Observations

So last week I started my observations and interviews. My first observation was a year 13 Chemistry class. I found when I first started watching that I was more engrossed with the subject as I haven't done a Chemistry class in 17 years. I was quite engaged learning about 'Global Warming'!! My main observation was how certain students were extremely vocal in question and answers and for others it was like the teacher was 'pulling teeth'! This surprised me due to the Academic setting I work in and the fact these students are only weeks away from their final exams. I was also expecting the less vocal students to become more active in the practical element of the class but again this didn't happen. Possibly just a bad day for one students in particular?? My pre conceived ideas about how the students would behave were not matched with reality. These are subjects the students have chosen to take and are old enough to realise how important these last few weeks are for embedding knowledge but that didn't seem to phase some students.

On a completely different note I observed a year 6 drama class. This was focussed, energized and all the students seemed to benefit from the lesson. Within the first 10 minutes as students were split from their friendship groups and into working groups you immediately recognised the leaders and followers. Some of the naturally quieter students seemed comfortable taking that back seat role and you could instantly see who preferred to instigate their own ideas. After a conversation with Tom yesterday about hierarchy it makes you wonder is this a natural evolution of a group of peers forced into working together - will we always have leaders and followers or could we work together with equal imput and ideas??? Food for thought!! This class was a very creative lesson with audio stimulus for a theme they were working on. I thought the class structure worked well and the time allowed for sections a good length for a natural creative process to happen.

I have one more observation to do with a year 1 teacher. In 3 weeks time which again will give me a different angle on how to approach lessons.

Module 3 - A rocky start

So Module 3 started well with me having half term from work - a great first week to gather my thoughts and think about the 12 weeks ahead. I started planning a timeline of activities and tried to think about fitting in the work around our massive production which takes place this coming weekend! A newly choreographed 2 hour production of 'The lion, the witch & the wardrobe'.
I was feeling VERY positive and ready to start my inquiry - THEN BOOM i started becoming ill!! I ended up in hospital with suspected viral meningitis and then spent most of my days just sleeping to try to get better. I am feeling a lot more 'with it' now however I am certainly not back to my usual self yet. So here I am starting Module 3 AGAIN 3 weeks late - I never make it easy for myself hahaha!!

Whilst being ill I have managed to set up 2 of my observations and interviews with my colleagues at school for next week. I am quite excited to see how non arts subjects can be taught creatively and had such a warm response to asking to observe their lessons. I am still waiting to arrange my third observation so I may have to change subject/teacher depending on her availability. I have also got my consent form ready to send out to the parents of my focus group - I am hoping they will want to take part and I feel some of the students will benefit from discussing the Arts Award project they have been working on.

Time to start looking through the SIG's to get me back on track!!!

Literature & opinions

From the literature I have looked at over the last few months it seems that people agree on the fact that "The Arts" are important but that not enough is done to make them survive. From my own knowledge of working in theatres the last 15 years has seen a decrease of school children attending theatre trips and more companies going into schools. Whilst they are still seeing live theatre I feel they lose some of the magic, culture and engagement. The general consensus from articles and websites is that the cuts to the arts affect the poorest areas most. Listening to a podcast of Sir Peter Bazelgette a key phrase stuck with me "a shared experience that moves us to laughter or tears". I personally feel from conversations I have engaged in that people don't get this any more. Either due to television/computers/smart phones etc and lack of 'live' experiences in the arts.
Most articles mentioned the fact that arts should be in all schools and that many didn't have enough arts subjects which led me to looking at our local schools curriculum. I found it interesting how arts can vary so much from school to school on both a curricular bases and co-curricular.

I think that arts mark really brings together arts and academia in this quote on their website "bringing arts and culture to life in every classroom". Not every arts classroom but every classroom. I asked some friends what they thought of this and these where the following responses:
1.
I personally think that schools should be primarily focused on the core subjects ie maths, English, science, history and geography but have arts incorporated too as not all people are artistic or need artistic talent for future jobs. I agree they should have 'arts' classes however this can be a follow on if chosen after school age or around school hours.

2.
I think you need both, especially as there are many children who struggle with the core subjects and express themselves through arts. I also think there isn't enough PE time in school, but that's a different story! Arts can be incorporated directly into the the core subjects such as literacy and history anyway. Just as ICT has to be. 

3.
A child who struggles to write English for example, can express themselves in art form or make a boring maths class colourful by using Art etc. For me, incorporating art into core subjects is vital.

4.
 I think the recent craze in adult mindfulness colouring books shows that there is real benefit from the arts across the spectrum of the curriculum. I perceive their to be a plague of mental illness in our country. If children and young people can de stress, vent or rationalise emotions by drawing, dancing, acting, singing, playing instruments etc then I perceive it as a positive thing that can only have a good impact on learning across the whole curriculum. As for whether that arts time should be stand alone or integrated... I'm not fully sure? I wish I'd had more arts time alongside all my science and maths! I do think it could have helped me manage my anxiety at school. Though I did dance outside of school 3-4 days a week. I think the arts stuff could well be after school or lunch time or holiday clubs.

I'm not sure if these opinions help anyone else but I thought I would share! 

