Task 4.D Literature

The Importance of The Arts For Teenagers

Having been involved in the arts my whole life I find it hard to imagine a world without it. Growing up in a creative environment has allowed me to express difficult emotions through the arts and become the person I am today. Spending time with other creative people I believe has made me a more positive person and brought much joy to my daily life. Looking over my inquiry questions and thinking about the topic of conversations they have brought about makes me realise it all comes down to one thing, the importance of the arts especially for teenagers. Working in a secondary school I have to say I feel like I am constantly defending the importance of my subject whilst playing tug of war between other subjects such as Math, English and science.  I feel these subjects get far more credit, when actually I believe performing arts brings about just as much if not more progress and importance in a young person life. Talking to my fellow performing arts colleagues the biggest problem in school is the view of the importance of arts and how whenever something has to give, it falls on our department. For example a classic problem at the moment in our school is space for the dance classes, at the moment they use the main hall but whenever there is a parents evening or event of any kind the dancers are forced into class rooms which are always unsuitable for practical work. This leaves the teachers feeling frustrated and applies great pressure as they only see the students twice a week as a pose to English and maths who see the students 4 times. So my question is this, are the arts really important and if so why do we feel as instructors that others think it’s not? I am currently still looking for more books and literature to support my theory as I have found so many interesting facts just from researching this question, but here is a speech that MP Harriet Herman gave on the performing arts recently which has helped me to narrow down and develop my inquiry questions.

Arts are important for individuals

I think we should talk about rights here.  It is every child’s right to open up and explore their artistic and creative potential which should be a journey which goes on for the rest of their life. It gives them the opportunity to learn to enjoy, understand and make a rich contribution to every aspect of their lives – social, political, economic, psychological. A sense of where they’ve come from historically, a sense of where they’re going; and how they may want to change that and take control of their lives. It helps them in every way to become that unique person that they, and they alone, have the potential to be. So, that being the case,  how, then, can we accept a situation where some get that opportunity and others do not? How can we tolerate cultural exclusion? Creative and cultural learning supports attainment in all subjects including in literacy and maths.And research shows that taking part in arts activities at school can make up for early disadvantage in terms of:
likelihood to progress to further education; employment outcomes; and more general benefits, like participating in society through volunteering and voting. Having an appreciation of, and an engagement with, the arts gives a young person what many of you have described to me as cultural capital - which is important in and of itself, but also contributes to social mobility.

After reading this I find it amazing that not all schools actually offer performing arts. When I went to school we only did a few lessons of drama and there was no dance, dance wasn’t even a GCSE option! Upon searching this question I found another great resource on the effects of performing arts on teenagers, it’s a list of reasons supports the arts for teenagers and the positive effects it can have (Why the arts are important by Dee Dickinson).

Why Are the Arts Important

1. They are languages that all people speak that cut across racial, cultural, social, educational, and economic barriers and enhance cultural appreciation and awareness.

2. They are symbol systems as important as letters and numbers.

3. They integrate mind, body, and spirit.

4. They provide opportunities for self-expression, bringing the inner world into the outer world of concrete reality.

5. They offer the avenue to "flow states" and peak experiences.

6. They create a seamless connection between motivation, instruction, assessment, and practical application--leading to deep understanding.

7. They are an opportunity to experience processes from beginning to end.

8. They develop both independence and collaboration.

9. They provide immediate feedback and opportunities for reflection.

10. They make it possible to use personal strengths in meaningful ways and to bridge into understanding sometimes difficult abstractions through these strengths.

11. They merge the learning of process and content.

12. They improve academic achievement -- enhancing test scores, attitudes, social skills, critical and creative thinking.

13. They exercise and develop higher order thinking skills including analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and "problem-finding."

