Campus Session 3 - Knowledge

This Campus session was based on knowledge and what we know and what we want to know form our inquiry's....

Paula started with a summary of the previous sessions so far:

Campus session 1 based on love and finding knowledge through researching a topic.

Campus session 2 based on Philosophy, constructivism, Dewey and different points of view

Campus 3 is going to be based on Knowledge situated as a individual.

Paula asked us all the question what do you know....

Well I thought this is quite hard to digest what do I know about what I asked myself as to me I know a lot about my profession as I have been perfecting my skill for years but if you asked me about science I could tell you very little what I knew.

We then took down to our inquiries.

My inquiry is based on boy’s motivational barriers and how we can break them.

What I know is that the boys are all engaged from KS3 7-9

But what I want to know is that why after KS3 the boys barriers are against us in the uptake of KS4.

So what I want to know is what are the barriers.

Then Paula went on to discuss why we have looked at these certain topics over the 3 Campus sessions:

Love - Finding the knowledge through searching

Alan’s Lecture - Explaining and repeating to tell other people from your postionality

Knowledge - Using the knowledge to inform our practise and making it better.

We all know a lot on this course as we have been studying our art forms for years and some of us working professionally for a long time maybe performance or Teaching. That we all use the same framework but we are using all different subject areas to deliver this.

Then we went on to discuss what areas of knowledge do we use in the BAPP arts here are some of the facts we come up with:

1. Arts, creative, cultural
2. Social, science inquiry tools
3. Trans-disciplinarily

So looking at point 2 we socially - educating/ learning theories practise for a framework. Science we research practitioners.

Point 3 We are crossing from 2 different areas always from professional practise and teaching.

Some quotes from yesterday which I found really interesting:

Lyotard (1984) Knowledge is narrative and per formative - only thee of the time being

I think what he was trying to say here is that time is value free. Time is of the essence.

Foucault ( 1972) treated knowledge as discourse ideological - that which is accepted as time usually discourse of the powerful.

We then looked at a Body of Knowledge and Paula wanted us to do our own drawings of what we thought our Body of knowledge was. I wont show you my picture as I am not an artist but there were some really interesting ideas if you wasnt there yesterday have ago draw yourself a picture of a body and then write or anatayte around it what you think you know as a person.

At first I found this really hard but when you get going it becomes much easier and you can't stop writing you as a person actually knows so much.

Then we had a little task of what we know for our inquiry and what we want to know from our inquiry this has actually really helped me put into 3 stages of what I want to find out from my inquiry.

What I know:

1. Know where I am going with my inquiry

2. Know that there are barriers for boys.

3. I know that I am clear on my teaching and motivation

What I want to know:

1. Want to find out literature on boys motivation

2. I want to know what the boys barriers actually are.

3. I want to know what the boys think is motivating and good teaching.

This has helped me set out more objectives and aims for my inquiry.

We summarised by looking at Recognition of learning:

Module 1 Networking: Dynamic, Contextual, New Ideas.

Module 2 Planning: Rehearsal for stage, plan for change within and after inquiry

Module 3 doing the inquiry: Stage time experience, knowledge and a final applause.

I hope this blog helps anyone that wasn’t there yesterday on the Campus session if you can get to these sessions they are such great help to me.

Thanks for the read

Geri

TASK 6C - Award Title

So when looking through the award titles are was really confused about these titles as quite a few of them really went with what are do and connects to what I have achieved in my previous Diploma.

The titles I considered and why?

