement into dance which means it becomes clearly defined.

This got me thinking if anyone can dance surely that means anyone can teach? But does it mean everyone could be a good teacher, because I do not think that is the case. Apart of me is still unsure if everyone can dance or at least dance to a high standard. I know grown adults that find it hard to clap in time with music, I have recently started teaching an adult ballet class and yes they move to the music but there is no technique behind it yet, and some even look stiff or awkward, I'm sure they will improve greatly over time but Graham McFee specifically implies only children can dance? Is dancing something you need to start at a young age?

 After reading Graham McFee's book and how he believes all children can dance, I do agree to a certain extent. I think we all have the ability to express our feeling in dance, and most of us have the ability of movement which is an amazing feeling, but when it comes to technique and performing on stage I do not think everyone has what it takes. This has got me thinking a lot about my personal inquiry, I am starting to believe having a professional career before going into teaching does not help as much as I thought it would, I have read many articles, books etc... on teaching and they all have different bullet points to what makes you a good teacher but none have mentioned experience which I find shocking. I think you can be a good teacher if you have not had any professional experience on stage but I think it must still help slightly, even having the knowledge of what happens behind stage, having the chance to perform at different theatres and how each venue is different. Actually knowing how it feels to perform most days and nights, or touring and living out of a suitcase surely you can past that experience on to students.

4d

At the beginning of this module I researched many different ideas to get me started, I found myself researching 'What makes a good teacher?' I then found an article published by The Telegraph (15 January 2015) by Barnaby Lenon apart from the fact this article was very broad, as it was aimed at all teachers of any subject I found it interesting. Although this was one of the first articles I came across I found it most useful, he came to the conclusion there are 4 main points of being a good teacher;

1. Being passionate about their subject! This came down to if you love your subject you will have lots of knowledge about it, if you personally find your subject interesting so will your students. I think this is one thing us dancers are good at, I find dance is like marmite, you either really love it or you hate it. Even if you go out on a Saturday night you have the people who never leave the dance floor (like me) or the people that stand around talking all night. (30% subject knowledge)

2. Having the right personality, to be a good teacher you need to have control over your students, this all comes down to discipline (discipline= achievement.) As a teacher you need to  be respected and even slightly feared sometimes. You need to be well organised and have the ability to manage stress well, also making time for students who need extra time or help. (30% personality)

3. I also found this article interesting as it said not all good teachers are qualified which I found surprising if I'm completely honest. But later on in the article it did say all teachers need some training which I agree with, having experience with classroom or studio skills. You need to be able to teach a class with pace and interest and making sure your students understand tricky concepts, breaking something down so they comprehend. (10% classroom skills)

4. My last bullet point is having high expectations for your students, you need to push them and make them aim for higher goals. The teacher sets the scene in the classroom or studio, if you are determined so will your students hopefully. After all a 'pupils effort + teaching quality = how well a child acheives!' (30% expectations) 

After reading this article I completely agree with all the facts, you need passion, the correct personality, classroom skills and high expectations. I think I knew this before reading this article but it actually made me put it in perspective. If a teacher is relaxed then so will his or hers students, I now teach all my classes as if they have an exam or a performance next week, and it does set the scene for the whole class, I now get so much more done within 45 minutes. I also now spend more time before class on how to break down a certain step so they will understand. For example I still need to find a better way of describing how to do a contraction but it is such a hard concept for children to understand.

I read this article at the beginning of Module 2 and wrote down a few bullet points in my journal, I recently read back in my journal and remembered this article and re read it but this time I connected it to my idea for my personal inquiry. I think it is hard to connect having dance experience or a professional career in dance before teaching to such a broad article like this one, but on the other hand thinking about other teachers if you are good at maths you become an accountant, banker or maths teacher, but being a good accountant does not make you a good math teacher I guess? You still need to have good classroom skills and the right personality which therefore goes for dancing as well. Not all professional dancers would make good teachers necessary. Also another way to look at it is a professional dancer is normally use to being told what to do, where to stand, what steps, and being a teacher you are much more in control, you have to tell your students what to do which is completely different to being a professional dancer. You need to take control of your students and make them respect you and listen to you.

I really enjoyed this article as it is very broad so I could bring my own interpretation into it as well, it also connects all teaching together, apart from the subject it focuses on the main elements you need to be a good teacher. I think it is correct in saying as long as you have passion for your subject and you also have good classroom skills, high expectations and the right personality you will be a good teacher and push your students to their highest ability.  

Literature 4d

Finally my books were sent to my local Library and I picked them up yesterday. Need to start reading!!

