Throughout my inquiry, I have come across many interesting pieces of literature regarding my topic of the use of Dramatheraoy within drama teaching. However, one book I ended up purchasing has been central to my inquiry. The book is called 'Dramatherapy and Drama Education: exploring the space between disciplines' by Clive Holmwood.
Clive has been part of both professions, drama teaching and Dramatherapy, therefore what he has to say is incredibly interesting. His book was published in 2014 so also a great piece of literature to display what is happening now in the profession. His book explores social, political, therapeutic and artistic influences, discussing how the two fields are linked. I have made many notes so far whilst reading his book so thought I would share some of the things I jotted down:
Clive based the core of his research in actual practice. His struggles are narrated with sensitivity and honestly. His book is perfect for any teacher who wonders - as increasing numbers must these days - about the personal, affective and emotional needs of children and ways in which the arts, persistently ignored and downgraded by the government, can feed and nourish their well being.
Drama helps children find their own playful ways to express, represent, performance and create. Also help them understand situations and emotions.
Clive found concern over the fact drama teachers and dramatherapists are kept at arms length of each other. He created this book to share a personal journey of how these two fields connect and can learn from sharing knowledge.
There is a lack of depth and breadth in the literature on dramatherapy compared to other professions like psychotherapy and psychology. Dramatherapy is emerging rather than established.
Dramatherapy is a form of psychological therapy in which all of the performance arts are utilised within the therapeutic relationship. Drama therapists are both artists and clinicians and draw on their trainings in theatre/drama and therapy to create methods to engage clients in effecting psychological, emotional and social changes.
"My latest thinking is that all drama is about the same thing....about people creating a distance between the every day reality and the reality of imagination." (Professor Robert Landy, one of the founders of Dramatherapy)
In the last few years, Dramatherapy seems to be specifically aligned to health care and medicine rather than education.
During The Great Debate at Ruskin College in 1976, Callaghan said:
"The goals for our education, from nursery school through to adult education are clear enough. They are to equip children to the best of their ability for a lively, constructive place in society and also to fit them to do a job of work. Not one or the other but both."
This led to grater government involvement in education and Thatcher's legacy of a national curriculum.
1960s-1980s - education with the management of the economy in mind. There are now more options of getting jobs in the arts.
Drama in education pioneers: Caldwell Cook (1917)
Peter Slade (1954)
Influenced by people like US educator John Dewey.
The book touches on how kids in schools are judged on their exam results nowadays. Kids learn to regergatate knowledge, like a memory test, but could they actually apply that knowledge to something, do they actually understand it.
I can absolutely relate to this. At school I excelled in exams but I just learnt the work like a script. I had a great memory so would just learn pages and pages of information. I had no idea what half of it meant!
"Mankind likes to think in extreme opposites. It is given to formulating it's beliefs in terms if either-ors, between which it recognises no intermediate possibilities." (Dewey 1938:1)
It's important to have an inter-disciplinary state between institutions, organisations and professions.
Dramatherapy is one way of allowing individuals to describe, represent and understand aspects of their life froma fresh perspective.
There is a section in the book that relates to literature links. However, there are current debates with the drama therapy profession around the purpose and use of ritual within training.
Jones (1996a:102) discusses that involvement in dramatic activity with Dramatherapy allows a shift to occur for a client to re-engage with the emotional and creative aspects of themselves.
"Children can be fractious and unpleasant, and that creative stimulation which they have to continuously inject into the successful drama lesson makes quite unique demands on drama teachers." (Hombrook 1998:44)
"The triangle concept describes the way the therapist, the client and the art form create dramatherapy space together." Phil Jones (2010:10)
Dramatherapy is traditionally seen as mental health therefore service is located in hospitals and clinics, not schools.
Dramatherapy allowsnthe client to stand back from difficult material by using drama through metaphor or symbol. Draws a parallel between actual (social) space and psychological space.
Involvement in dramatic activity in Dramatherapy sessions allows a client to re engage with the emotional and creative aspect of themselves.
"I'm sure Dramatherapy will be the political theatre of the future." (Baron Cohen and the king 1997:283)
"Dramatherapy is a practical way of taking stock of what is going on around us in the world." (Warren and Grainger (2000:160)
Dramatherapists work with distance as a safe mechanism to protect clients from difficult emotions.
Nussbaum (1986) sees it more as clarifying and learning through emotion and feeling, drawing in ideas of Brecht and Boal, which is similar to drama teachers.
"The separation between meaning and unthinking or irrational emotion carries a complexity of implications for drama and for therapy. For it is within the spaces between these levels of reality and identity that understanding and healing can occur." (Landy on Brecht 1997:368)
"Dramatherapy is a powerful method of healing because it provides a way to re experience pain, sometimes overwhelming pain, through the safety of aesthetic distance." (Landy 1997:372)
Monday 5 December 2016
Monday 14 November 2016
Interviews
I must say I am thoroughly enjoying the interview process. It's been refreshing to chat about topics of interest with like minded professionals and I feel I have not only been ticking off the answers to my inquiry questions but also learning a lot about different techniques and methods others use when teaching. This has really impacted my lessons and I have found myself approaching situations in completely different ways. The last few weeks have also allowed me to focus on my career path and think about my plan of action after I have finished my degree. I can't believe how much my plans have changed in the last few months! My research, both reading and interviews, have had a big impact on my future plans.
I have been overwhelmed with the kindness people have shown. I emailed several Dramatherapists that I had researched and have ended up having 2 interviews via Skype. These ladies took time out of their busy schedules to chat to a complete stranger! One of them is even on maternity leave! I feel extremely grateful for all of their help and kindness. I feel I am making good professional contacts that will grow even after this degree is finished.
I have interviewed two colleugues in my current workplace, which has been fantastic. I feel very fortunate that my workplace is so supportive of my study and my boss has even set out time in the next two weeks for me to present to my team as part of my artefact. During the interviews we have also been bouncing ideas off each other regarding our workplace and new and exciting plans we want to implement. We have decided to hold an optional 8.30am meeting for anyone who wishes to discuss any students or issues they are having in class. The research of my workplace has made me realise how many of my colleugues are stressed and exhausted yet won't ask for help. By setting up this weekly meeting it gives everyone the chance to off load and gain advice from their peers on challenging topics in the workplace. These meetings will be lead by myself and I am fully committed to being there every week to help and learn and grow as a team.
I've started seeing the bigger picture with regards to this degree. I have taken the stress of essays and deadlines away by focusing on my career after my degree and what I hope to study in the future. This has made the literature reviews and research enjoyable as it is an area I am genuinely interested in.
I have completed 4 interviews and have my final 3 set up this week. I was quite frustrated at first that I couldn't get them all done sooner but people have busy lives and this I have learnt to accept. I have been reading the most wonderful book by a man called Clive Holmwood called 'Drama education and dramatherapy - exploring the space between the disciplines'. I had to pay about £35 for it but I highly recommend. I found this book just through researching and was so pleased that during one of my interviews with a dramatherapist she recommended the same book, which gave me a boost of confidence that I was on the right track!
I had been quite frustrated by the university library system and felt like I was wasting so much time searching for what I was looking for! On reflection I think my generation quite often expect instance results. After all we grew up in the age of Google! I am not used to having to sift through masses of information to find an answer! I also then reflected that I have always been incredibly impatient. I loose focus very easily if something doesn't keep my attention. Even as an adult I am easily bored and easily distracted! I use this to my advantage when teaching and my lessons are always high energy and fast paced! I think this way of learning and this course has, in reflection, been very different to any study I have even done before and I have found this aspect very challenging at times. I do however hope to complete a masters so feel the skills I am acquiring will be extremely beneficial for the future. "Never Stop Learning!" :-)
I have been overwhelmed with the kindness people have shown. I emailed several Dramatherapists that I had researched and have ended up having 2 interviews via Skype. These ladies took time out of their busy schedules to chat to a complete stranger! One of them is even on maternity leave! I feel extremely grateful for all of their help and kindness. I feel I am making good professional contacts that will grow even after this degree is finished.
I have interviewed two colleugues in my current workplace, which has been fantastic. I feel very fortunate that my workplace is so supportive of my study and my boss has even set out time in the next two weeks for me to present to my team as part of my artefact. During the interviews we have also been bouncing ideas off each other regarding our workplace and new and exciting plans we want to implement. We have decided to hold an optional 8.30am meeting for anyone who wishes to discuss any students or issues they are having in class. The research of my workplace has made me realise how many of my colleugues are stressed and exhausted yet won't ask for help. By setting up this weekly meeting it gives everyone the chance to off load and gain advice from their peers on challenging topics in the workplace. These meetings will be lead by myself and I am fully committed to being there every week to help and learn and grow as a team.
I've started seeing the bigger picture with regards to this degree. I have taken the stress of essays and deadlines away by focusing on my career after my degree and what I hope to study in the future. This has made the literature reviews and research enjoyable as it is an area I am genuinely interested in.
I have completed 4 interviews and have my final 3 set up this week. I was quite frustrated at first that I couldn't get them all done sooner but people have busy lives and this I have learnt to accept. I have been reading the most wonderful book by a man called Clive Holmwood called 'Drama education and dramatherapy - exploring the space between the disciplines'. I had to pay about £35 for it but I highly recommend. I found this book just through researching and was so pleased that during one of my interviews with a dramatherapist she recommended the same book, which gave me a boost of confidence that I was on the right track!
I had been quite frustrated by the university library system and felt like I was wasting so much time searching for what I was looking for! On reflection I think my generation quite often expect instance results. After all we grew up in the age of Google! I am not used to having to sift through masses of information to find an answer! I also then reflected that I have always been incredibly impatient. I loose focus very easily if something doesn't keep my attention. Even as an adult I am easily bored and easily distracted! I use this to my advantage when teaching and my lessons are always high energy and fast paced! I think this way of learning and this course has, in reflection, been very different to any study I have even done before and I have found this aspect very challenging at times. I do however hope to complete a masters so feel the skills I am acquiring will be extremely beneficial for the future. "Never Stop Learning!" :-)
Sunday 30 October 2016
Creativity
A few days ago I read the slide show that Paula had put together after the Skype sessions last week. One of the first points was about Creativity and who inspires you creatively. I wanted to link this to my current topic of inquiry so of course the first person who came to mind in the educational field was Ken Robinson. I've always enjoyed watching his Ted Talks and this weekend I revisited his work. An interesting video I found questioned whether Creativity can be taught. Here is the link:
I also watched another one if his talks regarding creativity in schools. Here is the link:
My inquiry is questioning whether Dramatherapy techniques and strategies could be useful for drama teachers. I guess this is also questioning the creativity of my own lessons and this is something I have been looking into this week. My main purpose for choosing the inquiry topic that I have is that I felt children were being lost in the system. There are many children who I teach that are struggling with social, emotional and behavioural issues but they over looked when it comes to referrals in schools due to their case not being extreme enough or lack of funding. This then means that it's down to the parent to voluntarily access a psychologist and relies on the parent to be knowledgable in drama therapy to take it one step further and research into drama therapy services. I felt that my colleagues and I could learn more about Dramatherapy and incorporate techniques into our drama lessons to aid those children. The more I research into drama therapy the more I am beginning to understand and engage with what it offers. I'm also understanding how valuable it is to children struggling with social, emotional or behavioural issues. I have actually taken it one step further this week and have contacted quite a few service providers in the UK in the hope of gaining knowledge of their expertise in the field. I have been reading lots of literature the past few weeks but now understand the importance of having up to date, current information as week. Reading a book published in 1977 will give me a certain level of information but that date of publication needs to be in the back of my mind too. How relevant is it to today.