• BA (Hons) Professional Practice ( Dance): Rationale reason to pick this I majored in Dance at Italia Conti this was my subject and this is my first subject at school. But this makes me a one track teacher with a degree only in Dance I don't want this I want to be able teach Drama as well which is what I am doing now at the secondary school.  So reflecting on this title I am not going to go for this title.
• BA (Hons) Professional Practice ( Dance teaching) This really only limits me to teach Dance in a secondary school I don't just want to teach Dance I want to be able to teach Both subjects and maybe even have a try at Music I took music as a GCSE. I really want to be an all round Performing Arts teacher.
• BA (Hons) Professional Practice ( Musical Theatre) : Rationale reason for this my actual diploma is A level 6 diploma in Musical Theatre do I want my degree in the same thing?? This would make sense. I really think that Musical Theatre doesn't say anything about what you can do.
• BA (Hons) Professional Practice ( Performing Arts): Rationale reasons for this title. I am currently working in a Performing Arts Faculty eventually I want to run my own faculty or department if I have this title against my name this means that they would consider me in all 3 subjects as a teacher and gives me more choices for work opportunities. Reflecting on all the titles this is the one that's going to suit me best the fact that I am teaching 2 subjects Dance and Drama and enjoying teaching both subjects. Also teaching a little music next year would be a next step for me. I would really like to go down this year. Also this award title goes with my inquiry question: I am asking What are the motivational barriers for the KS3 boys within the PERFORMING ARTS? I am not saying about just one of the subjects I am looking at all 3. The only thing my expertise is in Dance so this will be specialist subject but my 2nd and 3rd subjects could be Drama and Music. I took Music as a GCSE an played the piano, violin and clarinet till I was 15. I have been taking part in Drama since I was 5 this is part of me. I just specialise in Dance as the subject that's my specialist subject.

My next job is now to write a rationale proposal for the Module 2 title.

Please let me know your thoughts on this what one are you picking and why??

Geri

TASK 6A Informal Trial - Observation

So currently I am teaching Dance and Drama in a secondary school. My Inquiry question is going to relate to Boys motivation and the barriers that this includes?

I decided to observe one of my year 9 classes which has mostly boys in.

One of my Colleagues a Music Teacher was taking part in a learning walk at the time and came in to watch me.

I decided that the students could work with one person they thought they could work really well with and then I matched them up with abilities and mixed sexes. This went really well I wrote down the groups and so did the Music teacher and she thought she could try this with them in her Music lesson as she was struggling to get the boys to be creative. In my lesson usually they struggle to come up with ideas but this lesson it just worked. They performed and seemed to be really comfortable.

So I decided to observe the Music lesson and see how they would cope in these groupings in the Music lesson. To my and the Music teachers surprise in didn't work. So whilst I was there she asked them why it wasn’t working and the boys opening said that we don't like working with girls in Music as we feel uncomfortable singing in front of them. So the Music teacher let them pick their own groups!!! I was shocked as I have never let the boys and girls just work in single sex group’s because it doesn’t work. But it did work. Really well so I said to the group that I would let them trial this in Drama.

Yesterday I had the group and I asked that the Music Teacher to come to watch just to see the result of this.

So I let them work with whoever they wanted. There were 3 girls groups and 2 boys groups. The girls decided to work in smaller groups and the boys decided to work in slightly bigger groups. The Girls came up with some great ideas. 1 of the boys group the smaller out of the 2 was fantastic the best they have worked in Drama this year. The other group was a disaster this maybe as they need to be in a smaller group and maybe needed more guidance or creativity of the girls.

I asked them what they enjoyed about this lesson and what they didn’t enjoy.

The boys said that they enjoyed working with each other but feel they needed the girls to help them with creating and to play the girls roles.

The girls said they enjoyed working without the boys as they got more done but they needed the boys to play the boys roles.

So reflecting on this observation I have decided in Music it works really well with just single sex groups as the boys don’t feel intimidated but in Drama both sex's need each other to bounce ideas and be able to play parts.

This has made me think about my question Girls and boys need each other to get over these barriers of creating but does working together engage them or making them more motivated.

In my next lesson I will be observing the group with them working with who they want but the groups have to be mixed. I will blog to let you know what happens.

Hoped you enjoyed the read!

Geri

 

 

TASK 5B

When researching this Task at school I was a bit confused on what to look for.

I have read the handbook on many occasions and realised that the ethical considerations that we as teachers need to adhere to are in this manual and right here for us to read on.

I suppose reflecting about this when you are in a work place there are all different codes of ethics and frameworks for all different work place but all the outlines will be different.

So reading the manual first of all seems really simple the objective: ' To provide teaching staff with a clear framework of best practice in our core business of learning and teaching.' then the Outcomes: ' To provide all students with outstanding learning experiences so that they can make at least 3 levels of progress from KS2 - KS4. All students to achieve their target grade and 30% to exceed target grades.

To me this seems simple of course as teachers we are expected to teach outstanding lessons all the time and produce safe learning and teaching for all studnets,

But what shocked me is that I didn't write this in my Task 5A. I focused on the safeguarding of the students and the professional boundaries of teachers and pupils.