14. They are essential components of any alternative assessment program.

15. They provide the means for every student to learn

I think there are so many interesting points made by Dee Dickinson especially those about the arts improving student’s attitude, discipline and even academic skills. This is something I think I would like to research more, even if it is only to argue the importance of the arts in the next friendly staff room debate. I also agree with the part about developing students independent and collaborative work, often during my lessons students will work independently, with a partner or as group. Dee also mentions that the arts are the same in every language that cut across racial, cultural, social, educational, and economic barriers and enhance cultural appreciation and awareness, I know this to be very true as I have worked on many different pieces with music from around the world which has sparked an interest with the students and their own curiosity has lead to further research.

Continuing my research and browsing the net I came across a post about the arts in the Washington Post which I found very interesting. Some are challenging the curriculum and pushing to change STEM into STEAM, I did not know this was happening and to be honest had never even thought about it until now, I intend to research this further. Valerie Strauss a reporter for the Washington post wrote this on January 22 2013.

You don’t find school reformers talking much about how we need to train more teachers in the arts, given the current obsession with science, math, technology and engineering (STEM), but here’s a list of skills that young people learn from studying the arts. They serve as a reminder that the arts — while important to study for their intrinsic value — also promote skills seen as important in academic and life success. (That’s why some people talk about changing the current national emphasis on STEM to STEAM.)

Lisa Phillips an author, blog journalist, arts and leadership educator, speaker and business owner talks about the benefits of arts in her books.

1. Creativity – Being able to think on your feet, approach tasks from different perspectives and think ‘outside of the box’ will distinguish your child from others. In an arts program, your child will be asked to recite a monologue in 6 different ways, create a painting that represents a memory, or compose a new rhythm to enhance a piece of music. If children have practice thinking creatively, it will come naturally to them now and in their future career.

2. Confidence – The skills developed through theatre, not only train you how to convincingly deliver a message, but also build the confidence you need to take command of the stage. Theatre training gives children practice stepping out of their comfort zone and allows them to make mistakes and learn from them in rehearsal. This process gives children the confidence to perform in front of large audiences.

3. Problem Solving – Artistic creations are born through the solving of problems. How do I turn this clay into a sculpture? How do I portray a particular emotion through dance? How will my character react in this situation? Without even realizing it kids that participate in the arts are consistently being challenged to solve problems. All this practice problem solving develops children’s skills in reasoning and understanding. This will help develop important problem-solving skills necessary for success in any career.

4. Perseverance – When a child picks up a violin for the first time, she/he knows that playing Bach right away is not an option; however, when that child practices, learns the skills and techniques and doesn’t give up, that Bach concerto is that much closer. In an increasingly competitive world, where people are being asked to continually develop new skills, perseverance is essential to achieving success.

5. Focus – The ability to focus is a key skill developed through ensemble work. Keeping a balance between listening and contributing involves a great deal of concentration and focus. It requires each participant to not only think about their role, but how their role contributes to the big picture of what is being created. Recent research has shown that participation in the arts improves children’s abilities to concentrate and focus in other aspects of their lives.

6. Non-Verbal Communication – Through experiences in theatre and dance education, children learn to breakdown the mechanics of body language. They experience different ways of moving and how those movements communicate different emotions. They are then coached in performance skills to ensure they are portraying their character effectively to the audience.

7. Receiving Constructive Feedback – Receiving constructive feedback about a performance or visual art piece is a regular part of any arts instruction. Children learn that feedback is part of learning and it is not something to be offended by or to be taken personally. It is something helpful. The goal is the improvement of skills and evaluation is incorporated at every step of the process. Each arts discipline has built in parameters to ensure that critique is a valuable experience and greatly contributes to the success of the final piece.

8. Collaboration – Most arts disciplines are collaborative in nature. Through the arts, children practice working together, sharing responsibility, and compromising with others to accomplish a common goal. When a child has a part to play in a music ensemble, or a theatre or dance production, they begin to understand that their contribution is necessary for the success of the group. Through these experiences children gain confidence and start to learn that their contributions have value even if they don’t have the biggest role.

9. Dedication – When kids get to practice following through with artistic endeavours that result in a finished product or performance, they learn to associate dedication with a feeling of accomplishment. They practice developing healthy work habits of being on time for rehearsals and performances, respecting the contributions of others, and putting effort into the success of the final piece. In the performing arts, the reward for dedication is the warm feeling of an audience’s applause that comes rushing over you, making all your efforts worthwhile.