In the Skype session review I also really liked the Stunk and White (1959, p19) example of wordiness. This is definitely something I need to keep in mind when writing as I have the tendency to waffle on!
Another quote I loved from the slide show was:
"The task of teaching is to promote cognitive, behavioural and affective results from students. How to motivate learners to achieve the desired ends or discourage them from undesirable outcomes is a central problem for a teacher in any field."
Lazaroff, Elizabeth M (2001) 'Performance and Motivation in dance education, Arts Education policy review, 103, 2; pp. 23-26
I'm also starting to recognise the importance of routine. My work schedule is unbelievably busy at the moment and I'm often working late and on my days off. This has meant that I have had to be incredibly organised when it comes to uni work. And for me the key has been routine. If part of my daily routine is to read a piece of literature before bed or comment on 3 blogs on my train journey home then I do it. I am too busy from now until Christmas to leave it until the last minute. Organisation is key!
I highly recommend that even if you miss a Skype session, take the time to look over the notes made on that session. It has been a massive help to me this week.
Monday 24 October 2016
Visual learner
I love reading, but as a visual learner I sometimes find it hard to focus on long sections of text. My mind drifts if the information doesn't really engage me and I find myself having to read sections over and over again! During my literature research I have been doing a lot of reading but find it essential to break it up by watching videos related to my topic of inquiry. Not only does this motivate me it also gives my mind a break from reading. Plus, I am still researching so it isn't time wasted. I've got into a good habit of doing this, especially if I have 10 or 15 minutes whilst having breakfast or lunch. I can just youtube Ted talks or research other related videos. Obviously, we have to complete a literature review but I highly recommend also researching videos related to your chosen topic as I have found it extremely interesting and very useful.
Here are some I have recently been watching related to my topic of Drama therapy.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DULKnm1SFhE Introduction to drama therapy
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=F-HAsTr2LO4 Documentary on drama therapy in schools
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uZc8VPEusKI Example of how drama therapy is used in the NHS
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e1wlfRNzwEI A drama therapist describing the process and benefits
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b81dCC9yCVo Studying drama therapy at CSSD
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d33U2I2lf_M Ted talk - power of imagination and drama therapy
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_6Ei7X6gDKk A drama therapy service provider in the UK
Here are some I have recently been watching related to my topic of Drama therapy.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DULKnm1SFhE Introduction to drama therapy
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=F-HAsTr2LO4 Documentary on drama therapy in schools
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uZc8VPEusKI Example of how drama therapy is used in the NHS
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e1wlfRNzwEI A drama therapist describing the process and benefits
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b81dCC9yCVo Studying drama therapy at CSSD
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d33U2I2lf_M Ted talk - power of imagination and drama therapy
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_6Ei7X6gDKk A drama therapy service provider in the UK
Sunday 23 October 2016
Module 3
Due to the nature of my chosen topic, a lot of my thoughts have been documented in my personal journal the last few months. However, today I put aside some time to just read and connect with fellow students blogs. I had become so overwhelmed with everything I needed to do for my own study that reading and commenting on other peoples blogs had become last on my 'to do' list. Living in Singapore I have often felt quite alone studying for this degree. The time difference makes organising Skypes extremely difficult. With technical issues of not being able to access the university library, financial issues figuring out a way to pay for my final module and working full time as a teacher, it's definitely been a stressful start to module 3! I know I find it difficult to ask for help and always feel like I'm bothering people as everyone is so busy. I also feel like I should be able to find the answer myself. However, reading blogs this morning has made me realise the importance of connection and discussion. I have learnt so much just by reading other peoples journeys so far. This has really given me confidence.
I have been making notes about all the literature I have been reading in a notepad. For me, I just prefer hand writing my notes. I'm now wondering though whether I should write these all up onto my blog....or whether that would be bad time management. I have definitely learnt that it is ok to go at your own pace and that I shouldn't compare where I'm up to with others. This is a big learning curve for me.
I have been making notes about all the literature I have been reading in a notepad. For me, I just prefer hand writing my notes. I'm now wondering though whether I should write these all up onto my blog....or whether that would be bad time management. I have definitely learnt that it is ok to go at your own pace and that I shouldn't compare where I'm up to with others. This is a big learning curve for me.
Sunday 24 April 2016
Research paper
I have recently found a fantastic resource in the form of an investigation into how drama intervention can help children with social, emotional and behavioural issues. This link is a paper written on an investigation that was done with students of a variety of ages. This is something I will definitely be using during my enquiry.
http://docserver.ingentaconnect.com/deliver/connect/intellect/20547668/v1n1/s3.pdf?expires=1461562909&id=86767488&titleid=75008753&accname=Guest+User&checksum=C588B0ADE19612F6AEC8C78925A800F0
http://docserver.ingentaconnect.com/deliver/connect/intellect/20547668/v1n1/s3.pdf?expires=1461562909&id=86767488&titleid=75008753&accname=Guest+User&checksum=C588B0ADE19612F6AEC8C78925A800F0
Friday 22 April 2016
Investigating Dramatherapy
I established in a previous blog what Dramatherapy was and I have continued this week with my research. As part of my inquiry I want to find out how accessible it is and what the procedure of referral is. I'm also interested in how I can incorporate the skills used in my teaching practice. I've found some great websites of companies who offer the service. But what if the family can't afford it? Do Dramatherapists go into mainstream schools? The company Kaleidoscope in Singapore have a great description on their website:
"Creative therapy builds self expression and develops imagination and flexibility. It can be an emotional outlet and also supports language and communication."
The company I work for get referrals from Kaleidoscope if they think a child would benefit from being in a group scenario. It's a wonderful company.
I also keep being drawn back to Emma Dawes website. She is a Dramatherapist in London and has a very informative website that is really helping answer some of my questions. I also emailed her this week. This is the link:
http://www.drama-therapist.com
I spoke with a primary school teacher friend of mine. She works in a big school in South East London. She informed me that she hasn't ever heard of a dramatherapist coming in to the school. They have an arts therapist though but it's such a big school and they don't get a lot of her time that only the extreme cases go to her. She agreed with me that there's just not enough time or money to cater for every child. Plus the amount of tests and targets they now have at as young as 5 years old is getting ridiculous!
Whilst researching I also found a fantastic article! Drama Therapy Review, volume 1, by Nisha Sajnani. I was able to download the material for free! This first section gave me a fantastic introduction and included some interesting questions. Here is the link:
http://docserver.ingentaconnect.com/deliver/connect/intellect/20547668/v1n1/s1.pdf?expires=1461331857&id=86749485&titleid=75008753&accname=Guest+User&checksum=2B0A344701F8BD5E899756603458C992
From this introduction it states that the articles are:
"Creative therapy builds self expression and develops imagination and flexibility. It can be an emotional outlet and also supports language and communication."
The company I work for get referrals from Kaleidoscope if they think a child would benefit from being in a group scenario. It's a wonderful company.
I also keep being drawn back to Emma Dawes website. She is a Dramatherapist in London and has a very informative website that is really helping answer some of my questions. I also emailed her this week. This is the link:
http://www.drama-therapist.com
I spoke with a primary school teacher friend of mine. She works in a big school in South East London. She informed me that she hasn't ever heard of a dramatherapist coming in to the school. They have an arts therapist though but it's such a big school and they don't get a lot of her time that only the extreme cases go to her. She agreed with me that there's just not enough time or money to cater for every child. Plus the amount of tests and targets they now have at as young as 5 years old is getting ridiculous!
Whilst researching I also found a fantastic article! Drama Therapy Review, volume 1, by Nisha Sajnani. I was able to download the material for free! This first section gave me a fantastic introduction and included some interesting questions. Here is the link:
http://docserver.ingentaconnect.com/deliver/connect/intellect/20547668/v1n1/s1.pdf?expires=1461331857&id=86749485&titleid=75008753&accname=Guest+User&checksum=2B0A344701F8BD5E899756603458C992
From this introduction it states that the articles are:
"Encouraging a critical engagement
with drama therapy literature, inner and interdisciplinary collaboration, and a
diversity of perspectives and methodological approaches, it embodies hope
for the growth and development of our field."
What a fantastic resource! Another quote I found interesting was:
What a fantastic resource! Another quote I found interesting was:
"This study advances our understanding of the health benefits
and risks associated with dramatic improvisation"
I'd never thought before that there are risks! The article makes a point of saying that good health is not just the absence of disease but complete physical, social and mental well being. The approaches in the following articles are by different dramatherapists who have different approaches which will be a real insight. However, each have the ultimate aim of exploring the potential of dramatic reality to promote wellness.
"This is commendable given the persistence of mental health trends that privilege
interpersonal distance over physical embodiment and touch; cognitive behavioural interventions over emotional expression; and a focus on the present rather than the past"(Johnson and Emunah 2009)
The article tells me that dramatherapy can be used for a variety of issues including bereavement, eating disorders, autism and couples experiencing conflict. I always thought it was something just used for children as I thought they would be more willing to engage with it. It mentions "Renée Emunah’s article which calls attention to the differences between therapeutic theatre, autobiographical and self-revelatory performance which she considers to be an approach to drama therapy and a genre of theatre in its own right."
Another intriguing article mentioned in the intro to volume 1 is "the thought provoking keynote delivered by Phil Jones at the 2013 North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) conference in which he challenged drama therapists to reflect on our relation- ships to research and to resist ‘closed circuits’ by valuing each other’s knowledge." and "Sally Bailey’s review of Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy: Transforming Clinics, Classrooms, and Communities" (Sajnani and Johnson 2014) The one that relates to my work the most is where "Miranda D’Amico, Corinne Lalonde and Stephen Snow introduce a promising quantitative study evaluating the efficacy of a drama therapy intervention with children on the autism spectrum. Their results ‘showed statistically significant improvements in engagement, coupled with decreased externalizing, hyperac- tivity, and inattention, and
autism spectrum behaviours" (D’Amico, Lalonde and Snow 2014: 35)
These interesting questions are raised too:
I'd never thought before that there are risks! The article makes a point of saying that good health is not just the absence of disease but complete physical, social and mental well being. The approaches in the following articles are by different dramatherapists who have different approaches which will be a real insight. However, each have the ultimate aim of exploring the potential of dramatic reality to promote wellness.
"This is commendable given the persistence of mental health trends that privilege
interpersonal distance over physical embodiment and touch; cognitive behavioural interventions over emotional expression; and a focus on the present rather than the past"(Johnson and Emunah 2009)
The article tells me that dramatherapy can be used for a variety of issues including bereavement, eating disorders, autism and couples experiencing conflict. I always thought it was something just used for children as I thought they would be more willing to engage with it. It mentions "Renée Emunah’s article which calls attention to the differences between therapeutic theatre, autobiographical and self-revelatory performance which she considers to be an approach to drama therapy and a genre of theatre in its own right."