Key Words

Arts in Education

Creativity

Improved academic performance

Motor skills

Confidence

Visual learning

Decision making 

Perseverance   
   
Focus

Collaboration
   
These are all words that have cropped up when looking at arts in education so I thought I would jot them in my journal - now its time to share :) Has anyone come across other key words?? 

6b - Merits and Limits

My initial thoughts I jotted down about the tools mentioned in reader 6:

Observations

Merits - real life situations, opinions, experiences.

Limits - teachers and students are not always natural when being observed.
.
Interviews

Merits - can adapt to the answers given.

Limits - hard to have questions that aren't influenced by your thinking.


Focus Groups

Merits - a good way to discuss opinions and questions freely

Limits - people may not wish to speak up in a group.

Questionnaires 

Merits - hard data/facts.

Limits - very black and white - no room for opinion.

6 - Mock Interview

I decided to try a mock interview with a close friend whom I have worked with in the past professionally when performing and workshop leading:

I explained what I was doing and that I was writing out her answers and she was more than happy to answer my questions -

1. What is your role at work?

Acting Course leader for  - BTEC Performing Arts Subsidiary Diploma Acting

2. How do you feel about the arts in education?

Great way for students to build key transferable skills to help them to achieve in other areas - for example employability skills; communication, customer service, presentation etc..

As I teach BTEC Performing Arts - I see a role for Drama as an academic subject in the curriculum.

3. Do you feel students that under achieve academically can flourish more in arts subjects?

I believe it can help build confidence and self-esteem to help students to believe in themselves and voice their own opinions.

4. Do you think "the arts" should be compulsory in all education settings from pre school up to 6th form?

I think it should be compulsory up to secondary.

5. How do you feel creative thinking helps students?

Helps them to think around a subject, see it from different points of view.

6. Why do you feel some students gain more than others from creative learning?

Confidence, if the student doesn't have confidence to explore/experiment - they will find it hard to think creatively.

7. Do you think the arts award programme or something similar where you document your arts learning journey should be rolled out to all education settings as an option?

Yes I think it would be useful as an option.

8. Are the arts seen as a dumping ground for students that want an easy subject?!

Not in my sector.

9. How have times changed for the way in which the arts are taught?! Has discipline change or societies way of learning?

In my 6th form discipline within the arts space isn't really an issue - it's more getting them to hand work in on time and attendance which I feel is not a new problem. This was the same 15 years ago.
Sometimes my students come in with poor literacy/time management skills - but this is something I embed into my course to help students address these areas.

I feel that the attention span of students has changed over the last 10 years due to the internet. Teaching used to be more lecture based in 6th form where as I deliver short, sharp, active tasks to keep my students engaged!

10. How do you feel about experienced practitioners teaching without "teacher status". Should this matter if they have the knowledge?

I think if it delivered as an extra-curricular subject and not exam based (GCE/GCSE/BTEC) experienced practitioners are more than able to deliver the material - Experience within the industry is more important, but teachers have skills with regards to lesson planning, assessment for learning etc... which is needed for examined courses.

 
Doing a mock interview was very interesting - I kept wanting to interject and add more unplanned questions but decided against it for this mock however I may do another to see if the flow is the same. When reflecting back I found that some of my questions could be looked at as leading - looking for a certain answer so in future I need to be more careful in my wording/phrasing. I enjoyed doing a face to face interview and liked the personal touch.

5b Ethics

After my initial thoughts I went on to look through the documentation in the staff handbook at school. Most of the things I had initially thought of were more appropriate to my own dance school and not the full time boarding school so I hadn't considered the long list of policies and procedures that are in place there.

• Safeguarding policy - focussing on prevention, protection, support, operation of safer recruitment and maintaining a safer environment in which children can develop and learn.
• Duty of care - a moral or legal obligation to ensure the safety or well-being of others
• Every child matters - there are five key principles to the policy: To be healthy, to stay safe, to enjoy and achieve, to make a positive contribution, to achieve economic well-being.
• Professional behaviour - keeping up the professionalism expected of the school.
• Online safety - asking students to work online and use blogs and making sure they are safe in doing so.
• 121 situations -  this happens frequently as we teach 121 classes. The dance studio has an open door policy so people can freely access the space during these sessions.
• Emails with students/ co workers - 99% of communication happens via email. These should remain professional at all times.
• CPD - it is important to keep developing as a teacher as students are like sponges who feed off you.
• Appraisal system - how can we as teachers improve unless we have feedback and set goals to work towards.
• Eating issues - making sure the students are taking care of their bodies and encouraging a healthy lifestyle.
• Self harm - report any issue to the health centre and house mistresses/playroom master.
• Students behaviour - this must be kept at the level expected of the school.
• Students dress code - these standards must be maintained.

Some of the list things I haven't had to deal with and others I have. For instance we have had students in the past that have had eating issues which have had to be dealt with in a sensitive manner informing the correct people.
I feel CPD and appraisals are an important way of keeping teachers up to date and in the no how of what they should be teaching.
I think most of the policies are there to protect not only students but staff and the school as well.

A couple of other things that keep coming back to me are the issues of not being qualified to teach but having years of experience in that field - is this ethical?! Could this do more harm than good to students?
I have also met several teachers over the years who have set up classes but have no affiliation to professional bodies...should this be allowed?  Should you have to be associated with others to be a good teacher?