10. Accountability – When children practice creating something collaboratively they get used to the idea that their actions affect other people. They learn that when they are not prepared or on-time, that other people suffer. Through the arts, children also learn that it is important to admit that you made a mistake and take responsibility for it. Because mistakes are a regular part of the process of learning in the arts, children begin to see that mistakes happen. We acknowledge them, learn from them and move on.

Problem solving, perseverance and focus, these are all things I believe students apply when taking part in the arts. When I am teaching dance I will always leave a section of time for the students to create their own work, this can be frustrating for them but ensures they are developing their confidence, problem solving skills, perseverance and focus. I though what Valerie Strauss said about Children learn that feedback is part of learning and it is not something to be offended by or to be taken personally was a very important point to make. Through teaching dance and drama I know I am constantly giving feedback throughout the lesson and my students are grateful for it. For new students feedback  on areas to improve may be a little upsetting or make them feel downhearted but as the lessons progress t hey understand it is a natural part of the learning process and welcome it with open arms.

So far I have only found three pieces of literature on the topic of the importance of the arts for teenager but I have so many new lines of inquiry and many more questions I feel I need to research.

Task 4.C Developing Inquiry Questions with my Professional Community and Employers

Kate Allerston- Lipa 4:19 Director and Drama Teacher Extra- Curricular

Do children studying performing arts progress more rapidly in an extracurricular environment or a weekly school class?

In my experience they progress more rapidly in an extra curricular environment which also benefits their progress in their school class

Does studying performing arts really help teenagers with confidence? 

100% yes – proven from my experience over 13 years working with young people in performing arts – their confidence & self esteem are improved dramatically.

Does Performing Arts help teenagers to develop Social, Moral, Spiritual and cultural skills?

Again it helps with SMSC in many ways – team work, empathy, thinking on your feet, engaging in other cultures, helping other company members, trust, sense of achievement – the list goes on.

Is performing arts important at kS3 in secondary schools or should it only be taught at ks4 as an option?

Performing arts should be taught in ALL keys stages – it is integral to development.

Should children who don’t enjoy performing be made to do it at kS3?

They shouldn’t be ‘made’ to perform but performing arts covers so many aspects – both on and off stage, infront or behind camera...many careers in performing arts, not just performing.

Should performing arts only be taught as extracurricular? Why?
Performing arts is integral to the curriculum – as stated above in Harriet Harmans speech – No one should be excluded – All must be given the opportunity to have a rich cultural life.

Should a performing arts teacher have already performed themselves and had a career as a performer before teaching? 

I believe that a good performing arts teacher should have performed at some time as the benefits and experience as a teacher this brings is invaluable to both teacher & students.

Does the discipline of a school environment help or hinder the learning of a young performer?

It can do both. If the school has a good culture for the arts then a young performer may thrive in most aspects of school. If however arts are sidelined or and ‘after thought’ within school then this environment could have a negative effect on the young performer feeling isolated or discouraged.

Eileen Taylor Secondary School Dance Teacher KS3 & KS4

Do children studying performing arts progress more rapidly in an extracurricular environment or a weekly school class?

I think it depends on the opportunities provided within both contexts. If pupils are stretched and challenged in both scenarios then progress should naturally take place. However if extra-curricular clubs take place on a regular basis in comparison to pupil’s weekly school class then rapid progress would be more evident in this type of environment. Pupils making progress could also be hindered/heightened by the cohort of the group. If pupils are working with other gifted pupils in an extra-curricular environment, more than likely pupils will thrive in that setting and a lot of independent learning will be evident (due to their passion and hopefully professionalism). It also depends on the size of the group in both contexts and whether pupils can receive further one on one direction/support which again can impact on levels of progress.

Does studying performing arts really help teenagers with confidence? 

