CAMPUS SESSION 3

Sorry its taken a while to blog about the campus session but its been a busy week at school.

This campus session was probably the hardest. Honestly the most confusing but actually after the confusion there was some light.

It was in a slightly different position to Natalie and Chiara as in I have completed all my tools and methods and started a rough draft of my Critical review. How it was confusing is that Paula asked me not to right to narratively. I didn't understand this as all we do when we write usually is write like this. In school this how we are taught to write. What Adesola was trying to say to us is that write as if you have completed the inquiry process. So past tense. I did.... I went.... I made sure.... I used.

Making your cake:
Adesola explained an analogy of the critical reflection as if you are cooking or baking. Think you are a chef on a TV program and write your critical reflection like this.

Firstly you tell everyone  what you are making = Introduction
Then you show them your ingredients = Evaluation
You mix it all together = Analysis of Findings
Taste it explain what it tastes and feels like = Critical Reflection.

Once she had explained this to me I could see what she meant about the steps and layers to the critical reflection make sure that you explain yourself throughout.

Let the reader be interested and want to read on. Adesola also reminded us we are not being marked on our writing ability its on the inquiry how did you develop this inquiry how did you research this. If the reader can take your critical reflection away and do it them selves you haven't done a good job it should be how you felt , how your participants felt.

Themes
Remind yourself what are your themes in this inquiry what keeps reoccurring throughout this process. Make sure they are clear from introduction. You should 3/4 themes running throughout this process any more than this its to much.

I also advise you to look at the guidelines of the handbook but not to go step by step from this. You should stick to around each word count. You don't have to be exact with that word count for each section.

Professional Artefact
You can be creative as you like this is not a writing task!!!

So if your field is dance create a dance about your chosen area. I am so glad I know this now as I will completing a choreography and a devised piece of drama. Take photos record this and send it in.

Oral Presentation
Your oral presentation doesn't have to be a PowerPoint you could have Q cards if you wanted. The group will ask you questions. Paula and Adesola may ask you questions from your inquiry if they are confused by something in your inquiry. Adesola's advise was to you know your inquiry.

Hope you are all getting on okay!! I am finishing my critical reflection today I am in need of help. Dictionary and Thesaurus at the ready!!

Good Luck everyone may see you at the next Campus session or in January for the Oral presentations.

Geri
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Focus Group - Performing arts findings and whats next

Focus group review and analysis of this: Performing Arts Focus Group.

Questions I asked:

Q1. What techniques do you use to motivate boys within in your P Arts lessons?

Q2. What techniques do you use to motivate girls within in your P Arts lessons?

Q3. Why do you think boys & girls take part in KS3 Performing arts for 3 years and then give it up in KS4?

Q4. Is it a stigma that the P. Arts lessons hold?

Q5.Is it because they are only allowed to pick a certain amount of subjects they are limited?

Q6.Why are boys more likely to take Drama and Music over Dance in KS4?

Q7. How can we as a Faculty Motivate Boys to increase up take in KS4?

Q8. If we had a male Practitioner within the faculty do you think our uptake of boys would be more?

 

 

The answers that I was given I used a Dictaphone to listen back all members of staff preferred this than speaking to camera.

Q1. BMA – Plays that are fast paced, get them involved with the technical element of Drama. Lights house lights, recording the performance. Giving them responsibility. LRO One to one recollection of their work what have done well don’t want to embarrass them in front of peers. Competition element always engages boys. Show that we trust them let them do the technical side. All I am saying and this is connected with the relationship we have with our students. Even though we are female practitioners they still respect us and we respect them. MLE making their learning relevant to them link it in to everyday life cross curricular helps them to be engaged for the rest of the lesson. Let them choose their own groups this allows them to take risks. Within the subject as they are in a safe environment also performing with their friends allows them not to catch their best friends eye in the audience. 

Q2. MLE it’s proven that every boy strategy works for girls. Girls are technically more laid back and will get on with the lesson even they are not enjoying the process they find the creating exciting enough. They are just motivated by what level they will be at the end of the process.