Another intriguing article mentioned in the intro to volume 1 is "the thought provoking keynote delivered by Phil Jones at the 2013 North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) conference in which he challenged drama therapists to reflect on our relation- ships to research and to resist ‘closed circuits’ by valuing each other’s knowledge." and "Sally Bailey’s review of Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy: Transforming Clinics, Classrooms, and Communities" (Sajnani and Johnson 2014) The one that relates to my work the most is where "Miranda D’Amico, Corinne Lalonde and Stephen Snow introduce a promising quantitative study evaluating the efficacy of a drama therapy intervention with children on the autism spectrum. Their results ‘showed statistically significant improvements in engagement, coupled with decreased externalizing, hyperac- tivity, and inattention, and
autism spectrum behaviours" (D’Amico, Lalonde and Snow 2014: 35)
These interesting questions are raised too:
"What are the risks and benefits of entering into dramatic reality?
What are the social contexts in which drama therapy is practiced?
How do those involved in the process understand their participation?
What are the goals of drama therapy and who establishes these?
When and for whom is drama therapy indicated?
How does the use of action and imagination increase wellness or decrease specific kinds of distress?
What are the social contexts in which drama therapy is practiced?
How do those involved in the process understand their participation?
What are the goals of drama therapy and who establishes these?
When and for whom is drama therapy indicated?
How does the use of action and imagination increase wellness or decrease specific kinds of distress?
What is the relationship between drama therapy and other evidence-
based therapies?
How do our theories, concepts and practices inform one another and where do they diverge?
How does race, gender, ability, socio-economic status and/or age influence research and practice?
How can we effectively and ethically involve children in research?
What consideration should be given to aesthetics in therapeutic improvisation and performance?
What are the ethical implications of performing and witnessing private stories in public space?
How does dramatic improvisation and performance constitute forms of knowledge creation?
What is our research culture and how might drama therapists create knowledge together?"
The question "How can we effectively and ethically involve children in research" intriguing as this is the problem I'm facing. I will not lack the material when it comes to Module 3 , but as a teacher and professional working with children how much can I share?
I'm going to try and source these articles by these therapists to help my inquiry. I eel this is a fantastic find though!
How do our theories, concepts and practices inform one another and where do they diverge?
How does race, gender, ability, socio-economic status and/or age influence research and practice?
How can we effectively and ethically involve children in research?
What consideration should be given to aesthetics in therapeutic improvisation and performance?
What are the ethical implications of performing and witnessing private stories in public space?
How does dramatic improvisation and performance constitute forms of knowledge creation?
What is our research culture and how might drama therapists create knowledge together?"
The question "How can we effectively and ethically involve children in research" intriguing as this is the problem I'm facing. I will not lack the material when it comes to Module 3 , but as a teacher and professional working with children how much can I share?
I'm going to try and source these articles by these therapists to help my inquiry. I eel this is a fantastic find though!
Monday 18 April 2016
Points of interest
I have spent the week really trying to whittle down my ideas into my inquiry title. I came across a couple of links this week that interested me. They just appeared on my Facebook newsfeed. One was a video link explaining the important of arts education and how creative people who think outside the box do better and give more, whatever their profession be it business or science. The skills they learn through art and drama are key to their success. I truly believe this also and really engaged with the man being interviewed in this link below:
https://www.facebook.com/natgeotvUS/videos/10153617771436005/
I also saw a Facebook post this week that had been shared across the county thousands and thousands of times. It was a post from a desperate mother of an Autistic man. The gentleman had been to university and studied computer science but since graduating 2 years ago is still to find work. He has sent 100s of applications and always has the door closed on him. He is obviously intelligent enough to do the tasks but socially he has not been accepted as part of the work force highlighting the absolute need for support and help, potentially through drama or arts therapy. Here is the newspaper article about the Facebook post:
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/autistic-mum-plea-job-appeal-11198611
Another article I read this week told of a primary school head teacher who has resigned due to the changing being made to the curriculum, setting unachievable goals for children. This links to my interest in a previous blog about how the school curriculum is changing and how the arts are being dropped. This isn't directly about drama but tells me how much the curriculum changes are effecting teachers and students and how all focus is now going on the core subjects of maths, English and Science. Here is the head masters letter to his schools parents:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2016/04/15/headmaster-writes-scathing-resignation-letter-attacking-governme/
Another interesting article this week was about staff happiness and how this can impact on practice. Here is the link:
http://www.earlyyearscareers.com/eyc/latest-news/staff-happiness-impact-practice/
I have also been thinking this week about dramatherapy and how children learn in different ways. The school system sometimes doesn't cater for these needs. I decided to learn a bit more about the didn't ways to learn and found this fantastic image:
http://edudemic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/7-styles-of-learning.jpg
From this I think I am definitely a visual learner. When ever I have done exams I would always even visualise my revision texts books when answering a question and believe I have a bit of a photographic memory. I can't recall every word but I find it very easy to learn scripts and learn chunks of dialogue for a speech or show. And I always do it by visualising the page of text. However, I was unaware of some of these other ones mentioned and thinking about it I'm probably solitary too. I have to have silence when studying and even struggle to take things in if I can hear faint music or a television in the background. I admire people who can study like that! I also need to figure things out in my own head my own way so I tend to struggle with group study in subjects I'm not confident with. Group discussion however I love! I also lean towards kinaesthetic leaning too. I like to role play and use diagrams and to learn. So just looking at myself and analysing that, I can start to see why I struggled with certain subjects at school. I excelled at English, art, drama, pe, history....all the creative subjects basically! And I really struggled with science and maths. I just couldn't get the information into my head and now I think back to my teachers at 16 and how it was taught I see why. It's very interesting and also fascinating. I am passionate about children needing to learn in different ways to reach their true potential and am against the way children are tested in the UK. Many exam results don't reflect their knowledge. I always had on my school reports "Lucy's exam result does not reflect her class work" It got me thinking more about my inquiry and how important drama is to learn a variety of skills and how essential it is to incorporate aspects of it into all subjects.
https://www.facebook.com/natgeotvUS/videos/10153617771436005/
I also saw a Facebook post this week that had been shared across the county thousands and thousands of times. It was a post from a desperate mother of an Autistic man. The gentleman had been to university and studied computer science but since graduating 2 years ago is still to find work. He has sent 100s of applications and always has the door closed on him. He is obviously intelligent enough to do the tasks but socially he has not been accepted as part of the work force highlighting the absolute need for support and help, potentially through drama or arts therapy. Here is the newspaper article about the Facebook post:
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/autistic-mum-plea-job-appeal-11198611
Another article I read this week told of a primary school head teacher who has resigned due to the changing being made to the curriculum, setting unachievable goals for children. This links to my interest in a previous blog about how the school curriculum is changing and how the arts are being dropped. This isn't directly about drama but tells me how much the curriculum changes are effecting teachers and students and how all focus is now going on the core subjects of maths, English and Science. Here is the head masters letter to his schools parents:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2016/04/15/headmaster-writes-scathing-resignation-letter-attacking-governme/
Another interesting article this week was about staff happiness and how this can impact on practice. Here is the link:
http://www.earlyyearscareers.com/eyc/latest-news/staff-happiness-impact-practice/
I have also been thinking this week about dramatherapy and how children learn in different ways. The school system sometimes doesn't cater for these needs. I decided to learn a bit more about the didn't ways to learn and found this fantastic image:
http://edudemic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/7-styles-of-learning.jpg
From this I think I am definitely a visual learner. When ever I have done exams I would always even visualise my revision texts books when answering a question and believe I have a bit of a photographic memory. I can't recall every word but I find it very easy to learn scripts and learn chunks of dialogue for a speech or show. And I always do it by visualising the page of text. However, I was unaware of some of these other ones mentioned and thinking about it I'm probably solitary too. I have to have silence when studying and even struggle to take things in if I can hear faint music or a television in the background. I admire people who can study like that! I also need to figure things out in my own head my own way so I tend to struggle with group study in subjects I'm not confident with. Group discussion however I love! I also lean towards kinaesthetic leaning too. I like to role play and use diagrams and to learn. So just looking at myself and analysing that, I can start to see why I struggled with certain subjects at school. I excelled at English, art, drama, pe, history....all the creative subjects basically! And I really struggled with science and maths. I just couldn't get the information into my head and now I think back to my teachers at 16 and how it was taught I see why. It's very interesting and also fascinating. I am passionate about children needing to learn in different ways to reach their true potential and am against the way children are tested in the UK. Many exam results don't reflect their knowledge. I always had on my school reports "Lucy's exam result does not reflect her class work" It got me thinking more about my inquiry and how important drama is to learn a variety of skills and how essential it is to incorporate aspects of it into all subjects.
Wednesday 13 April 2016
Knowledge
As I continue to research my topics of interest and work on my potential lines of enquiry, I keep coming back to the section on knowledge in Reader 4. I thought about the knowledge and skills needed to be a professional in my field. At work we had recently had a training on attributes that contribute to what makes a great teacher. Popular choices were:
Trust
Be inspiring
Creative
Confident
Able to multi task
Patience
Be caring
We had to list them in order of importance and it was interesting to see how different everyone's views were. It just shows that there is no set rule book to being a good teacher. You have to go with what you feel and create your own teaching style that suits you.
I think it's also essential as a teacher to be open to always learning new knowledge from your colleagues. Learning in the workplace is important. Innovative ideas to tackle new problems are always welcome. I also feel that every kid I teach teaches me something as well. Whether it's how to manage a certain behaviour or understanding a child's unique learning skills and personal traits. Every child is different and demands different skills.
"Workplace knowledge doesn't always fit into neat categories" (Reader 4)
"Knowledge of how different disciplines function, how they articulate a problem, investigate it and report on the outcomes and knowledge of the values that guide their thinking and practising provides students with a wider repertoire of learning tools, which is clearly an advantage in a complex world." (Kreber, 2009, p16)
Knowledge is also about the business and management side of running a school. You can be the most fantastic teacher but this side of the job requires a different skill set. You need to be efficient, organised, firm, decisive, be a good leader....but then you can also use your knowledge of being a teacher and bring those attributes in too as running a school requires creativity, confidence and all the other skill sets mentioned above.
Inter discipline is when more than one discipline is being used to contextualise the knowledge.
I jotted down in my notepad too that "Identifying knowledge and skills in the workplace can be part of the questioning process of professional enquiry" (Reader 4) This is something I need to keep referring back to. I also wanted to make a note about competence and capability.
Competence - the ability to do a specific job
Capability - the scope to which a person can gain new knowledge. This is an over riding concept in WBL.