Yes, I believe it can, especially for those kinaesthetic learners and less academic pupils. This is because pupils can express their ideas creatively in a safe environment. I also feel confidence can increase due to the fact that team work is a significant aspect within performing arts, therefore, new relationships are constantly building and pupilscan use their knowledge of professionalism to support and encourage fellow performs offering constructive feedback as opposed to criticism when applicable.

Does Performing Arts help teenagers to develop Social, Moral, Spiritual and cultural skills?

 Yes, this is because of its practical nature and the opportunities available for social interaction with numerous members of the cohort at one time. Performing Arts also allows pupils to share their ideas and through the study of many different plays/professional works, pupils can enhance their knowledge of underlying principles that a piece is based on i.e. cultural, political, spiritual themes, thus broadening their outlook of all of those areas. Pupils can gain a well-rounded education through engaging in Performing Arts as there is many opportunities for cross-curricular learning to take place which can play an active part in the development of many of those key skills listed.

Is performing arts important at kS3 in secondary schools or should it only be taught at ks4 as an option?

Yes, PA should be taught at KS3 because some pupils may not have had the opportunity to study Performing Arts outside of school/had no experience of PA at KS1/KS2. Therefore, this opportunity may open up future prospects for pupils and could possibly be what supports their decision to study this subject further at KS4. Hidden talents may also be discovered and a passion and love of learning could potentially stem from this first experience.

Should children who don’t enjoy performing be made to do it at kS3?

 With regard to many subject areas, pupils have no option but to take part as it is a part of their school curriculum. Therefore, I do believe all pupils should take part in PA and the beauty with this subject area is that there is numerous roles that pupils can experience from acting, singing, dancing to experiencing technical aspects along with management and marketing and this subject alone offers a breadth of experiences that can impact on pupils life skills essential for the world of work. Regardless of whether pupils particularly ‘enjoy’ this subject it is opening up their minds to a new experience and therefore provides pupils with further direction in life of what they do/do not enjoy and what they are/are not successful at.

Should performing arts only be taught as extracurricular? Why?

No I think it should be embedded within the curriculum due to the reasons listed previously:

·     Not all pupils have the opportunity to experience PA outside of the school environment, therefore, may have no value for the subject or understand what it actually involves. This could make pupils reluctant to attend extra-curricular as they are unaware and have not yet been inspired. Some pupils have not studied PA at KS1/KS2 therefore, it is essential that ALL pupils have some experience at KS3. Hidden talents may not be discovered and pupils may not experience a love of learning for this subject if the opportunity is not there and embedded within their curriculum. Some pupils do not always think they will enjoy something/be ‘good’ at something due to confidence or lack of knowledge, therefore, may think twice about taking part. However, they could discover this passion/talent within a mandatory session of their weekly timetable.

Should a performing arts teacher have already performed themselves and had a career as a performer before teaching? 

Even though it is not listed as an essential aspect within a job application, I think it is desirable and extremely beneficial to have performing experience even if it has not been to a professional level. Teachers can gather knowledge of performing through research, being an audience member themselves and observing numerous works but I think to truly talk about the passion involved and level of commitment needed along with real life experiences, information such as this (which stems from personal encounters) can be a great resource for teaching and learning. I think having this experience can also make a teacher a great role model for pupils and somebody who they can aspire to, as they have actually experienced what it is they are lecturing their pupils on.

Does the discipline of a school environment help or hinder the learning of a young performer?

I believe it can only help; this is due to the fact that the Performing Arts industry requires discipline and professionalism to an extremely high level. This is with regard to professional conduct, organisation and time management along with ownership of learning and responsibility. In conjunction to this, many aspects of school life promote and encourage those skills throughout all subject areas, therefore, can only raise pupils awareness of the importance of discipline and the ways in which it can heighten career prospects and opportunities.

In relation to this, in terms of discipline and behavior management, we must as teachers ensure that disruptive behavior is dealt with strategically so that the learning of other pupils can still take place and progress can be made. This is to ensure that their experiences are not hindered and a high quality of teaching is ongoing and consistent.