Q3. BMA – family pressures from households sometimes their parents at home don’t have a full understanding of the skills that we teach in performing arts how the transferable skills to English can help them within in other subjects. Its seen in a different light.  They have a misconception of what we offer. LRO I don’t think the title helps Performing arts its not seen as macho or as an academic option and male tangible connotation to it. You know they think it’s all about up you get produce a scene we are not going to write.  Some of the Male staff even give us this stigma is appropriate they do this when they are a role model for students. Yes it is in gest but is this appropriate that we speak like this about our subject. BMA also there is a stigma against our subjects that it is very stereotypical that male’s who take or teach our subjects are gay. It is very negative stigma. Which we know that this is ridiculous but when we are fighting over very old stereo types how do we approach this. LRO I do think that if we had a male practitioner within our subject this may have an impact on our subject boys would see that it’s not seen as a gay subject a male role model is teaching.  BMA- When we had a male practitioner taken Drama we had the biggest uptake in Boys taking Drama. In six years only 4 girls and 18 boys took Drama this was well I think that John was taking all year 9 classes.

Q4. MLE If we are against a subject like PE and extracurricular outside of school we don’t stand a chance. In my last school there was no option blocks I did teach in a welsh school so it was slightly different but students were allowed to pick what they enjoyed at the end of the day these students are taking the subjects they must enjoy them. Performing arts had such a bigger up take not sure on the boy’s element it may have been less.

Q5. BMA – it’s strange as in society you see these bands and programs like x factor diversity and the reality TV shows it’s much popularised like acting dancing and singing.  But boys can’t make the connection they think that its TV big budget they can’t make connection that is still be seen as cool within school it just needs that one year to have a big uptake of boys and I think this stigma could be broken.

Q6. MLE – we were put against each other at one point Dance Drama and Music why would they do this. LRO they do this as they don’t want students taking 3 performing arts subjects it’s not seen as academic. This year there were so many students who wanted to take Drama and Music that they had to put it separate blocks because there was so many complaints. MLE – they were advised last year if you are taking Music you can’t take Drama. They were narrowing their minds, down even though we are shown to have the best consistent results within the school. BMA – there was a lot of bad advice from the SLT members of the school. I know our students that are taking the English Baccalaureate are heavily guided to what they are allowed to take. They’re a lot of false options and they don’t understand this.

Q7 BMA – 6 boys take Drama MLE – 5 boys take Music. GMA – Dance have no boys. LRO – if we look nationally the bigger picture it’s an issue throughout the whole country. Boys do not take dance its either seen as not macho or not seen to be academic I think nationally we have an issue its not just an issue within our school. Even if we had maybe 2/3 students taken the subject we may have that ball rolling seeing the difference that 2/3 boys would make they would be potential role models. Might actually cause the younger boys to look and see it is actually okay we can take it its actually okay to take this subject.

Q8. LRO – MALE TEACHER all of us agree on this.

Q9. BMA- Depending on who the male was if it was somebody who was old or quite feminine would it work LRO you say that but Lawrence was old and extremely old he introduced dance here he had 5 boys take it at btec in sixth form. He totally transformed the performing arts for us. I think it just needs to be that right male practitioner that boys engage with. A strong Male practitioner. MLE – I don’t think that it matters how strong we all are as practitioners as we all I think that male person would help. GMA maybe we have a visiting comes in volunteers and creates that persona for the boys. LRO ethically we can’t advertise for just a male practitioner it needs to be equal opportunities.  How many Male dance practitioners are out there?

 

So after this focus group I decided to research Male practitioners in the area I looked back at my college friends and see what boys were teaching in a secondary school I also asked the staff at my school if they knew anybody. I managed to speak to 2 male practitioners both are young and I know would be seen as cool and are straight not that has anything to do with it. Both Male practitioners only have 1 boy for dance GCSE and no boys for A Level is it just the boys in secondary schools today who have the issues are they just not interested in taking Dance as subject further as a subject.

 After this we had an option evening for year 9 this what at school. I take the boys Dance club the 3 year 9 boys who come to this have opted to take Dance next year I am really pleased was it something I did or was it because all 3 boys have someone to confide in that they want to take it together I think I may need to ask these boys why they are taking Dance I know that I will need send letters home to parents to interview them and discuss with them that the boys will remain anonymous. The head  of my school is happy with me taking this forward.

