Task 3c: Sources of Information

Here are my top 5 sources of information.

Task 3b: Theories Relating to Networking

Of all the readers so far, I found this one the most difficult to get comfortable with. There are a lot of quite heavy concepts to process. This is what has resulted from me muddling through the theories, let me know what you think.

Task 3b: Theories Relating to Networking

Task 3a: Current Networks

This task is an extremely interesting one for me, because of my recent transition from “dancer” to “dance teacher”. Initially, I thought the way I network as a teacher was completely different to the way I used to network as a dancer, but in actual fact, this couldn’t be further from the truth. I am currently working as a freelance teacher, and therefore finding teaching work is not that dissimilar from finding dance work. Only the other day I taught an “audition” class, i.e I taught a class for an organisation as a way of auditioning to become a regular teacher. I obtained this audition through another teacher working for said organisation that I knew from another teaching job. So it all works very similar to the dance world itself! I hate to use the overused, cliché phrases, but “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” and “being in the right place at the right time” are of course very true.

Currently, my main networking tool is good old fashioned face to face conversation (along with others of course). The reason for this is my current environment. I live in a small town in Yorkshire where a lot of the dance professionals I am currently in contact with are local, and therefore face to face meetings are quite often convenient. Of course, this isn’t always possible and this method of networking is used along side phone calls, emailing, texting and letters. On occasion I will use Facebook too, but as so many others have pointed out, sometimes your facebook profile doesn’t place you in the most professional light!

I have toyed with the idea of creating a website, and definitely plan on getting one at some point in the near future. However, I don’t feel I have enough of a demand for one yet. Strangely though, I keep coming across schools and organisations that either don’t have a website, or have very basic, out of date websites, and it’s a pain. One school in particular that I work for doesn’t have a website at all, and I personally feel the school is constantly held back by this. In this internet oriented world we’re living in, the first port of call when trying to find any service or product is the internet. By removing themselves from that platform, the school is surely missing out on a lot of exposure and business. This doesn’t really apply to me yet, because I’m not yet in the position where potential clients are seeking me out, it’s vice versa. However, once I reach the stage were I am being contacted by potential clients, a website would certainly make me appear more professional and give me a quick and easy way of making a good impression.

Task 2d: Enquiry

Finally I am posting the final task of part 2. It is extremely late due a number of things in both my personal and professional life taking over in the last couple of weeks. It is so difficult sometimes to find time, and as usual everything happened at once and "life" took over. I hope the inhabitants of the blogosphere haven't forgotten me in my absence and I would love to hear your thoughts on my piece.

Task 2d: Enquiry

Task 2c: Reflective Theory

So...I have been obsessing over this task for a very long time. Adesolas recent post spoke about week 6 of study and how we should be careful not to get caught up in creating the "perfect task". This made me realise that this is exactly what I had been doing and so I have finally stopped obsessing over this task and posted it.

It is long, but I am proud of it and enjoyed writing it, because it's shown myself how much I have learnt about Reflective Theory over the past few weeks.

Let me know what you think and please criticise as much as possible! (if you can endure the length!)

Task 2c: Reflective Theory

Reflexivity - An Alternative Form of Introspection

I have found so far when reading articles within the readers that I feel a lot like a man, stood in a river, looking for gold. The article is the river bed, and the words are the pebbles that make up that river bed. I repeatedly scoop up a paragraph of pebbles in my sieve and search through them, and every now and again I find a little bit of gold. I keep going until eventually, I have enough flecks of gold to melt down into a nugget, or even a bar!

Well, I have just read "Action Evaluation and Action Theory: An assessment of the process and its connection to conflict resolution" Ian Darling, March 2008 from the list at the end of reader 2, and here is my nugget...