It made me think about my job and how often am I just doing the essentials and how often to I go above and beyond to gain new knowledge and really learn something new. I think many people in all careers just do their job. They feel they have done their exams, their training, they know what they are doing. They have no desire to push themselves to learn more. This got me thinking about my future and think about what knowledge and skills I need to learn. I am starting to think I might go into Dramatherapy. The skills and knowledge I need to acquire are slightly different to what I do now as some of the work will be 1-1. Also, most of the children I currently teach want to be there. They love drama. It will be challenging trying to engage children who have a variety of different social or personal issues. I think I need to work on my patience and I can be indecisive too. I also stress a lot! I take things to heart and am a real worrier at times! I'm a real perfectionist! I admire a lot of my colleagues at work and hope to gain more knowledge of how to improve these skills in the next year. I can look at other professionals in my field who I don't work with and also learn from them.
Trust
Be inspiring
Creative
Confident
Able to multi task
Patience
Be caring
We had to list them in order of importance and it was interesting to see how different everyone's views were. It just shows that there is no set rule book to being a good teacher. You have to go with what you feel and create your own teaching style that suits you.
I think it's also essential as a teacher to be open to always learning new knowledge from your colleagues. Learning in the workplace is important. Innovative ideas to tackle new problems are always welcome. I also feel that every kid I teach teaches me something as well. Whether it's how to manage a certain behaviour or understanding a child's unique learning skills and personal traits. Every child is different and demands different skills.
"Workplace knowledge doesn't always fit into neat categories" (Reader 4)
"Knowledge of how different disciplines function, how they articulate a problem, investigate it and report on the outcomes and knowledge of the values that guide their thinking and practising provides students with a wider repertoire of learning tools, which is clearly an advantage in a complex world." (Kreber, 2009, p16)
Knowledge is also about the business and management side of running a school. You can be the most fantastic teacher but this side of the job requires a different skill set. You need to be efficient, organised, firm, decisive, be a good leader....but then you can also use your knowledge of being a teacher and bring those attributes in too as running a school requires creativity, confidence and all the other skill sets mentioned above.
Inter discipline is when more than one discipline is being used to contextualise the knowledge.
I jotted down in my notepad too that "Identifying knowledge and skills in the workplace can be part of the questioning process of professional enquiry" (Reader 4) This is something I need to keep referring back to. I also wanted to make a note about competence and capability.
Competence - the ability to do a specific job
Capability - the scope to which a person can gain new knowledge. This is an over riding concept in WBL.
It made me think about my job and how often am I just doing the essentials and how often to I go above and beyond to gain new knowledge and really learn something new. I think many people in all careers just do their job. They feel they have done their exams, their training, they know what they are doing. They have no desire to push themselves to learn more. This got me thinking about my future and think about what knowledge and skills I need to learn. I am starting to think I might go into Dramatherapy. The skills and knowledge I need to acquire are slightly different to what I do now as some of the work will be 1-1. Also, most of the children I currently teach want to be there. They love drama. It will be challenging trying to engage children who have a variety of different social or personal issues. I think I need to work on my patience and I can be indecisive too. I also stress a lot! I take things to heart and am a real worrier at times! I'm a real perfectionist! I admire a lot of my colleagues at work and hope to gain more knowledge of how to improve these skills in the next year. I can look at other professionals in my field who I don't work with and also learn from them.
Research on Drama in the curriculum
In the last week it has come to my attention how quickly drama is falling off the national curriculum. I am incredibly passionate about the benefits drama lessons can have on any individual from any background but as I researched I found an abundance of articles informing me about the seriousness of the problem. Below are articles I found particularly helpful in educating me as to what was going on in schools:
http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/jan/07/drama-subject-government-education
http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2012/oct/30/defence-school-drama-arts-curriculum-ebacc
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/feb/17/arts-and-culture-systematically-removed-from-uk-education-system
I few points of interest came up. As you can see from the dates, this issue has been going on for years, however, seems to be only declining instead of resolving. I reflected on my own practice with regards to 'not enough sign ups' in extra curricular activities. I teach at a drama school but we also do some extra curricular work at nearby schools. In my opinion, parents are sometimes anxious to sign their child up for drama if their child isn't confident. As a parent you would probably limit your child to one or two extra curricular activities depending on how much money you have or how important you feel they are. Many parents probably don't want to pay and send their child to something the child isn't initially keen on. Therefore, drama isn't hitting the key children who need it. Children who suffer with low confidence or low self esteem. Also, I think some parents are too focused on core school subjects. I was also intrigued to read that there seems to be an overwhelming feeling that drama is for middle class, white children. The articles really stress how much drama in schools is struggling and decisions are being made by the powers above who probably have no personal interest in the subject therefore can't see the benefits. I found an article
http://www.kdstudio.com/2012/09/24/six-lessons-learned-in-acting-classes-that-can-benefit-your-entire-life/ I could relate to stating some of the many benefits of drama lessons. Some key points were:
CONFIDENCE
PUBLIC SPEAKING
TEAM WORK
POISE
CONVERSATION
UNDERSTANDING VIEWPOINTS
I also think:
SELF ESTEEM
UNDERSTANDING EMOTIONS
ROLE PLAYING REAL LIFE SITUATIONS HELPS SOLVE PROBLEMS
LEARNING TO NOT FEAR FAILURE
LEARNING THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING HARD
BEING ABLE TO IMPROVISE ON THE SPOT
ACCEPTING OTHERS WHATEVER THEIR BACKGROUND
I could go on and on!
I found an interesting article AGAINST having drama on the curriculum! Paul Roseby, head of the National Youth Theatre, questions the relevance in the article below claiming GCSE drama is not the right way to teach the subject:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/take-drama-off-gcse-curriculum-insists-national-youth-theatre-boss-9831791.html
I kind of agree with him after reading this week that GCSE drama is no longer going to include theatre trips! Which means a student can pass the exam without ever having seen any live shows! All their research will be from youtube! The article is below:
https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2016/school-theatre-trips-under-threat-as-gcse-drama-drops-live-show-requirement/
http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/jan/07/drama-subject-government-education
http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2012/oct/30/defence-school-drama-arts-curriculum-ebacc
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/feb/17/arts-and-culture-systematically-removed-from-uk-education-system
I few points of interest came up. As you can see from the dates, this issue has been going on for years, however, seems to be only declining instead of resolving. I reflected on my own practice with regards to 'not enough sign ups' in extra curricular activities. I teach at a drama school but we also do some extra curricular work at nearby schools. In my opinion, parents are sometimes anxious to sign their child up for drama if their child isn't confident. As a parent you would probably limit your child to one or two extra curricular activities depending on how much money you have or how important you feel they are. Many parents probably don't want to pay and send their child to something the child isn't initially keen on. Therefore, drama isn't hitting the key children who need it. Children who suffer with low confidence or low self esteem. Also, I think some parents are too focused on core school subjects. I was also intrigued to read that there seems to be an overwhelming feeling that drama is for middle class, white children. The articles really stress how much drama in schools is struggling and decisions are being made by the powers above who probably have no personal interest in the subject therefore can't see the benefits. I found an article
http://www.kdstudio.com/2012/09/24/six-lessons-learned-in-acting-classes-that-can-benefit-your-entire-life/ I could relate to stating some of the many benefits of drama lessons. Some key points were:
CONFIDENCE
PUBLIC SPEAKING
TEAM WORK
POISE
CONVERSATION
UNDERSTANDING VIEWPOINTS
I also think:
SELF ESTEEM
UNDERSTANDING EMOTIONS
ROLE PLAYING REAL LIFE SITUATIONS HELPS SOLVE PROBLEMS
LEARNING TO NOT FEAR FAILURE
LEARNING THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING HARD
BEING ABLE TO IMPROVISE ON THE SPOT
ACCEPTING OTHERS WHATEVER THEIR BACKGROUND
I could go on and on!
I found an interesting article AGAINST having drama on the curriculum! Paul Roseby, head of the National Youth Theatre, questions the relevance in the article below claiming GCSE drama is not the right way to teach the subject:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/take-drama-off-gcse-curriculum-insists-national-youth-theatre-boss-9831791.html
I kind of agree with him after reading this week that GCSE drama is no longer going to include theatre trips! Which means a student can pass the exam without ever having seen any live shows! All their research will be from youtube! The article is below:
https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2016/school-theatre-trips-under-threat-as-gcse-drama-drops-live-show-requirement/
Monday 21 March 2016
Making connections and making decisions
I have spent the evening making connections with people on my course and really taking the time to go on other peoples blogs and leave comments. On reflection I haven't done this enough so far. It felt great to engage with others on the course and read their lines of enquiry. I found it incredibly interesting. I also connected with people whose topics are similar to mind which is great. I used Summon for the first time as well this evening after reading about it on another students blog :-) I have continued my research into my chosen topic and have found that I am struggling to find any negative articles about Dramatherapy and the importance of incorporating drama into the school curriculum. I will continue to research as I realise how important it is to get a balanced view and not just create a biased enquiry. I have also been questioning my chosen titles and although I feel passionate about Dramatherapy, the importance of drama on the curriculum and the benefits of drama for all, I don't know how to focus in on just one of these topics! I also have other potential questions:
Why is escapism through drama important for the 21st Century internet generation?
How can drama help high achieving children with the pressures and fear of failure?
How can drama help children with the challenges they face at school?
Why is it essential that more drama should be on the school curriculum?
How accessible is Dramatherapy?
How can Dramatherapy help with the pressures Generation Y face?
Why is using creative drama so effective for social and behavioural issues within children?
Why is improvisation an effective tool to challenge children's fear of failure?
I HAVE TOO MANY QUESTIONS! How do I choose?
Why is escapism through drama important for the 21st Century internet generation?
How can drama help high achieving children with the pressures and fear of failure?
How can drama help children with the challenges they face at school?
Why is it essential that more drama should be on the school curriculum?
How accessible is Dramatherapy?
How can Dramatherapy help with the pressures Generation Y face?
Why is using creative drama so effective for social and behavioural issues within children?
Why is improvisation an effective tool to challenge children's fear of failure?
Sunday 20 March 2016
Enquiry investigations
I have spent the last week looking into my enquiry topic and finding out more information about dramatherapy, which is a subject I am thinking of pursuing after my BA. Firstly I wanted to find a clear example of what Dramatherapy is:
"Drama therapy (written dramatherapy in the UK) is the use of theatre techniques to facilitate personal growth and promote mental health. Dramatherapy is used in a wide variety of settings, including hospitals, schools, mental health centers, prisons, and businesses."
I found a private practitioner in London and her website was very interesting:
http://www.drama-therapist.com/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/4592?opendocument&part=3
"It is impossible when working with children of any age and in any capacity not to notice how important drama and play are to their every day life. Drama and play are a crucial part of healthy human development, and it is for this reason that Dramatherapy can be an effective form of intervention to help troubled children and young people.
When children and young people are faced with difficulties it may be hard for them to express their feelings in a verbal way, but through the creative mediums of drama, play, story, art, music and movement, Dramatherapy can help them to be understood and can promote their emotional and social wellbeing. Dramatherapy can be used for:
This is what I want to base my enquiry on. This is what I am interested and passionate about. And it is something that I want to do after my BA so the enquiry will aid my future studies. I looked into the main dramatherapy site in the UK to gain an insight into the courses and events going on:
https://badth.org.uk/home
A quote I liked from the website was:
"It is a method of working and playing that uses action methods to facilitate creativity, imagination, learning, insight and growth."