 

 

Finally a start to Module 3

Findings from my Observations of Male Practitioners from Cross Curricular

 

I started to observe the performing art subjects but realised that we use a lot of the same methods to engage boys at KS3 and 4 level and we are all Female Practitioners. I wanted to see how boys are motivated and how they react differently to a Male Practitioner in a different area of the school. I asked a few Male members of staff. I asked 3 from 3 different areas. RE (they have to take this at GCSE) MATHS (they have to take this at GCSE) then I went in DT ( an option which is against the performing arts lessons when they get to KS4). I went see them teach KS3 then KS4. My findings was at KS3 the boys were motivated how we motivate them within the performing arts by competition  and being able to work with their friends. In DT a lot of independent learning was being seen and the students had ownership over their own learning this is exactly the same for KS4. The DT lesson in KS4 had less competition to it. Students were engaged by creating and making and engaging with their own learning. They were being left to their own devices and being independent. Which we don’t do in the performing arts unless they are working on an evaluation or Solo piece. As Drama, Dance and music all work with you being a team player when creating and devising maybe its something we could introduce within KS4. So they are more independent.  Maths and RE lesson there was no difference between KS3 and 4. They worked from a desk had Questions to figure out and they didn’t work in groups. I found this very strange seeing this as the students work very differently in this environment. They are pretty much silent there is no interaction with other students. I really thought that group work would have helped discover some of the answers then they could have gone off independently. To be honest the Maths and RE lessons didn’t help much they are both to far on the spectrum from Performing arts. So results from the seeing these lessons:

1. Students at KS3 level don’t act that much different within different subject areas.

2. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Male or Female practitioner they will work quite similar and both boys and girls both like competition against one another.

3. They like working with the same sex.

4. At KS4 both boys and girls are engaged by grade if they enjoy the subject both boys and girls are motivated by aspirations of what they will achieve from this lesson for their future.

5. Boys and girls I feel are less engaged at KS4 when they work independently I feel that students should work in groups even in Maths and RE I feel that their understanding of the subject or questioning being asked would help. Then they should work independently.  

 

What will I implement into my Lessons?

1.       I will let students work in their groups from now on and see how it works I know they are given a lot more freedom in Performing Arts subjects so I might put more expectations in place.

2.       I would like to add more competition to my lesson as I feel this will add more engagement and motivation for the boys. Also the girls will want to be better than the boys so this will engage them as well.

 

Teach meet conference

I did attend a Teach meet conference in the week where I went to a seminar on Boys, Boys, Boys, We was given a hand-out that would help us with boys motivation and engagement this was separated into sections. Relevance, consistent, competitiveness, Engagement, What drives students and general points that engage boys. I had a conversation with the Female teacher at the end of the seminar and asked her what she taught she teaches Music she is Head of Music I ask her where she got this information from she has completed a Masters in Boys motivation. Below are some the key points I am going to take into my lessons from this seminar.

1.       Relevant: Boys are typically more interested in learning if they understand why they are learning and how this well effect them in their future.

2.       Consistent: Make sure boys are aware of your expectations and rules. They like consistency and structure to a lesson. They fill more aware and comfortable if they know their expectations.

3.       Competitive: It is proven that boys work better when they work with friends as they feel comfortable to compete against other groups. Sometimes Girls VS Boys works but it is actually proven that this actually places a further gap between genders and is sometimes not positive.

4.       Student Driven by: Boys are engaged by doing and getting on task as soon as possible. They typically tend to have short term attention spans.

5.       Boys are engaged when:

·         Lessons are broken down in chunk size pieces.

·         They are allowed to think pair share before given an answer. This gets them tp practise the answer first then oral give their feedback.

·         Praising boys not in front of other students it’s not seen as being   ‘cool’

·         Working with their friends they will take more risks as they feel incredibly comfortable doing this around friends than peers.