Ian Darlings piece is all about comparing Donald Schons idea of Reflection, more specifically In-Action Reflection, with Jay Rothmans concept of Reflexivity (an alarmingly similar sounding term!!).
"Reflexivity involves delaying the instinctive and unexamined reactions to external stimulus, and analysing them before responding" (Rothman, 1997, 36). In other words, slowing down your reactions enough to analyse said reactions before acting.
Initially, I immediately jumped to the conclusion that is exactly the same as Reflection In-Action, but upon reflection, of course it isn't! The idea of Reflection In-Action is that you reflect and alter your practice as you are doing it, but this still requires the sequence of Action, Evaluation, Modification. Reflexivitys equivalent sequence would be Thought, Analysis, Modification, Action. Reflecting before you've acted!


What a mind boggling concept! Surely if you were involved in an argument (which incidentally is what Rothmans field of study is all about: Conflict Resolution) and everyone was pausing to think about their reaction before they even contributed, it would take days! Or would it? Would the argument even get off the ground? It could be said that arguments, more often than not, escalate as a result of the exact opposite of Rothmans Reflexive Practice. Due to emotions running high, each participator blurts out the first antagonising or offensive thing that reaches their lips without thinking. The other participants react to this by doing the same, and it escalates. What if each of the participants practised Reflexivity? Would there even be an argument? If there was, it would certainly be a lot more controlled and resolved more quickly.

All this led me to ask the following question:
How can I apply this theory to my own Professional Practice?

Task 2a/2b: Reflective Practice and Reflective Writing

Having finished reading reader number 2 I have so many thoughts I don't know where to begin!

I am feeling so overwhelmed with all the reflective theory, not because I don't understand it, but because there seems to be so many different ways of looking at it and approaching it that I simply don't know where to begin! There are so many ideas, methods and concepts under the term Reflective Practice!

I was fascinated by the idea of Tacit Knowledge. This is a term I had never come across before, which is ironic because as a dancer and dance teacher I have now come to learn that most of my knowledge is tacit! This an example of something I have been experiencing for years without having realised. Now that I have realised that knowing how to stay on balance when turning, or knowing how to adjust may stance in order for a certain lift to work, is tacit knowledge, I now have knowledge of "tacit knowledge".

The Module Gangs: Bridging the Gap

After reading Alans Post - Developing your support Network I realised he was making a very good point and vowed to explore the other groups of student bloggs on BAPP...and didn't get round to it.


However, today I noticed a pioneer had written a comment on my blogg!! Stephanie Thomas has bridged the gap between Modules and I think we should all follow suit!

I'm starting by urging anyone who hasn't yet tackled the video task (1c) to watch Stephanies video, as I think it is a fantastic example and should inspire those who are unsure.

Lets get following the students in other module groups, it's a resource we're not utilising!

Task 1d: 2D Images

After spending a long time doing a seemingly simple task I have come to the conclusion that I am not a fan of Flickr! I may be jumping the gun there, as I haven't really been working with the site for very long, but it seems overly complicated to me! I get the impression that the site has tried to include too many features and it's become swamped.
However, I have managed to create a link to my slideshow:

Images by Liam Conman


I have included photos from a mixture of origins, but unfortunately I don't yet possess any photos of my teaching work. It's something I'm working on.

co.mments.com - An extremely useful tool for BAPP!!

A few of us have been getting frustrated trying to keep track of "comment conversations". Once you've commented on numerous posts, how on earth do you remember which posts you've commented on and keep up with the replies!?

I HAVE THE ANSWER!

co.mments.com

Here, simply sign up with an email address and password to create an account. Then, every time you comment on a blog, quickly copy and paste the URL of the post you've commented on into the "Track" box on co.mment, and voilà!! All new comments appear instantly on our co.mment account. Bookmark this bad boy, and you're good to go!

As you can tell, I'm quite excited about this tool, as it's going to save me BUCKETLOADS of time!

Hope you all enjoy the benefits!

Task 1c: Starting out on BAPP

Today I made my video! It's much longer than 45 seconds, but I had a lot of ideas and to be honest I love making videos! It could easily become a hobby of mine!

Let me know what you think.

Task 1a: Professional Profile - Second Draft

After completing task 1a I was concerned that my profile was too long and today set about trying to slim it down, but couldn't do it!
I tried reading it from every angle, imagining how it would read for a variety of different people, but I just couldn't reduce it any further! I feel like every bit of information in there is absolutely relevant.