I looked at a contact that I know in Singapore. The drama school I work at has regular contact with Caroline as she regularly refers students to us. Here is some information about her background and the website link for where she works. I have been to visit the centre and the work that they do is fantastic.
http://www.kaleidoscope.com.sg/#!carolineessame/cvqf
I found a fantastic website whilst I was researching:
http://www.nationaldrama.org.uk/journal/
"It is an innovative, international refereed ejournal that provides a forum for practitioners and researchers across the spectrum of drama in educational settings. We encourage, gather and publish research based articles from established and new writers to promote knowledge, understanding and dialogue about drama in learning settings."
(Published by National Drama - the UKs leading professional association for drama teachers and
theatre educators)
I found this article particularly interesting:
http://www.nationaldrama.org.uk/journal/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/Ása-Helga-Ragnarsdóttir-and-Rannveig-Björk-Þorkelsdóttir.pdf
Many students who took part in the investigation as to whether incorporating drama into the curriculum would help flourished. Many who were usually quiet and shy or struggled to remember things in class found learning through drama a lot easier. This also brings into play the importance of different learning methods: visual, auditory, kinaesthetic. In schools it must be so difficult to cater for every child's needs in a class of 30, especially when there are targets to hit. Many children are not reaching their full potential as they don't suit the learning technique used. I know that at school I learnt very much visually and would rarely retain information through a teacher just speaking at me. I wonder if I could incorporate this somehow into my study. I do feel though that my subject is still too broad and I need to somehow focus in on one topic.
"Drama therapy (written dramatherapy in the UK) is the use of theatre techniques to facilitate personal growth and promote mental health. Dramatherapy is used in a wide variety of settings, including hospitals, schools, mental health centers, prisons, and businesses."
I found a private practitioner in London and her website was very interesting:
http://www.drama-therapist.com/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/4592?opendocument&part=3
"It is impossible when working with children of any age and in any capacity not to notice how important drama and play are to their every day life. Drama and play are a crucial part of healthy human development, and it is for this reason that Dramatherapy can be an effective form of intervention to help troubled children and young people.
When children and young people are faced with difficulties it may be hard for them to express their feelings in a verbal way, but through the creative mediums of drama, play, story, art, music and movement, Dramatherapy can help them to be understood and can promote their emotional and social wellbeing. Dramatherapy can be used for:
- Emotional Issues such as trauma, abuse, loss or bereavement, attachment issues, bullying, changes in home life such as foster care and adoption
- Behavioural Issues such as violent behaviour towards others, anger issues, bullying, swearing, destruction of property, stealing, self harm
- Learning Difficulties - mild, moderate, severe, profound and complex including those on the Autistic Spectrum
- Speech & Communication Difficulties including non verbal and elective mute individuals
- Social Issues such as the need to improve empathy, listening skills, ability in working with other children, interaction with others, expressing feelings
- Mental Health Issues such as depression, suicidal thoughts and eating disorders amongst others"
This is what I want to base my enquiry on. This is what I am interested and passionate about. And it is something that I want to do after my BA so the enquiry will aid my future studies. I looked into the main dramatherapy site in the UK to gain an insight into the courses and events going on:
https://badth.org.uk/home
A quote I liked from the website was:
"It is a method of working and playing that uses action methods to facilitate creativity, imagination, learning, insight and growth."
I looked at a contact that I know in Singapore. The drama school I work at has regular contact with Caroline as she regularly refers students to us. Here is some information about her background and the website link for where she works. I have been to visit the centre and the work that they do is fantastic.
http://www.kaleidoscope.com.sg/#!carolineessame/cvqf
I found a fantastic website whilst I was researching:
http://www.nationaldrama.org.uk/journal/
"It is an innovative, international refereed ejournal that provides a forum for practitioners and researchers across the spectrum of drama in educational settings. We encourage, gather and publish research based articles from established and new writers to promote knowledge, understanding and dialogue about drama in learning settings."
(Published by National Drama - the UKs leading professional association for drama teachers and
theatre educators)
I found this article particularly interesting:
http://www.nationaldrama.org.uk/journal/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/Ása-Helga-Ragnarsdóttir-and-Rannveig-Björk-Þorkelsdóttir.pdf
Many students who took part in the investigation as to whether incorporating drama into the curriculum would help flourished. Many who were usually quiet and shy or struggled to remember things in class found learning through drama a lot easier. This also brings into play the importance of different learning methods: visual, auditory, kinaesthetic. In schools it must be so difficult to cater for every child's needs in a class of 30, especially when there are targets to hit. Many children are not reaching their full potential as they don't suit the learning technique used. I know that at school I learnt very much visually and would rarely retain information through a teacher just speaking at me. I wonder if I could incorporate this somehow into my study. I do feel though that my subject is still too broad and I need to somehow focus in on one topic.
Tuesday 15 March 2016
My inquiry update
Having spoken to some colleagues this week I am starting to feel really good about my inquiry topic. The aspect that really excites me though is how excited they are about it! I had messages flying back and forth when I first told them about it. They had lots of ideas and contributions to make. This is important to me as the basis of my inquiry is the workplace. If the people in my workplace were not on board or encouraging toward my inquiry it would be very difficult. I met a colleague this week and we had a discussion about certain topics and areas of interest. She was so supportive and insightful as to what she thought would work out here in Singapore.
The main statement I came up with was this:
Why is using creative drama so effective for social and behavioural issues within children?
The questions of interest I came up with were as follows:
Why is improvisation an effective tool to challenge your fear of failure?
Why do children find it easier to connect emotionally with a character?
Why is escapism through drama important for the 21st Century internet generation?
How drama creates a safe space for children to express and explore themselves
The life skills creative drama teaches not just for the performer
I looked to some blogs for guidance to see if I was on the right track and also emailed Paula for advise. I found Adesola's blog extremely helpful:
http://adesolaa.blogspot.sg/2016/02/module-two-on-line-session-good-and.html
Paula advised me that educational research can be based on children but on BAPP it needs to focus on my own practice. What is it about my practice that I want to find out about? I think I need to rethink my title as it doesn't seem to focus in on one specific issue. It is too broad. I'm interested in the social development of children and how drama assists that. I'm interested in how drama therapy is helping many children to deal with social issues. I'm interested in how the arts can benefit everyone whatever your job. I can see how the reflective practices and learning strategies I have researched will help me with my inquiry but I'm struggling to focus on one particular topic and I feel the pressure of time!
The main statement I came up with was this:
Why is using creative drama so effective for social and behavioural issues within children?
The questions of interest I came up with were as follows:
Why is improvisation an effective tool to challenge your fear of failure?
Why do children find it easier to connect emotionally with a character?
Why is escapism through drama important for the 21st Century internet generation?
How drama creates a safe space for children to express and explore themselves
The life skills creative drama teaches not just for the performer
I looked to some blogs for guidance to see if I was on the right track and also emailed Paula for advise. I found Adesola's blog extremely helpful:
http://adesolaa.blogspot.sg/2016/02/module-two-on-line-session-good-and.html
Paula advised me that educational research can be based on children but on BAPP it needs to focus on my own practice. What is it about my practice that I want to find out about? I think I need to rethink my title as it doesn't seem to focus in on one specific issue. It is too broad. I'm interested in the social development of children and how drama assists that. I'm interested in how drama therapy is helping many children to deal with social issues. I'm interested in how the arts can benefit everyone whatever your job. I can see how the reflective practices and learning strategies I have researched will help me with my inquiry but I'm struggling to focus on one particular topic and I feel the pressure of time!
Argyris and Schon
I found the article on Argyris and Schon (http://infed.org/mobi/chris-argyris-theories-of-action-double-loop-learning-and-organizational-learning/) a very interesting read. Especially the links to other theories I have already looked at. Again, I found it easier to understand by making notes. I have come to favour this technique when studying as a tool that personally helps me take in the information.
Chris Argyris influenced thinking about the relationship of people and organisations, organisational learning and action research.
With Donald Schon he developed single loop and double loop learning systems.
His research explored the impact of formal organisational structures on individuals and how they adapted and responded to them.
He explored the behaviour of senior executives in organisations.
"Argyris led us to see subtle patterns of reasoning which underlay our behaviour, and how these patterns got us into trouble. It became clear that with proper training I could become much more aware of my mental models and how they operated." (Senge 1990:182-3)
He explores the behaviours and beliefs that are necessary if organisations are to develop and learn.
Argyris and Schon argue that people have mental maps with how they react in certain situations. This is in the way they plan, implement and review their actions.
"When someone is asked how he would behave under certain circumstances, the answer he usually gives is his espoused theory of action for that situation. This is the theory of action he communicates to others. However, the theory that actually governs his actions is this theory-in-use." (Argyris and Schon 1974:6-7)
The words we use to convey what we do, or what we would like others to think we do, is called espoused theory.
It makes us question whether inner feelings become expressed into actions. What we say and what we do in our actions may be different.
Espoused theory and theory in use creates a dynamic for dialogue and reflection.
Theory in use is confirmed when there is a match between intention and outcome. They may however not match and work against the persons values.
Argyris and Schon suggest 2 responses to this mismatch. These can be seen in the notion of single and double loop learning.
SINGLE LOOP LEARNING
If something goes wrong you look for another strategy. Goals and plans are operationalised rather than questioned. Strategies and goals are taken for granted.
"Emphasis is on techniques and making techniques more efficient" (Usher and Bryant 1989:87)
DOUBLE LOOP LEARNING
Strategies are questioned and scrutinised. It may lead to a whole new approach and shift in strategies.
The example of the thermostat explained this to me simply. Single loop learning is like when a room gets too hot and so you simply turn the heat off. The task is easy. The thermostat can receive information and take action. Double loop learning detects the error and changes and examines underlying issues. In my mind the difference is simple. Quick fix versus sorting the problem for the long term.
Double loop learning questions the underlying and is more risky yet ideas and policies are confronted.
Chris Argyris states that double loop learning is essential for organisations.
I thought about this in relation to my work place. We have many different courses and programmes for students. An example would be trying to fix a course that just isn't working. Maybe the initial concept and drawing board idea hasn't translated like we thought it would. A lot of the time with classes and ideas it is trial and error. Kids can surprise you with what they engage in and what they don't. Once you have set up a class or workshop it's very difficult to admit that it just isn't working and that another way would be better. Especially if parents have paid and teachers have planned lessons. However, it's also not productive or beneficial to continue on the same topic if it isn't engaging the kids. Some lesson plans are written a month in advance and you can tell after one lesson on a new story or topic whether the kids are engaged or not. If they aren't then why do we feel we have to stick to the terms lesson plan. Why can't we hold our hands up and say "Ok kids, forgot what we did last week we're going to do something new!" Probably because we don't want the students or parents to think we aren't organised or in control. After all, they don't pay for trail and error. Or maybe that's what we as teachers think. Sometimes surely it is better to say "That didn't work, let's re plan and change our focus." This is how I personally can relate it to my current workplace.