Task 4.B SIG

Here is the link to my community for teachers of performing arts
Im still learning and not sure if im even sharing it right?
Any help would be greatly appreciated

https://plus.google.com/108900598762011138241/posts/cWVUBiENVta

TASK 4A Part 2 Inquiry Questions

Do children studying performing arts progress more rapidly in an extracurricular environment or a weekly school class?

Does studying performing arts really help teenagers with confidence? 

Does Performing Arts help teenagers to develop Social, Moral, Spiritual and cultural skills?

Is performing arts important at kS3 in secondary schools or should it only be taught at ks4 as an option?

Should children who don’t enjoy performing be made to do it at kS3?

Should performing arts only be taught as extracurricular? Why?

Should a performing arts teacher have already performed themselves and had a career as a performer before teaching? 

Does the discipline of a school environment help or hinder the learning of a young performer?

TASK 4A: Developing Lines Of Professional Inquiry

After reading the course reader I made a list of all the things I would like to achieve in the next few years with regards to work and my career. This has enabled me to plan out the next three years for which I have set myself yearly goals. My end goal after the 3 years is to have completed my NQT and first year as a performing arts teacher.  After spending the past year teaching dance and drama as a long term supply teacher I have been able to gain firsthand experience of what it will be like having my own class room, classes and all the responsibilities that come with it. This got me to thinking about the changes I would make and the relevance of the subject? I created a survey and asked fellow colleagues at work within the performing arts department to fill it out. I asked both secondary school teachers and the freelance teachers within my network as I have completely different experiences teaching the same subject both in school and outside. Here are the questions I asked:

What do you enjoy most about teaching?

What do you enjoy the least?

What inspires or motivates you in your job?

What would you change about your job if you could?

Do you think performing arts is important in school at KS3? If so why?

Make a list of pros and cons about teaching performing arts

Hana Greaves- Dance Teacher KS3 & KS4

What do you enjoy most about teaching?

Spending time with young people in practical lessons when they get inspired by choreography.

What do you enjoy the least?

Completing data

What inspires or motivates you in your job?

Working with students that are eager to do well and enjoy the subject. Also working with students that are challenging and they have a complete turnaround.

What would you change about your job if you could?

Spending more time with KS4

Do you think performing arts is important in school at KS3? If so why?

 My inspiration to become a teacher derived from volunteering in schemes such as a mentoring programme for SEN students, a dance rehabilitation programme for NHS mental health patients and spending time in a disability unit teaching dance to disabled students (see appendix one). During this time, I found that working with young people brings new challenges every day and that nothing is ever predictable. This inspired me to want to work with fresh minds, hungry for information.

I chose to be a subject specialist in Dance because I believe that Dance is an important subject within the National Curriculum as it coalesces both physical literacy with creativity and imagination, whilst also teaching life skills that are vital for a student’s future career and success. Dance as a subject, develops student’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) education; every school is obliged to educate students about SMSC as they are crucial skills needed after compulsory education. This is what makes Dance such a valued aspect in the National Curriculum as many academic subjects can find it difficult to address SMSC standards. The importance of SMSC education is backed up by The Education (Independent School Standards, 2012) as they have recently revised their standards and focuses to put higher importance on SMSC education, coming into effect from January 1^st 2013 (Department for Education 2013, A). I find my strength and the most rewarding aspect of teaching Dance is when I work with the less able and more challenging students who have become disengaged with the rigour of more academic subjects.  These are the students that a Dance teacher can make a big impact upon and change the outcomes of that student’s life for the better. Dance teaches students that there are different skills to be learnt in order to gain success other than conventional academic skills

Natalie Mccool- Singing teacher 4-19yrs extra-curricular

What do you enjoy most about teaching?

Helping people to learn and also giving them help & support throughout the learning process. I also enjoy the satisfaction of seeing a student give a great performance after learning a song.

What do you enjoy the least?