In this handbook it has everything in it you could ask for a plan of the school who and where everything is. But really is this really important.

What’s in important to me is Motivating the pupils, FSM, EAL,SEN and etc.

I have reflected on this manual and there is a section on BOYS/GILRS. This to me is perfect as my Inquiry question is going to be based on boys motivation in KS3.

The quote:

BOYS/GIRLS

be aware of the differences in Girls and Boys achievement and use study partnerships where possible to offset this.

Tailor schemes to suit boys strengths and use topics which appeal

Encourage boys to be adventurous with materials

Use short scaffold tasks to sustain interest.

Looking at this great for BOYS but where is the Ethical consideration for girls here is. Are we forgetting about them???

As I am basing my line of inquiry on Boys I will still try and involve girls in a Ethical way by not forgetting about them think about how they maybe can motivate boys. Do they need to surveyed to they need to be observed as well and see what the results are from this.

Reflecting back on this task my assumptions were totally different to the ones I have found out in this handbook. I really focused on the safeguarding and actually in this manual its all based on the what the students are going to achieve from our learning and tecahing.

This is the focus!

Thanks for reading

Geri

 

CAMPUS SESSION 2 - MODULE 2

I firstly really enjoyed this lecture as I felt like a Student.

Alan gave us a lecture on positionality.

Positionality yourself in a particular context where do you people see you when you are asking your inquiry question are you being Bias towards to Arts. Then where do you see yourself when you are asking these inquiry questions. If you don't know where you stand how can the group know where you are and stand. When you are recognising your positionality you do this when you are reading, observing and listening. These are all different consequences to these positions.

• How we make come to make sense of something depends on where we are coming from.
• How have we had that experience.
• Have we experienced it first hand.
• Have we read it.
• Have we heard about it.

We all have our own individual canon of knowledge in out brains and ways of thinking are initially different and all our experiences are different. So our positionality on things will be different.

Our different accounts of knowledge:

• Make sense in that day
• It doesn't make sense now but will later when you reflect
• Locations of positionality
• different ways of experiencing and the timing of the experience.

Alan then reflected on the different types of Positionality he went into ' Different Historical  positionality '

• It started off with different types of positions in the world. Metaphysical position - meaning its existing can't be explained through ideas from separate everyday experiences. Beyond human experience. The Greeks really believed in this in a strong way. Metaphysical position of thinking is really connected with  religion - theological explanation.

• Then you have the rationalists this knowledge will be delivered from rational, logical thought out based of detective arguments. They will explain everything in the world through rational knowledge. They don't really want to know about your experience this has no use to them. Unless you can rationalise this.

• Empiriciam - This knowledge is delivered from processing our sensory experiences. This is a complete reaction against the rationalists. This was practised by the Greeks. Experiencing of observations of the world. John Looke c17th really believed in this way of thinking core of scientific methods and observing again, again and again. This is how we critically reflect. We live and benefit from this method of thinking.

• Pragmatism-The big name in this way of thinking is John Dewey C19th used this in a lot of educational research. He believes that we can understand the meaning of an object or something if we describe what it does not juts what it is.  Describing areas of our practise to students is what we do in our whole career this is a way of thinking that we need to use. You have to experience this to gain the knowledge to explain and describe about it. This thinking is the closest of what we are doing at the moment and will probably feel the most natural to us. They are philosophers they understand the world in all the ways we can experience it.

What Alan was trying to say to us here is we don't need to take on just one position or way of thinking we can be multiple positions and thinkers this can be extremely liberating. He was saying that you can take on one way of thinking and then take a step into another way thinking.

Then we looked into the education of the students of today and how we learnt at school we learn in a Didacticism way the teacher stands at the front of the class the teacher knows best the teacher has the knowledge the kids are like sponges and they should be taking it all in and put on to paper. This is very hard for students I feel who learn from doing which I am that's why I worked better in practical lessons because you could do and I achieved like this.  Then we have Constructivism this is the way we should be teaching we give the student the information they take it away and apply this information. You are making your own experience of this learning and making it a memory for you to remember. Positionlaity = is knowledge that is transmittable to student.