"Double loop learning is difficult and all but impossible in situations in which much is at stake. This creates a dilemma as these are the very organisational situations in which double loop learning is needed." (Edmondson and Moingeon 1999:160)
"If my behaviour is driven by my note acting to seem incompetent, this may lead to me hiding things from myself and others, in order to avoid feelings of incompetence." (Anderson 1997)
As I have stated in a pervious blog, I think this is very true for my workplace. People aren't willing to show that they are struggling or that they may have made an error. Everyone is super keen to impress
all the time. This is good as it encourages a real sense of drive but it can also become unhealthy and unproductive to not share your concerns.
There are 2 models that enhance and inhabit double loop learning. When models 1 and 2 are broken down, the characteristics that jump out as relevant to my workplace are:
MODEL 1
Discouraging inquiry. "Let's not talk about the past, that's over" when really we should talk about what went wrong in order to learn from our mistakes.
Treating ones own views as obviously correct.
Little public testing of ideas to avoid embarrassment.
MODEL 2
Open communication. There is definitely a lack of this in my workplace!
Internal commitment to the company. Many people at my work think of their own benefits before the company's.
Need to share control.
Argyris and Schon are a contrast to Senge's systems and structures. They focus more strongly on individual and group interactions.
I found the following quote an interesting read as I very much favoured Kolb's Cycle in Module 1.
"Unlike Kolb's learning cycle, where one had, so to speak, to make a mistake and reflect upon it - that is, learn by trial and error - it is now possible thanks to Argyris and Schon's conceptualisation, to learn by simply reflecting critically upon the theory-in-action. In other words, it is no longer
necessary to go through the entire learning circle in order to develop the theory further. It is sufficient to readjust the theory through double loop learning." (Finger and Asun 2000:45-6)
In conclusion, surely different approaches work better for different issues? I had a problem at work last year and I used Kolb's cycle to assist my reflection. It helped enormously and in that example I needed to carry out all the steps. I do love the idea of double loop learning though as a way to get to the route of the problem. It frees things up and allows change to take place. I also understand the difficulties in doing that though in the workplace. It is something I had never heard of before this blog and something that I will definitely consider in business as I clearly see the benefits. It kind of feels like the 'I know this is what I should do' option!
Chris Argyris influenced thinking about the relationship of people and organisations, organisational learning and action research.
With Donald Schon he developed single loop and double loop learning systems.
His research explored the impact of formal organisational structures on individuals and how they adapted and responded to them.
He explored the behaviour of senior executives in organisations.
"Argyris led us to see subtle patterns of reasoning which underlay our behaviour, and how these patterns got us into trouble. It became clear that with proper training I could become much more aware of my mental models and how they operated." (Senge 1990:182-3)
He explores the behaviours and beliefs that are necessary if organisations are to develop and learn.
Argyris and Schon argue that people have mental maps with how they react in certain situations. This is in the way they plan, implement and review their actions.
"When someone is asked how he would behave under certain circumstances, the answer he usually gives is his espoused theory of action for that situation. This is the theory of action he communicates to others. However, the theory that actually governs his actions is this theory-in-use." (Argyris and Schon 1974:6-7)
The words we use to convey what we do, or what we would like others to think we do, is called espoused theory.
It makes us question whether inner feelings become expressed into actions. What we say and what we do in our actions may be different.
Espoused theory and theory in use creates a dynamic for dialogue and reflection.
Theory in use is confirmed when there is a match between intention and outcome. They may however not match and work against the persons values.
Argyris and Schon suggest 2 responses to this mismatch. These can be seen in the notion of single and double loop learning.
SINGLE LOOP LEARNING
If something goes wrong you look for another strategy. Goals and plans are operationalised rather than questioned. Strategies and goals are taken for granted.
"Emphasis is on techniques and making techniques more efficient" (Usher and Bryant 1989:87)
DOUBLE LOOP LEARNING
Strategies are questioned and scrutinised. It may lead to a whole new approach and shift in strategies.
The example of the thermostat explained this to me simply. Single loop learning is like when a room gets too hot and so you simply turn the heat off. The task is easy. The thermostat can receive information and take action. Double loop learning detects the error and changes and examines underlying issues. In my mind the difference is simple. Quick fix versus sorting the problem for the long term.
Double loop learning questions the underlying and is more risky yet ideas and policies are confronted.
Chris Argyris states that double loop learning is essential for organisations.
I thought about this in relation to my work place. We have many different courses and programmes for students. An example would be trying to fix a course that just isn't working. Maybe the initial concept and drawing board idea hasn't translated like we thought it would. A lot of the time with classes and ideas it is trial and error. Kids can surprise you with what they engage in and what they don't. Once you have set up a class or workshop it's very difficult to admit that it just isn't working and that another way would be better. Especially if parents have paid and teachers have planned lessons. However, it's also not productive or beneficial to continue on the same topic if it isn't engaging the kids. Some lesson plans are written a month in advance and you can tell after one lesson on a new story or topic whether the kids are engaged or not. If they aren't then why do we feel we have to stick to the terms lesson plan. Why can't we hold our hands up and say "Ok kids, forgot what we did last week we're going to do something new!" Probably because we don't want the students or parents to think we aren't organised or in control. After all, they don't pay for trail and error. Or maybe that's what we as teachers think. Sometimes surely it is better to say "That didn't work, let's re plan and change our focus." This is how I personally can relate it to my current workplace.
"Double loop learning is difficult and all but impossible in situations in which much is at stake. This creates a dilemma as these are the very organisational situations in which double loop learning is needed." (Edmondson and Moingeon 1999:160)
"If my behaviour is driven by my note acting to seem incompetent, this may lead to me hiding things from myself and others, in order to avoid feelings of incompetence." (Anderson 1997)
As I have stated in a pervious blog, I think this is very true for my workplace. People aren't willing to show that they are struggling or that they may have made an error. Everyone is super keen to impress
all the time. This is good as it encourages a real sense of drive but it can also become unhealthy and unproductive to not share your concerns.
There are 2 models that enhance and inhabit double loop learning. When models 1 and 2 are broken down, the characteristics that jump out as relevant to my workplace are:
MODEL 1
Discouraging inquiry. "Let's not talk about the past, that's over" when really we should talk about what went wrong in order to learn from our mistakes.
Treating ones own views as obviously correct.
Little public testing of ideas to avoid embarrassment.
MODEL 2
Open communication. There is definitely a lack of this in my workplace!
Internal commitment to the company. Many people at my work think of their own benefits before the company's.
Need to share control.
Argyris and Schon are a contrast to Senge's systems and structures. They focus more strongly on individual and group interactions.
I found the following quote an interesting read as I very much favoured Kolb's Cycle in Module 1.
"Unlike Kolb's learning cycle, where one had, so to speak, to make a mistake and reflect upon it - that is, learn by trial and error - it is now possible thanks to Argyris and Schon's conceptualisation, to learn by simply reflecting critically upon the theory-in-action. In other words, it is no longer
necessary to go through the entire learning circle in order to develop the theory further. It is sufficient to readjust the theory through double loop learning." (Finger and Asun 2000:45-6)
In conclusion, surely different approaches work better for different issues? I had a problem at work last year and I used Kolb's cycle to assist my reflection. It helped enormously and in that example I needed to carry out all the steps. I do love the idea of double loop learning though as a way to get to the route of the problem. It frees things up and allows change to take place. I also understand the difficulties in doing that though in the workplace. It is something I had never heard of before this blog and something that I will definitely consider in business as I clearly see the benefits. It kind of feels like the 'I know this is what I should do' option!
Sunday 13 March 2016
Exploring WBL and Professional Inquiry
Having read Reader 4 several times I still felt I wasn't fully engaged and understanding of the process. Instead of just skimming it again and picking out the bits I thought I should be blogging about, I decided to break the whole thing down and focus on 8 pages at a time. This has REALLY changed my approach and understanding! I know I have a short attention span, I always have, so I find it difficult to focus on lots of text. I end up reading sentences over and over. And I also have to have silence for it to go in. So reading on a bus or reading when music or the television is playing really distracts me. I wish I could master this skill! I recall revising for my GCSEs and having to be I a. Silent room in order for any information to be retained! Maybe that's just the type of leader I am. I am also a very visual learner so when breaking Reader 4 down I enjoying doodling nots in my notepad and using different colours for certain topic headers. This is just how I learn. Looking at Reader 4 in this way has taken away the overwhelming feeling I had. I have decided to blog the notes I made during pages 1-8 as these are obviously the parts that stood out to me as important and relative to my practice. Also, I feel that this will be a blog I go back to during the course of Module 2 to remind myself of the task and to keep be focused as I tend to go off on a tangent!
Module 2
Here are key notes and quotes that I took away from the reader:
*Learn how this inquiry can inform your practice*
"The term 'inquiry' implies that you are examining what you do in order to 'ask the right questions' so that you will have a more in-depth understanding of the presence and interaction of theory and practice. Engage with relevant problems and scenarios, draw on existing knowledge, seek out new evidence in appropriate ways." (Kahn and O'Rourke, 2004)
The above really focuses in on the task and will be something I keep referring back to during the module. If I feel stuck at any point I feel this quote will help me get back on track as it really breaks down what needs to be done.
I know that I need to relate the inquiry to my workplace. I am really fortunate to be working at a wonderful school at present that instils the topic I have chosen in their teaching.
*Use professional practice to develop academic skills*
The section that said about there being three interests to focus on worried me slightly. The three are:
1. Future career
2. Colleugues and networks
3. Middlesex network
I feel confident that my colleugues and my networks are strong but I worry about the other two. I wish I knew EXACTLY what I want to do in the future. At the minute I don't. I have so many different ideas! I understand that my inquiry should be something that is useful to me now and in years to come and I guess mine is that. I'm very passionate about it and know that it will help with whatever specific area I want to go in to. I also worry about connecting with the Middlesex network if I'm honest. Living in Singapore I feel quite isolated on this course. I need
to try and connect with some more people on my course.
I like that this module is based on reflecting. I LOVED that aspect of Module 1. A statement that again will really focus me back to the task at hand is:
*Look at the professional workplace' learn from experiences and improve practice*
Looking more into what an inquiry was I loved Marshall's quote:
"This is self reflective inquiry. Inquiry involves intent and a sense of purpose" (Marshall, 2001, p6)
I can see that WBL and professional inquiry process both focus on using the workplace as a source of research. We are working outside of degree structures and using the workplace to learn. This made me think of freelance performers on the course. When I was performing I was working many different jobs at a time and would have found it hard to focus on one area as Iw as constantly working on different projects. I guess that is interesting though and makes for an exciting and unique enquiry.
Reader 4 states: "Incorporate a problem based approach that supports organisational change or develops workplace projects that incorporate learning" (Reader 4, 2015)
"It promotes awareness of the workplace as a learning environment and uses this to extend the learners capability and individual effectiveness" (Durrant, 2009, p1)
As a teacher I rarely think of myself as the learner. I always focus on what I am teaching others and don't look inward at what I am learning myself. Once you open your mind and your eyes up to this then there is a magnitude of knowledge waiting. I need to look at my job and focus on what I am learning from my working environment too as well as what I am teaching my students. This will be a very new approach for me.