The discipline side - I feel that as a teacher of performing arts, as it is extracurricular, students should really want to try hard and be very focussed in lessons - also I think that a teacher is there to teach and not to lecture students on behaviour. Therefore when a student loses focus or misbehaves I feel uncomfortable and unsure how to resolve the situation. I think every teacher needs someone to support them and also to discipline a student when this situation arises.

What inspires or motivates you in your job?

I love to perform and I love to see others perform too.   

What would you change about your job if you could?

Regards to point 2 - Not necessarily my own job but teaching in general - I think teachers should have a lot more support when it comes to actual behavior of their students. I think far too much pressure is put on teachers especially in state schools to teach their students to a very high standard but also to keep their behavior in check - I think that is too much to take on and a lot of teachers are spread very thinly in their jobs.

Do you think performing arts is important in school at KS3? If so why?

I think it is extremely important because it is one of the most popular forms of self expression and I think young people really need it. I think performing arts is as important as maths or science - in Britain performing arts culture & creative culture drives the economy, and it's a travesty that it isn't given equal status to core subjects such as english, maths & science in schools, this needs to change.

Make a list of pros and cons about teaching performing arts

     Pros                                                    
- get to teach something you love
- The training you have had is paying off (university degree / college qualifications) as you are working within your desired industry
- Students who want to learn performing arts are normally very focussed and passionate

     Cons
- The discipline issue I have mentioned above
- If you are a singer and teach singing, your voice gets worn out quickly when teaching a class of students as they can be loud and sometimes misbehaved. This damages the asset most important to your career (your voice).

Lisa Connor- Dance teacher- Extra-curricular

What do you enjoy most about teaching?

Seeing students achieve goals and helping them to learn. Making a difference in their lives in some-way or another.

What do you enjoy the least?

The hours of planning that go into lessons for such a short class time.

What inspires or motivates you in your job?

The fact that the students are mostly there because they want to be and being able to inspire and encourage them to have as much passion and love for dance as I do.

What would you change about your job if you could?

Nothing!

Do you think performing arts is important in school at KS3? If so why?

Yes because not all students are “academic” students, they all excel in different areas. It gives them a chance to express  themselves and learn through exploration as opposed to sitting in a classroom every lesson.

Make a list of pros and cons about teaching performing arts

Pros                                                                                                                                

Learning discipline

Improves memory and recall skills

Form of exercise

Let’s student explore

Cons

Not all students are willing to participate

Rehearsals take time, sometimes out of school and attendance can be low

Shy students don’t always want to share their work

TASK 3.c Sources of Information

Sources of Information

When beginning this task I must admit I struggled to think of five different sources as it seemed to me that most of my information has come from the internet. I decided to peruse the blogs of my fellow BAPP Arts students to see what they had chosen. Upon reading only two blogs my train of thought began and I realized that I actually have a wide variety of sources. Some of which I had not thought of as sources of information but rather a casual conversation between colleges and friends.

My Boss/ Colleagues

I am very fortunate to have a number of inspirational and intelligent people working above me that are extremely approachable and very resourceful. I make a conscious effort to build working relationships as I feel it not only makes your professional life more manageable but more enjoyable too. The head of the performing arts department at my school is a wonderful woman with a brilliant mind and an open door policy, I find in times of need I will always go to her. She always makes time to sit down and go through any schemes of work and discuss ideas I may have. I can always go to her with any questions or problems however big, small or relevant to my work. Even the simple things like how to use the copy machine and what the codes are, she is always ready and willing to help. I consider myself very lucky to be surrounded by so many talented and experienced professionals as the performing arts department in my school is one of the best departments I have worked for. Everyone has so much experience and knowledge of the industry and the working world I feel I am a sponge in their presence and everyday though general and casual conversation I learn so much. I make an effort to ask as much as possible and extract as much information about their experiences and opinions whenever I possibly can.

