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Knowing and Learning - “Old dog, new tricks”

Response to 8pm Skype - 10/02/2019 The Skype discussion was interesting from the perspective that having completed all three modules and sitting in limbo (waiting for results), I was able to appreciate the feelings of uncertainty and “not knowing”, that others starting new modules faced. Embracing new ideas is always interesting. This would be the third time I have visited the topic of “knowing and learning”, in this MA, but it continues to amaze me how people generate new and fresh points of view. This continual process of learning or even re-learning, emphasises the fluidity of the process of gaining experiential knowledge and also highlights the value of each other’s professional practice and what we can share with others.  How we communicate this translation of ideas helps us express our knowledge. The discourse surrounding what is considered academic, poses questions as to how our ideas and practice is shared with others. At what point do we need to change either our e
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Communicating Ideas

Response to Skype Discussion 8pm 02/12/2018 Experience speaks for itself, so it is important to write from the “I” perspective to demonstrate the ability to reflect and give voice to the research enquiry. As kinaesthetic learners it is sometimes difficult to transform experience into a written form of communication. As dance teachers, we use a particular tone and choice of words that we would not necessarily use in written communications with our students or with academics. We work with visualisation and mapping movement using creative description not in depth analysis and reflection.   Thus, expressing using academic form and language can sometimes feel trivia to us. Constantly questioning our own opinions and views is not something we are used to doing as part of our everyday teaching.   I actually feel that through the process of this MA, I have become more reflective and intuitive in my everyday teaching activities.  
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Making Connections beyond our own practice

  Response to Skype Discussion, Sunday 18 th  November 2018, 8pm It was interesting to learn about the interdisciplinary approach to training and how practice in other countries differs from our own. Often, we can get absorbed in our own environment and forget about what happens on a global scale. In a number of cultures there still seems to be a hierarchy with styles of dance, with ballet as for the elite and contemporary dance for the masses. The idea of dance being a divider or classifier of social status resonated with thoughts from the history of contemporary dance in Britain and how the public opinion was ballet as high art and contemporary as popular culture.  The versatility of students was also discussed and whether students who study more dance styles have better skills and make better dancers. The focus on the holistic well-rounded dance student, draws parallels with my own research, suggesting that better skills equal better teaching. We also discussed Leadersh
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How do existing frameworks open up a discussion? Response to Skype discussion 04/11/2018

Interesting thoughts were discussed about how knowledge is embodied at a practical and theoretical level. As dancers we have different ways of communicating knowledge on an emotional and kinaesthetic level, which are equally valid in the same way as verbal or written communication. From a teaching perspective there needs to be a deep level of understanding and choices provided by the teacher so our students can build up their own way of expressing themselves. Embodiment should not be about conforming to another person’s perspective it is about finding individual enlightenment.  Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory was mentioned with regards to how different people learn and how experience relates to learning. This is an example of a framework, we do not necessarily have to agree with, but it is useful nonetheless to help us find answers or make conclusions.  Whilst literature is not conclusive, it does offer a framework for discussion. For example, I have used Claxton (
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"Knowing and Learning" (response to 8pm discussion 30/09/2018)

During the discussion we spoke about student assessment and tracking progress effectively. Often assessment causes anxiety and is not fully embraced, however if it were viewed simply as a point of reflection, feedback and evaluation would it be viewed more positively. Thus, the way we approach assessment, as a milestone rather than an end result is important. Carrying out my research observations, has led to me question not only the effectiveness of my teaching practice, but how we “measure” or “know” that our teaching is effective. We may seek re-assurance when we observe similar teaching methods to our own, but I wonder if this this purely a re-action to us being in our comfort zone and unconsciously registering them as correct?
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Exploring Methods and Methodologies

Over the past 2 weeks I have been engrossed in background reading of my chosen topic and also contemplating the research methods and methodologies surrounding my research proposal. Through the literature search, I discovered that values were embedded in a number of disciplines. including educational philosophy, sociology, dance education and pedagogy, psychology and child development. I noticed similarities in the Grounded Theory approach discussed by Margaret Wilson (2009) and my research project. For example, using pedagogy as a source of analysis and ‘observing how the approach to teaching shaped the dancer’s experiences as well as how the student’s experiences…’ (Wilson, 2009, p5).  However, the nature of the research also lends itself well to ethnography, because it is based on the views and experiences of the students and parents in my dance school. There is a sense that all social researchers are participant observers (Hammersley and Atkinson, 1995), thus my pre-fieldwo
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Bringing ideas together

As my professional practice, is based around teaching and running my dance school, I choose this as the focus of my research project. When I set up my own dance school, I did it because I wanted to build a legacy and something that reflected my beliefs and values. I had taught in a variety of settings including salsa clubs, community groups, schools, fitness, private dance schools, primary and secondary schools and FE colleges. 10 years on, starting this MA course, I found myself questioning how my school was set up, the ethos I wanted to embrace and also how I filtered this into my teaching. On reflection, I noticed that prior experience had a lot to do with my beliefs and my priorities as the owner of a school as well as personality traits. For example, as a child I struggled socially in school to be part of a group as I felt my “difference” was not understood. As a result, when I set up my school I made a point of creating an environment in which “difference” was accepted and e
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