I like using key words to understand a topic and this really helped:
WBL - INNOVATION CHANGE UNDERSTANDING PROBLEM SOLVING DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES EFFECT A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
I switched my attention to the link on Peter Senge. I'll be honest, I was tempted to just skim through it and pick out key points. The article seemed so long! However, as I started to read I became gripped!
Peter Senge's 1990 book 'The Fifth Discipline' populists the concept of the learning organisation. He was interested in decentralising the role of leadership in organisations to enhance the capacity of the people to work productively towards common goals, bringing human values to the workplace.
"Learning organisations are where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire. Where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured. Where collective aspiration is set free and where people are continually learning to see the whole together." (Senge, 1990)
This got me thinking about my own work place. I work as a teacher and director at a theatre school. All of my colleugues have different jobs but at times we collaborate for productions. I think everyone is learning a lot as they go along but there is a real sense of trying to prove yourself. No one likes to admit that they are struggling. People would see it as a weakness if they needed to ask for help. I think this is something that needs to change. I know a lot of my colleugues are exhausted and over worked. There needs to be some sort of outlet for everyone. Something I could maybe set up where people could confidentially express how they feel. There is also a sense of competition when classes are performing the same play. Competition is good but we could definitely work more as a team for the overall success of the school.
Another section that sprung out was the ability to be flexible, adaptive and productive in order
to excel. Many people struggle to be flexible, especially when they have a creative idea that they desperately want to see through.
" When you ask people what it is like to be part of a great team, what is the most striking is the meaningfulness of the experience. People talk about being part of something larger that themselves, of being connected." (Senge, 1990:13)
I must admit, I am very competitive. I like working as part of a team but only if I can be the leader! I struggle to step back if I think my idea is better. I need to work on being more flexible and allowing others to have their say. I know I can be quite a powerful character in a group and thinking about it that is probably quite annoying for others. I need to work on that.
"Adaptive learning must be joined by generative learning, learning that enhances our capacity to create." (Senge 1990:14)
The 5 Disciplines - SYSTEMS THINKING
PERSONAL MASTERY
MENTAL MODELS
BUILDING SHARED VISION
TEAM LEARNING
Senge states that "people are agents, able to act upon the structures and systems of which they are a part. All disciplines relate to a shift of mind. From reacting to the present to creating the
future." ( Senge 1990:69)
A 'discipline' is viewed by Peter Senge as a series of principles and practices that we study,
master and integrate into our lives. They can be approached at three levels: Practices,
Principles and Essences. All 5 are key for organisations to learn. I made a few notes for each discipline.
SYSTEMS THINKING: the cornerstone, comprehending and addressing the whole and seeing the organisation as a dynamic process. Looking at the long term effects.
PERSONAL MASTERY: life long discipline. "The journey is the reward" (Senge 1990:142) Developing personal vision and holding creative tension. Managing the gap between our vision and the reality. A commitment to the truth.
MENTAL MODELS: deeply ingrained assumptions and generalisations. Images that can influence our actions. Turning the mirror inward. Be open to the influence of others. Distributing business responsibly while retaining co ordination and control.
BUILDING SHARED VISION: Fostering long term is key. Encourage experimentation and innovation. A genuine vision where people excel and learn not because they are told to but because they want to. Many have personal visions they are unwilling to share which won't help the organisation. Together it is stronger. Enthusiasm and commitment rub off on others.
TEAM LEARNING: builds on personal mastery and shared vision but these are not enough. People need to be able to act together. When teams learn together, members grow more rapidly. Dialogue plus systems thinking creates complexity rather than being diverted by personality
and leadership style. Assumptions need to be suspended so there is a genuine 'thinking
together'
"As people talk, the vision grows clearer. As it gets clearer, enthusiasm for its benefits grows."
(ibid:227)
I LOVED reading about the 5 disciplines! I fully engaged in what Senge had to say. I can see how an organisation can benefit from these simple steps. I looked at my own team at work and thought about our systems. We definitely need to work on building a shared vision as at the moment we tend to focus on ourselves too much. If we have a shared vision for the school and work together more to build that vision then it will benefit everyone. We have training sessions where we work together as a team but we have never had a team bonding activity unrelated to work. We are all too busy! I am going to arrange one though as I can see now the importance. I enjoyed the part where it stated that:
INSPIRING MEANS TO BREATHE LIFE INTO!
It was interesting to read about the leader as teacher. It states that "it's not about teaching people how to achieve their vision but about fostering learning for everyone" (Senge 1990:356)
Leader have to create and manage creative tension, especially around the gap between vision and reality.
I think it is important when researching to also look at other professional views and potential flaws. A few areas that came up were:
- the 5 disciplines require significant effort on the party of the practitioner
- many don't have the tools to follow it through
- the process of exploring ones performance is a daunting task for most
- the political and social views of organisational activity
I personally think that the conclusion to these arguments is that you have to be willing to
change and open to trying new techniques!
I enjoyed reading Peter Drucker's approach and thoughts. Laurence Stenhouse states "The close examination of ones professional performance is personally threatening; and the social climate in which teachers work generally offers little support to those who might be disposed to face that threat" (Laurence Stenhouse 1975:159)
Again, I understand this point of view and that many don't want to take that leap of faith
through fear. But you are only going to grow and become better at what you do if you have the courage to look at yourself and analyse your performance.
"It falsely emphasises unity as the source of strength in a community and mistakenly fears that when conflicts arise in a community, social bonds are threatened." (Richard Sennett 1998:143)
An interesting opinion. I agree that when conflicts arise at work it can affect social bonds. However, you can't not address issues for fear of this. Otherwise no progress will be made.
"Senge is ahead of his time and his arguments are insightful and revolutionary." (John Van Maurik 2001:201)
In conclusion, there are pros and cons to Senge's approach. I personally find the disciplines a creative approach and I like how team orientated they are. One shared vision surely gives better results. Interestingly I was recently watching a documentary on the drinks company 'Innocent'. The bosses approach is that everyone in the office is equal. His focus is that his employees are happy and relaxed as he feels this is how they will work best. They can wear whatever they want to work, their office looks more like a kids playground, they have lunchtime bbqs, they are free to share their ideas in a judge free environment, the boss is very approachable and down to earth....and his business is thriving because of it! Everyone in the company shared the same vision and every single activity was team orientated and fun!
However, many businesses stay rooted to the quick approach and traditional business model. I believe team work, shared vision and personal mastery are a perfect collaboration. You have to know yourself yet also be open to sharing your ideas and growing together as a team. As I mentioned, I think my team at work could really flourish with these key points. Take the judgemental barrier down and let people in. Share your ideas and let your ultimate goal be team based instead of individual. You can still have your own personal goals and aspirations but learn to acknowledge others and step out of your comfort zone.
I thoroughly enjoyed this topic of research :-)
Module 2
Here are key notes and quotes that I took away from the reader:
*Learn how this inquiry can inform your practice*
"The term 'inquiry' implies that you are examining what you do in order to 'ask the right questions' so that you will have a more in-depth understanding of the presence and interaction of theory and practice. Engage with relevant problems and scenarios, draw on existing knowledge, seek out new evidence in appropriate ways." (Kahn and O'Rourke, 2004)
The above really focuses in on the task and will be something I keep referring back to during the module. If I feel stuck at any point I feel this quote will help me get back on track as it really breaks down what needs to be done.
I know that I need to relate the inquiry to my workplace. I am really fortunate to be working at a wonderful school at present that instils the topic I have chosen in their teaching.
*Use professional practice to develop academic skills*
The section that said about there being three interests to focus on worried me slightly. The three are:
1. Future career
2. Colleugues and networks
3. Middlesex network
I feel confident that my colleugues and my networks are strong but I worry about the other two. I wish I knew EXACTLY what I want to do in the future. At the minute I don't. I have so many different ideas! I understand that my inquiry should be something that is useful to me now and in years to come and I guess mine is that. I'm very passionate about it and know that it will help with whatever specific area I want to go in to. I also worry about connecting with the Middlesex network if I'm honest. Living in Singapore I feel quite isolated on this course. I need
to try and connect with some more people on my course.
I like that this module is based on reflecting. I LOVED that aspect of Module 1. A statement that again will really focus me back to the task at hand is:
*Look at the professional workplace' learn from experiences and improve practice*
Looking more into what an inquiry was I loved Marshall's quote:
"This is self reflective inquiry. Inquiry involves intent and a sense of purpose" (Marshall, 2001, p6)
I can see that WBL and professional inquiry process both focus on using the workplace as a source of research. We are working outside of degree structures and using the workplace to learn. This made me think of freelance performers on the course. When I was performing I was working many different jobs at a time and would have found it hard to focus on one area as Iw as constantly working on different projects. I guess that is interesting though and makes for an exciting and unique enquiry.
Reader 4 states: "Incorporate a problem based approach that supports organisational change or develops workplace projects that incorporate learning" (Reader 4, 2015)
"It promotes awareness of the workplace as a learning environment and uses this to extend the learners capability and individual effectiveness" (Durrant, 2009, p1)
As a teacher I rarely think of myself as the learner. I always focus on what I am teaching others and don't look inward at what I am learning myself. Once you open your mind and your eyes up to this then there is a magnitude of knowledge waiting. I need to look at my job and focus on what I am learning from my working environment too as well as what I am teaching my students. This will be a very new approach for me.
I like using key words to understand a topic and this really helped:
WBL - INNOVATION CHANGE UNDERSTANDING PROBLEM SOLVING DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES EFFECT A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
I switched my attention to the link on Peter Senge. I'll be honest, I was tempted to just skim through it and pick out key points. The article seemed so long! However, as I started to read I became gripped!
Peter Senge's 1990 book 'The Fifth Discipline' populists the concept of the learning organisation. He was interested in decentralising the role of leadership in organisations to enhance the capacity of the people to work productively towards common goals, bringing human values to the workplace.
"Learning organisations are where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire. Where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured. Where collective aspiration is set free and where people are continually learning to see the whole together." (Senge, 1990)
This got me thinking about my own work place. I work as a teacher and director at a theatre school. All of my colleugues have different jobs but at times we collaborate for productions. I think everyone is learning a lot as they go along but there is a real sense of trying to prove yourself. No one likes to admit that they are struggling. People would see it as a weakness if they needed to ask for help. I think this is something that needs to change. I know a lot of my colleugues are exhausted and over worked. There needs to be some sort of outlet for everyone. Something I could maybe set up where people could confidentially express how they feel. There is also a sense of competition when classes are performing the same play. Competition is good but we could definitely work more as a team for the overall success of the school.
Another section that sprung out was the ability to be flexible, adaptive and productive in order
to excel. Many people struggle to be flexible, especially when they have a creative idea that they desperately want to see through.
" When you ask people what it is like to be part of a great team, what is the most striking is the meaningfulness of the experience. People talk about being part of something larger that themselves, of being connected." (Senge, 1990:13)
I must admit, I am very competitive. I like working as part of a team but only if I can be the leader! I struggle to step back if I think my idea is better. I need to work on being more flexible and allowing others to have their say. I know I can be quite a powerful character in a group and thinking about it that is probably quite annoying for others. I need to work on that.