In the end I settled for simply tweaking it. I noticed the phrase "couldn't believe my luck" was used twice and in close proximity of one another, so deleted one and reworked the sentence. I performed other similar little tweaks, but for the most part the piece stayed the same and I'm happy with it.

However, I would love and welcome anybodies input! In your opinion, is it still too long? Is there anything you think I should change? Am I obsessing over this task way too much and should I just get on with other tasks? These are the questions I would love you to answer!

Here it is:

 Task 1a: Professional Profile

Task 1b: Professional Communication Technologies - My First Thoughts.

Having read reader 1 (a number of times) I find myself fascinated by the fact that a term such as “Web 2.0”, previously completely alien to me, is now very much part of my understanding and my vocabulary. Even more fascinating still is the idea that for years I have been involved in this concept without even being aware! The thought of a completely 1.0 Internet experience seems ludicrous to me now, and this shows just how quickly Web 2.0 has crept up on us and inconspicuously become a fundamental tool in many aspects of our lives.

All this new knowledge I have acquired regarding this subject has led me to ask myself the following:

“Is involvement of Web 2.0 in our lives increasing so exponentially that it threatens to have a negative impact on our real-life social and interactive skills?”

Task 1a: Professional Profile - First Draft

Here is my first draft of my Professional Profile. My aim was to communicate my professional achievements and goals whilst still maintaining a personal quality. As a teacher, I want readers to feel that they have learnt about me as a person as well as a professional, as I feel that personal connection with students and parents is crucial in teaching children. Let me know what you think and how I could improve on this first draft. I welcome any comments!!!

My CV

This is my current professional CV.

Dance Notes and Google Docs

I teach an Adult Tap class for intermediate to advanced adults, and last week one of the participants asked me if it would be possible for me to write the routine out in note form to help her remember the steps in-between classes. I assured her that wouldn't be a problem and was thrilled that she was enthusiastic enough to request such a thing! I have just now completed the notes for the routine and thought I would try uploading the document onto my blog via Google Docs for you to take a look at:

Tap Notes

This is mainly to try out using Google Docs as the actual notes will make very little sense to anybody who isn't in the dance class itself, but please feel free to comment on it anyway! Especially dancers/dance teachers; I would love to hear if you think the notes would be helpful from a dance students point of view!!

Enrolled!

Well, I'm officially enrolled now! Did it yesterday on UniHub.

Looking forward to tomorrow, the big induction day! However what I am not looking forward to is getting up at 4:15am to get my train to London. That's right, 4:15!!!!!! So if any of you see me there tomorrow and I look like death you'll be able to give me the benefit of the doubt!

See you tomorrow!

Thirteen Things The Best Teachers Do

This is a small article I found that I think is a fantastically simple guide to becoming the kind of teacher that the students themselves want. I am going to try and apply these ideas and record any results I find. This article was found at: 

http://www.dance-teacher.com/content/thirteen-things-best-teachers-do

Thirteen Things The Best Teachers Do

By Rachel Zar

Some teachers seem to effortlessly connect with their students, making any lesson fascinating—from dégagés to dance history. Becoming one of these teachers often comes down to the way you relate to your students. In Simply the Best: 29 Things Students Say the Best Teachers Do Around Relationships,authors Kelly E. Middleton and Elizabeth A. Petitt compiled a list of characteristics based on what students said in focus groups. Here are 13 examples, adapted by Dance Teacher to transfer from the classroom to the studio.

Students say, "The best teachers..."

“…know us personally.” Make a conscious effort to use a student’s name when giving corrections or compliments.

“…let us know who they are as individuals.” Students shouldn’t be your best friends, but tell them about some of your hobbies and interests outside of the studio.

“…smile at us.” Be aware of your face when you talk to students—a smile is worth a thousand words.

“…argue with us in a fun way in informal situations.” Before or after class, remember that your students enjoy a little humor just as much as you do.