The Internet

Anything I want to know I can always rely on the internet, I have always been a very proud person and asking for help about the little things always bothered me. Then came the internet, an endless open book with all the answers you could possibly need. Della Estlin says on her blog: there is so much to be learned from research that can be done via the internet. She says she uses the internet for things such as:

• ·         Inspiration for ideas regarding class  work and choreography
• ·         Buying books, syllabus and dance equipment
• ·         Reading articles relating to work
• ·         Gathering sources
• ·         Sending and receiving email
• ·         To keep in contact with people in the same profession
• ·         Searching for jobs

The internet is a brilliant source of information from all of the above and like Della I use it for the same reasons. Understandably you may have to sift through a few wrong sites before you find a creditable and reliable answer, but the internet for me is by far my biggest source of information. If I don’t understand something, if I need an answer urgently, if I want to read into the night about a topic then the internet is the place for all that. I am not one for reading books and going to the local library, I love that the information I need is but a click away. Obviously with the internet you have to make sure your information is correct and you can’t always accept the first answer you find. As a teacher I have to ensure that the information I pass on is correct as that is my job, so when gathering information for the web I always make sure I visit plenty of sites and look up published facts. There have been times when I haven’t done as much research as I probably should have and my information has been a little wrong, at that moment there is always a student ready to point out your mistake, which leads on to another source of information I have, my students.

My students

As I am a secondary school teacher I mostly work with teenagers, teenagers talk and surf the web more than any other age group and their supply of random information is endless. At the start of everyday one of my students with walk in the class room and say “miss do you know.....” and 50% of the time it’s something I didn’t know. Students are a great source of information for me and I will always ask their opinion on schemes of work I am teaching and ask what they enjoy learning the most. Students will often fill me in on the latest music and trends which is important information for me as it helps when planning lessons or choreography. If I know what the students like I have a better chance of motivating them and developing their ability. Having students as a source of information not only keeps me up to date with the latest trends, but allows me to build teacher- student relationships, which are important to my work.

YouTube

YouTube is one of the most important sources of information for me with regards to choreographing. I can spend hours watching new music videos to better educate myself on the current trends and styles. I believe as a choreographer you must have a vast knowledge of choreography and always be up to date with the latest styles and trends.  I will also use YouTube to research styles I am unfamiliar with for example:  I had to do a dance piece for a ball scene set in the early 1900s, I am confident that without the use of YouTube I would have got the style completely wrong. It’s also helpful when you have to choreograph a style that is unfamiliar to you and you are struggling for inspiration or ideas, watching YouTube videos inspires me and I always come away with ideas of my own. It’s like your own little muse for whatever or whenever you need a little inspiration. YouTube is also brilliant as a quick fix for a problem, For example, when setting up this blog I struggled for about an hour setting up the display page, I decided to search for a video on setting up your blog and I found one. Ten minutes later I was fully informed and ready to go, from then on whenever I had a blog query I would just Google a specific video for that problem.

Events

As a working member of the Arts I feel it is important to attend as many shows and performances as possible. Pip Spalton says in her blog: I extract information and gather experience from going to watch performances. I completely agree with this and whenever there is a performance in town I will always go if I can. Liverpool is a very creative city with so many plays, musicals, arts shows, fashion shows and dance performances to see that there is always an opportunity to learn something new and be inspired. As most of my friends are in the Performing Arts Industry I never struggle for company to events, it is great sharing the experience with someone who understands and being able to discuss in depth your opinions and new ideas.

TASK 3b Concepts of the Professional Network

The Networked Professional

A professional network is a group of people who share common interests and come together to discuss ideas and opportunities; this can be an important part of current and future professional life. A person’s effective engagement and participation of a professional network can impact the outcome of success for the individual and also result in development of promotion and a sense of fulfillment and job satisfaction. A supportive network can also lead to a more enjoyable working experience and a greater sense of self worth and achievement.