6.       2 quotes that I have taken away:

·         ‘ For most boys, It is more important to be one of the lads than It to work in school. A common view is having a laugh or mucking about is what boys do well’ – Pickering, 2007 P.37

·         ‘Some girls work harder than boys and some boys work harder than girls. It all depends on whether they like the subject.’ – Wright, 2001, P.288

7.       Someone ask the question what about girls the Practitioner answered with the question it is proven that anything that works for boys motivation and engagement works for girls motivation and engagement.

This really helped me understand boys more and their engagements but my next question I asked her what was her up take after this for boys at KS4? She still has less boys than girls and pretty much the same percentage as what we have she has 20 students and only 6 of them are boys in her music class. So even doing all this at a KS3 level it’s still not motivating them to take it for KS4 subject. I think that I need to look into the option process within schools. I have a literature on the dying Performing arts subject within schools because of the English Bachelorette.

 

My next step Literature Review.  

 

 

Critical Reflection - Module 2

Critical Reflection on Professional Practitioner inquiry

 

When commencing this module I understood that I would be developing several lines of inquiries, to stem into one line of inquiry for my end plan. I made a considered attempt in selecting the questions that I wanted to ask. As I am a practitioner in a school, I really wanted it to be about the professional practise that I am conducting at this present time. I came up with these questions (Appendix A). The one that caught my eye was ‘Do we have a Role Model as adults?’ as I thought I could connect this with the students. Alan, my advisor, created a blog about Lines of inquiry and this inquiry question was on it, saying how it needs indentifying and where do my insights lie? (Appendix B). My first thought when I reflected on this was, how could I change this and make it more appropriate and systematic. I reflected for a couple of days about what was happening, specifically in and around my school and after a long conversation with my SIG group at school, I discussed boys achievement within the Performing Arts. From there I worked on this topic. My SIG group have really helped by commenting on questions I have put to them and bouncing ideas to one another. It was really helpful, as they did not always agree on the points raised, so I got more interesting responses to comment on.

When I started to look at Professional Ethics, I started to see this would be a weakness for me. I was struggling to come to terms with some of the terminology. When reflecting on this, my professional ethics within the work place are in fact at a very high standard. When researching and developing my lines of Inquiry I realised that I am going to need the input from students. This is where I would need to make Ethical considerations. I have learnt by reflecting on my blog, that all students must have a clear option in taking place in the research and if they don’t want to, that I cannot force them. A quote from Reader 5 which I have used I plan:

‘The concerns about treating those people whom you gather data needs to be thought through and explained with great clarity in your plan.’

The reason for this is that every person involved in your inquiry has a choice to be there or not. You as the researcher cannot make that choice for that person. I have learnt by reflecting on my blog that all students/teachers must have a clear option in taking place in the research and if they don’t want to I cannot force them to do this. This is how I treated my colleagues in the mock trial I conducted. The ethical problem I faced when in my SIG group was that I had a variety of characters, some quiet, experienced, loud and older. I had to consider this before we did the group discussion. Even though I asked the questions to the group I made sure that everyone had the opportunity to speak. I also made them aware that they didn’t have to take or answer any questions they didn’t feel comfortable with. I videoed them but made sure they were all okay with this first. I sent a copy of all the questions to my colleagues before the meeting, so they had chance to prepare. I did this as they are all working professionals and I didn’t want to impose on any of their time.

When I started on planning for the inquiry I was quite worried and unsure on how to approach some of the tasks. I decided to pilot the methods and tools that would help with an inquiry research. I decided to trial all four methods. All of the methods have their pros and cons but I selected

·         Observations

·         A focus group

·         Questionnaire.

When researching these methods, I decided that they suit my line of inquiry and that I can adapt them to help me get the best result and research. My pilot observation came out with some fascinating facts that we have already utilised in the Performing Arts lessons. (Appendix C)

 

When reflecting back on this whole Module, I have learnt that I have some real strong qualities in my teaching, which I can connect to my BAPP degree such as I have strong time management, as I have timed all my tasks correctly. I am able to use ethical considerations within the work place at all times, with fair judgements being made. I have created a strong Line of inquiry, as I am focused and working professionally with outstanding practitioners. My weaknesses are focusing on gathering correct literature for my inquiry and needing to use Google to search for the correct words that could make all the difference. When reflecting back on this inquiry I have managed to provide a plan with a thoughtful line of inquiry.

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