Alan went into 'The Knowledge of Landscapes'

1. Theology -  ( Supernatural)
2. Humanities - ( Analytical, Critical and Speculative)
3. Natural Histories - ( Demonstrable truths)
4. Social Sciences - ( Demonstrable Qualities)

Alan let us play a game with these knowledge's with pictures we had to decide which picture went with what area.

You need to make sure you are clear on your positions and your behaviourist way you think.

What we last thought and discussed about and for me has really stuck with me is this quote:

 'All of our experiences pass away forever........ But only memories that we make remain'
Daniel Kahneman Israel/USA C20th

Experiences will always leave us but memories are what stays and develop and sometimes change. When we look at the world and think about this we are incredibly powerful we make our own sense of the world and memories. We rethink a memory we re shape a memory then this becomes and going process. we think why did it happen? what could have we done differently? This is all based on critical reflection  and we reflect on what happened.

So how does all that relate to us in Module 2:

• When your writing your Inquiry its gong to make more sense to the students, parents and teachers if you are fully aware where you are positioned. 
• Ethics is the account we give off when investigation other people we have to be aware of the positionality and where we stand.
• Ethics is also applied when writing these inquiry questions we want to make sure all parties are safe and aware of all outcomes.
• We want to apply philosophy to our inquiry.
• You want to make sure your ethical about your school/ business.

Ethics to consider:

1. No awkward positions (students/parents/teachers)
2. Confidentiality
3. General point of inquiry
4. School permission on Data and using students.
5. Direct impact of your inquiry
6. Researching areas to look into : BERA and BSS
7. Will the students give you a reliable answer

A sentence I feel that sums up this lecture is:  A reflection is a process by which we make sense of our postitionality.

We then for the last 2 hours split into our Module groups and discussed what we needed to for the rest of the Tasks and modules. This really helped me as I was getting a bit stuck with Task 5 but it actually makes more sense. We developed some of out inquiry questions as well. We basically sat as our own SIG. It was a great day with great peers and full of great information. ( Thank you)

Hope this makes sense and helps anyone who wasn't there at the Campus session 2 ask me any questions I will be happy to help.

Thanks Geri

TASK 5A - Ethical considerations

The Ethical professional practise I need to consider in my work place is students safety and safeguarding first. Student and Teacher relationships, making sure as a teacher you protect yourself from social networking. I know being a young teacher students want to be friends with you as they see this as being maybe 'cool'. But you need to have a respect with them that yes they can tell you anything but anything they do say that could put anyone or them in harm you will take it to the right person. you being a Role Model that they look up to you. Which takes me on to my next aspect the professional person and teacher you want to be. How would you like to portray yourself to other teachers, students and parents. At school you need to make sure you are clean and your hair is clean this seems silly to talk about this but being a Role Model in everyway. Making sure we protect ourselves from inappropriate comments. Being aware of what we wear especially that I am teaching 3 subjects at the moment I am finding this really hard to look professional in 3 areas it would be nice if I had a uniform ( this is something we are changing for next year), making sure you are not wearing revealing clothing, tattoos are not on displayed and piercings are covered or out. Students will want to be like you and will want to copy what you are doing. When I am taking a dance class if I have asked the students to wear a type of footwear that I am doing this making sure my hair is up out of my face. Being prepared for all occasions of lessons.

I really think I have touched base on all codes of conduct in the above paragraph. I think for me its reflecting now on the code of conduct that is in my school which is the safeguarding policy. I know this is in place all teachers who have any contact with students must have this we train all together at my school we have 3 teachers who we need to go to and speak to about these situations that might arise. Safeguarding in my lessons is extremely important making sure that those students feel safe as well as feeling safe to change in their areas as well as feeling safe to perform in that environment and that is down to me as a teacher. Making sure they know they can make mistakes that's what rehearsals are for and being able to perform with their best ability and not feel scrutinised.

I think that this really connects to my inquiry questions why? I want boys to feel comfortable in my lesson be able to feel safe. In year 7 I feel the boys are much more confident but by the end of year 8 certain boys start to feel very body conscious especially in dance it is my job to monitor this making sure boys are allowed to work in a safe environment feeling comfortable where they are changing and be able to make mistakes. I also think this could be one of the reasons for the less uptake in KS4/5 the fact that are dancing with girls maybe struggle to make communication with them, changing and feeling body conscious by that point in school life.

What do you think of this ethical considerations??

Geri