Concepts of Professional Networking

Cooperation

I am a strong believer in cooperation especially when you are finding your feet in a new job. I am very passionate about my work and always have many ideas, being strong minded it is sometimes hard to cooperate especially when you believe your ideas or ways of doing something are better. When I was younger I would always speak my mind and push forward any ideas I had, however becoming an adult and entering the working world meant I had to learn how to compromise until I was in a position to be able to speak my mind without consequence. Working at a school meant I was working with a majority of older and more experienced professionals than myself which at times would bring about a class of ideas from time to time. Respect and compliance is key in my profession and my early months at the school were very much like the Prisoners of Dilemma game, I had to cooperate and comply until I felt I was in a position comfortable enough to ‘defect’ and go against the gain. This strategy worked very well for me as I agreed and was very polite about ideas in the first few months, I worked on dance pieces and drama selected by others and did the best work possible. Once I felt I had shown enough good work and had gained the trust of my peers and head of faculty I began expressing my ideas and sharing my opinion.

The prisoners of dilemma game got me thinking a lot about cooperation and how having worked in the past for me I should take time to consider the positive effects this could have on future opportunities.

Affiliation

I personally enjoy the benefits of an affiliation and the support that can come from a network of people sharing common interests. I love nothing more than to sit with my performer friends and discuss shows we have worked on and new opportunities. I enjoy my own company but I have always been a very social person and I find I retain information better when it comes from a person through casual conversation. During my teen years I had a lot of different friendship groups for different social gain; I believe this allowed me to dive into different passions and gain experiences that I would not have had through socializing with one group of friends. Adolescents spend 75 percent of their time with other people and a lack of affiliation can have a lasting negative impact (Larson, Csikszentmihalyi and Graef 1982).

 As an adult I now have many different friendship groups and networks of support that I often rely on for answers and help, I am always looking for ways to expand my professional network and my socializing circle of friends. According to psychologists our tendency to seek out others and form close relationships is an inherited trait that helps us to survive and reproduce providing a network of support that will help us when we are in need (Crisp & Turner 2007).

Seeking affiliation can be fraught by discomfort and anxieties as we may not always have the criteria for attraction others seek (Crisp & Turner 2007). Being a very social person means I have not often encountered anxiety when meeting or confronting new people, however my brother is the opposite of me and has always kept a very small social group of friends conversing only with people when needed. This has always been fine for him as he enjoys his own company and that of his very close friends however I know he has struggled going into a professional world when it comes to asking for help.

Theory’s of Connectivity

Social Constructionism

Constructionism- the view that all knowledge and there for all meaningful reality as such, is contingent upon human practices being constructed through interaction between human beings and their worlds (Crotty, M 2005). Learning something new every day through interaction is something I was taught from a young age. If I were to write down every time someone told me something I didn't already know I would probably be surprised at how much I have learned. This is almost unconscious learning through experience and it wasn't until I thought about it that I realized how important it is for development professionally and personally. However this has to make you ask the question, are we gaining knowledge of the world or just a collection of formed opinions of it? Just because we take meaning from our surroundings doesn't mean that they are right, and how do they differ from country to country and community to community. After all it is just jointly constructed understanding of the world, will this differ in 10 years? What we know and believe now could be wrong tomorrow.

Connectivism

Connectivism is a leaning theory for the digital age and suggests that our classrooms, networks and the web are all populated with information from which we learn and make sense. Whenever there is something I don’t understand I will search the web, in fact this is the first thing I do. Informal learning is a significant aspect of our learning experience. Formal education no longer comprises of the majority of our learning, learning now occurs in a variety of ways through communities of practice, personal networks and completion of work-related tasks (Siemens G 2004). Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources, a learner can greatly increase their knowledge by connecting with a network. Dance forums are how I managed to find out about the BAPP Arts course and through specifically designed networks for professionals like myself I managed to find exactly what I was looking for and educate myself on how to achieve it. I will often search for specific forums to discuss ideas I have or find out information I need, they are a brilliant way to get talking to the people you need to and access the information you require. Without networks of professionals I would never have been able to find a course that was right for me.

Overall I found the course reader on networking to be very insightful and it has fuelled my desire to look into this subject further. Upon reading and researching the different concepts of professional networking I was surprised at how many I am already using unconsciously, however it has I feel opened up my eyes and I am now more aware of these strategies and will be conscious when apply them in the future to better analyse the results.