“…check on us when we are sick.” If a child has missed consecutive classes, call home to check in or send a condolence card. They will appreciate how much you care and learn a lesson in compassion.

“…establish rules for everyone, including themselves.” If your students can’t check cell phones in class, neither should you. If they have a strict ballet dress code, consider donning a leotard and tights for class as well.

“…are consistent.” Students should know what to expect in class and what is expected from them every day. They should never have to adjust based on your mood.

“…are energetic, enthusiastic and enjoy their job.” Showing some excitement about dance class will encourage students to be excited about it, too.

“…help us on their own time with our work.” Staying after class to help a student perfect a combination is worth the effort. She’ll appreciate the personal sacrifice you’ve made.

“…are in control of the class.” No matter how much you want your students to like you, you should still be an authority figure. Students need limits and structure.

“…value our work and effort.” Don’t mislead students about the quality of their work, but keep comments motivational and practice constructive criticism.

“…tell us they believe in us and work with us to be successful.” Convince your students that they are capable of nailing a triple pirouette or winning that trophy. It may just become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  

“…admit it when they mess up or make mistakes.” If you say something harsh or overreact in class, apologize for it and explain that teachers make mistakes, too.

(Photo ©istockphoto.com/Suzy Oliveira)

Is it possible to be a passionate, focused, committed, effective and hard working teacher within an establishment that doesn't necessarily mirror these qualities?

It is sometimes difficult making the transition from free-lance teacher to being employed at a private dance school. When you are operating as a free-lance teacher, you are entirely responsible for yourself and your classes. If you embody all of the qualities listed above, then that is how you will be perceived and hopefully your classes will be a success. 

However, this all changes when becoming a member of staff at a school. There is so much outside of your control that can have a direct effect on how you're perceived as a teacher. For example, communication. If an important piece of information regarding your classes or your students does not get passed on to you, you could appear unprofessional or be blamed for the information not reaching the students/parents. Another example would be if the principle or another member of staff is distributing incorrect information to students/parents about your class; when that information turns out to be incorrect, it could be you who is accused of misleading. Also, your intentions and motivations as a teacher may be completely different to that of your principle, and the standards of the school itself may simply be lower than your own.

In this situation it's possible to become very uninspired, unmotivated and suppressed. However, what if you were to look at it as a challenge and an opportunity to learn? Sometimes learning what not to do is more effective than learning by good example. And if in this environment you manage to achieve great results in your classes and admiration from parents and other staff, then that would be a great achievement!

Working as an employed teacher has its advantages. It's more stable financially, and it's more regular which means you can build up a deeper relationship with your students. Obviously it is preferable to work at a fantastic school with impeccable standards and hard working, committed staff, but that's not always possible. 

I've learnt that there is a lot to be gained from any class room situation, whether it be discovering that your classroom technique needs tweaking, or simply getting through a class that had the potential of being a disaster. As long as I'm teaching, I'm learning to be a better teacher, and so I must grab any opportunity to teach, be it ideal or not.

The pre-emptive strike!!

I am not ashamed to admit that I have taken an absurdly long time setting up my blog page. I am sure that anyone reading this will quickly glance over said page and allow themselves a look of sarcastic puzzlement and I don’t blame you. It looks...fine. But I can live with it!

So anyway, you’re reading my first blog. I decided to create my first post more than a month before the BAPP course even begins basically because I’m terrified about the whole thing and thought this would make me feel better...as I’m still writing it, its too soon to tell whether its paid off or not. I’ll let you know at the end. I’m hoping someone else will have jumped the gun as much as I have and will flood my blog with comments re-assuring me that they too feel utterly daunted by the 15 months ahead!

I must admit, I’m raring to go. After 3 years of practical based training and 3 years of practical, physical work, I feel like my once fit and active brain has slowly become a couch potato. I can’t wait to kick the old brain box back into gear!

Well, as there's very little subject to this blog I think I’ll leave it there. If anyone feels as intimidated as I do, drop me a comment! (And this has actually made me feel slightly more relaxed about the impending start date, so I'd recommend it!)