The difference between technical and expressive skills in performing

Last week I spent hours in the Library trying to find some more books to help with my research on different ideas I have been looking into. Eventually I found a AQA Dance written by Maggie Cluine, Liz Dale, Lyn Paine, it was not what I had in mind but it had many different sections on technical and expressive skills in performing which I have been comparing, I also researched into choreographing as this is a big section of being a teacher and I remembered a lot from dance A level and college.

But going back to technical and expressive skills in performing, technical skills are very import\ant this is why professional dancers train several hours each day for many years, they need to improve in many different elements such as; good posture, focus, dynamics, flexibility, strength, balance, coordination, stamina and good alignment etc...  All these things helps a dancers technique which makes their dance quality of movement look easy and effortless which is impressive from an audience perspective. Good technique only comes from hard work, training and it is developed through the focus of the mind.

Great technicians are incredible to watch but sometimes when watching a performances we are drawn to one specific dancer that will stand out compared to the rest, we call this expression or artistry. Expression is what gives a certain performance piece its own energy, it is enjoyable to watch and makes you respond to the piece in an emotional manner. Expression performing skills are made up of musicality, communication of choreographic intent, sense of style, relationships, projection and focus. It is very difficult to acquire and improve your expressive skills, but it comes with a lot of practice, maturing, understanding the piece you are performing, and making the audience feel like they are apart of the piece and share your emotions.

I think it is very hard to choose between which is more important, technical or expressive? You need technique to execute the steps involved in the routine you are performing, but to make the audience connect to the piece and feel involved you need artistry. To be the best dancer you can be you need to practice both equally as they both work hand in hand together.

Those who can do, those who can't teach?

Recently I watched a film with a few friends and we decided to watch 'One day' a classic chick flick obviously! But anyway in a certain scene one of the main characters line is 'Those who can do, those who can't teach.' Now he wasn't talking about dance specifically but it definitely made me think about it. I wanted to know if you think this is this true or not?
Do you think there is a higher standard in teaching if you have experience after having a professional career? Can you pass that experience on to other students? And will it help them later in life?
OR not having the experience but being able to interact with students and discussing situations that may or may not happen in a professional career?
 

Is it just English men that don't dance?

I've started to research into one of my ideas from Module 1. I have not researched into each genre yet but so far reading discussions on other peoples blogs and a couple of websites, apparently it is just English men that do not dance. Many cultures really encourage dancing men and actually think that it is a very masculine thing to do for example: Greek festivals, Jewish weddings, African American, African, Aboriginal people and many more.
I then remembered going to my Father's cousins wedding in Italy as my Grandmother is Italian. My Italian side of the family thought it was completely ridiculous that my Father wouldn't dance with them or my Mum, back then I thought it was the amount of alcohol in their system that was making them dance but now actually thinking about it they would dance sober too. Just like Italian men kiss on the cheek twice to say hello or goodbye in public and they don't think twice about it. Maybe it is just us English?

Idea's for my Professional Inquiry

Recently I have been researching into different topics and ideas for find my personal inquiry for Module 2. I had a few ideas from Module 1 that I started to research but I have came up with a couple more the last few days.

My first original idea was why do boys/men dance less than girls? What effects boys not to dance? And how can we do to encourage them to dance more? I could also go into do more boys prefer Musical Theatre to dance?
I researched into this and the first thing I came across was an article, this wasn't the most interesting account that I have read but the comments and discussion people got into about it was very interesting. One women believed that it was English men that had the problem but in other countries and cultures it is counted very masculine for men to dance, and that us English are the issue and needed to get past this phase!
Here is the link to the blog I read:

http://www.vibrantnation.com/our-blog-circle/why-women-dance-more-than-men/

My second idea is 'How children are effected by exams and performing on stage differently?' This gave lots to explore, what do they prefer? How children handle being nervous differently? What they personality perform better in? With lots of people watching, or just one person watching and examining them? But I'm not sure this will effect my workplace it will bring me more knowledge on what effects children and how their emotions are different though.

My favourite idea at the moment is 'Fitting extra exam classes and rehearsals without any clashes to the normal timetable?' This idea leaves me with a lot of doors to open such as hiring an extra hall, extra teacher so more the business side of things? And can go into what children prefer to miss normal classes or rehearsals etc… and are the children effected by it? does it leave the student trying to catch up on things they have missed? But is there a solution?!

I need to dig deeper into each of these idea's to see which best suits my workplace and future career as I want the most rewarding outcome. I have a couple more idea's but I think these three are my favourite so need to play around with the question and how to word it so I come up with the most effective title.