"Adaptive learning must be joined by generative learning, learning that enhances our capacity to create." (Senge 1990:14)
The 5 Disciplines - SYSTEMS THINKING
PERSONAL MASTERY
MENTAL MODELS
BUILDING SHARED VISION
TEAM LEARNING
Senge states that "people are agents, able to act upon the structures and systems of which they are a part. All disciplines relate to a shift of mind. From reacting to the present to creating the
future." ( Senge 1990:69)
A 'discipline' is viewed by Peter Senge as a series of principles and practices that we study,
master and integrate into our lives. They can be approached at three levels: Practices,
Principles and Essences. All 5 are key for organisations to learn. I made a few notes for each discipline.
SYSTEMS THINKING: the cornerstone, comprehending and addressing the whole and seeing the organisation as a dynamic process. Looking at the long term effects.
PERSONAL MASTERY: life long discipline. "The journey is the reward" (Senge 1990:142) Developing personal vision and holding creative tension. Managing the gap between our vision and the reality. A commitment to the truth.
MENTAL MODELS: deeply ingrained assumptions and generalisations. Images that can influence our actions. Turning the mirror inward. Be open to the influence of others. Distributing business responsibly while retaining co ordination and control.
BUILDING SHARED VISION: Fostering long term is key. Encourage experimentation and innovation. A genuine vision where people excel and learn not because they are told to but because they want to. Many have personal visions they are unwilling to share which won't help the organisation. Together it is stronger. Enthusiasm and commitment rub off on others.
TEAM LEARNING: builds on personal mastery and shared vision but these are not enough. People need to be able to act together. When teams learn together, members grow more rapidly. Dialogue plus systems thinking creates complexity rather than being diverted by personality
and leadership style. Assumptions need to be suspended so there is a genuine 'thinking
together'
"As people talk, the vision grows clearer. As it gets clearer, enthusiasm for its benefits grows."
(ibid:227)
I LOVED reading about the 5 disciplines! I fully engaged in what Senge had to say. I can see how an organisation can benefit from these simple steps. I looked at my own team at work and thought about our systems. We definitely need to work on building a shared vision as at the moment we tend to focus on ourselves too much. If we have a shared vision for the school and work together more to build that vision then it will benefit everyone. We have training sessions where we work together as a team but we have never had a team bonding activity unrelated to work. We are all too busy! I am going to arrange one though as I can see now the importance. I enjoyed the part where it stated that:
INSPIRING MEANS TO BREATHE LIFE INTO!
It was interesting to read about the leader as teacher. It states that "it's not about teaching people how to achieve their vision but about fostering learning for everyone" (Senge 1990:356)
Leader have to create and manage creative tension, especially around the gap between vision and reality.
I think it is important when researching to also look at other professional views and potential flaws. A few areas that came up were:
- the 5 disciplines require significant effort on the party of the practitioner
- many don't have the tools to follow it through
- the process of exploring ones performance is a daunting task for most
- the political and social views of organisational activity
I personally think that the conclusion to these arguments is that you have to be willing to
change and open to trying new techniques!
I enjoyed reading Peter Drucker's approach and thoughts. Laurence Stenhouse states "The close examination of ones professional performance is personally threatening; and the social climate in which teachers work generally offers little support to those who might be disposed to face that threat" (Laurence Stenhouse 1975:159)
Again, I understand this point of view and that many don't want to take that leap of faith
through fear. But you are only going to grow and become better at what you do if you have the courage to look at yourself and analyse your performance.
"It falsely emphasises unity as the source of strength in a community and mistakenly fears that when conflicts arise in a community, social bonds are threatened." (Richard Sennett 1998:143)
An interesting opinion. I agree that when conflicts arise at work it can affect social bonds. However, you can't not address issues for fear of this. Otherwise no progress will be made.
"Senge is ahead of his time and his arguments are insightful and revolutionary." (John Van Maurik 2001:201)
In conclusion, there are pros and cons to Senge's approach. I personally find the disciplines a creative approach and I like how team orientated they are. One shared vision surely gives better results. Interestingly I was recently watching a documentary on the drinks company 'Innocent'. The bosses approach is that everyone in the office is equal. His focus is that his employees are happy and relaxed as he feels this is how they will work best. They can wear whatever they want to work, their office looks more like a kids playground, they have lunchtime bbqs, they are free to share their ideas in a judge free environment, the boss is very approachable and down to earth....and his business is thriving because of it! Everyone in the company shared the same vision and every single activity was team orientated and fun!
However, many businesses stay rooted to the quick approach and traditional business model. I believe team work, shared vision and personal mastery are a perfect collaboration. You have to know yourself yet also be open to sharing your ideas and growing together as a team. As I mentioned, I think my team at work could really flourish with these key points. Take the judgemental barrier down and let people in. Share your ideas and let your ultimate goal be team based instead of individual. You can still have your own personal goals and aspirations but learn to acknowledge others and step out of your comfort zone.
I thoroughly enjoyed this topic of research :-)
Wednesday 9 March 2016
Ideas for inquiry
I can't stop thinking about my line of inquiry! I keep gaining new ideas in the middle of teaching or in meetings! I guess once you have allowed your mind to be aware and open to certain topics you can't help but pick up on examples all around. Something I didn't mention in my previous blog is my intrigue into drama therapy. I have always loved phycology and would definitely have studied it had I not gone down the musical theatre route. I actually looked into a drama therapy course a few years ago. I have been looking at other peoples blogs and found a great quote from Skype session with Adesola:
‘Your Inquiry is not focusing on confirming a question but identifying a topic or idea that will be useful to you now and in years to come’
‘Your Inquiry is not focusing on confirming a question but identifying a topic or idea that will be useful to you now and in years to come’
This has really helped me focus on what I want to get out of this inquiry. I have come up with two questions in my notebook today:
'Why is using creative drama so effective for social and behavioural issues within children?'
'How can drama help high achieving children with the pressures and fear of failure?'
These subjects really interest me and I feel I have a lot of areas to research within these topics. Plus I have contacts in the professional world that could really benefit my inquiry.
Now to decide which one to do!
Tuesday 8 March 2016
MODULE 2
During Module 1 we were given the task of exploring lines of inquiry for Module 2. I personally found this to be a refreshing and exciting experience. I recall skyping Paula way back in September and she told me all about the whole course whilst I scribbled a million notes! To be honest, this part we are about to do is what excited me the most. I was apprehensive before I started this degree and spent a lot of time weighting the pros and cons. I wanted it to be something that was worth my while and not just an exercise of learning information then regergitating it for an assignment. The idea that we were able to explore our own lines of inquiry though filled me with delight. It was also reassurance that I would be able to have the freedom to research topics that interested me personally and that were relevant to my current work. I read Reader 4 and caught up with Paula on Skype last week which really got my creative juices flowing again regarding potential lines of inquiry. I decided to look back at an old blog from last year to revisit my ideas:
- The fear of failure in high achieving wealthy children - why do they become less open as they get older?
- I am passionate about inclusion for all when it comes to drama. Can I open a school in the future that caters for the keen performer but also have links to child phycologists that can refer children to my school for creative drama lessons? Or am I not qualified to do that?
- I really think kids imaginations are inspiring. I've always wanted to write a children's book. Could I create a book with my students and have it published?
- I'm interested in the pressures of Gen Y and what we can do to resolve this problem and the struggles they are having.
- I find the differences between the Asian school system compared to the UK very different but interesting. Could I create a connection between the school I work for in Singapore and a school in the UK. Would it work? Or are the kids too different.
- I teach once a week at a special needs school. The children have autism and ADHD. There has never been any talk about them doing a production. Many of them are high achieving and extremely creative. Why can't they put on a show? Why do we expect the standard to be lower just because they have learning difficulties. They shouldn't be seen as less capable. Could I do a full scale production with them?
I can now see that some of these ideas are not relevant as potential lines of inquiry. I was seeing it more as a project, for example, putting on a show or creating a book with my students. What I now realise is that I need to take all my passions and interests but really whittle it down to something that I can research. I need it to be something that challenges different view points and considers ethics. I made a new list of areas I want to explore:
- Creative drama and how drama can benefit everyone (I work a lot with children who have social and behavioural issues)
- The pressures facing high achieving children (I work in Singapore so I am surrounded by them) and how drama can help them (fear of failure, how students I teach struggle with simple improvisational drama games for fear of getting it wrong)
- The differences between teaching drama in Singapore compared to the UK (a lot of schools in Asia don't have drama on their curriculum. Why is that?)
Could I link all of these somehow? I spoke to Paula and she advised this may be too broad and that I need to focus in on one thing. I am passionate about all of the areas mentioned above but need to find a way to either merge them together somehow or decide on my specific focus. I learnt from my last module how I struggle to get to the point sometimes and can go off on a tangent (my essay was 1000 words over when I first did it!) I am going to speak to my colleagues and get their advise on what they think would work the best. I enjoy networking so have many contacts that I already have on a list! I currently feel excited to get started but frustrated that I can't decide on what I want to do!
- The fear of failure in high achieving wealthy children - why do they become less open as they get older?
- I am passionate about inclusion for all when it comes to drama. Can I open a school in the future that caters for the keen performer but also have links to child phycologists that can refer children to my school for creative drama lessons? Or am I not qualified to do that?
- I really think kids imaginations are inspiring. I've always wanted to write a children's book. Could I create a book with my students and have it published?
- I'm interested in the pressures of Gen Y and what we can do to resolve this problem and the struggles they are having.
- I find the differences between the Asian school system compared to the UK very different but interesting. Could I create a connection between the school I work for in Singapore and a school in the UK. Would it work? Or are the kids too different.
- I teach once a week at a special needs school. The children have autism and ADHD. There has never been any talk about them doing a production. Many of them are high achieving and extremely creative. Why can't they put on a show? Why do we expect the standard to be lower just because they have learning difficulties. They shouldn't be seen as less capable. Could I do a full scale production with them?
I can now see that some of these ideas are not relevant as potential lines of inquiry. I was seeing it more as a project, for example, putting on a show or creating a book with my students. What I now realise is that I need to take all my passions and interests but really whittle it down to something that I can research. I need it to be something that challenges different view points and considers ethics. I made a new list of areas I want to explore:
- Creative drama and how drama can benefit everyone (I work a lot with children who have social and behavioural issues)
- The pressures facing high achieving children (I work in Singapore so I am surrounded by them) and how drama can help them (fear of failure, how students I teach struggle with simple improvisational drama games for fear of getting it wrong)
- The differences between teaching drama in Singapore compared to the UK (a lot of schools in Asia don't have drama on their curriculum. Why is that?)
Could I link all of these somehow? I spoke to Paula and she advised this may be too broad and that I need to focus in on one thing. I am passionate about all of the areas mentioned above but need to find a way to either merge them together somehow or decide on my specific focus. I learnt from my last module how I struggle to get to the point sometimes and can go off on a tangent (my essay was 1000 words over when I first did it!) I am going to speak to my colleagues and get their advise on what they think would work the best. I enjoy networking so have many contacts that I already have on a list! I currently feel excited to get started but frustrated that I can't decide on what I want to do!
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