EF MAPP Journey

The last 12 weeks have been a complete blur, but somehow its over and the portfolio is in?!  It's been a journey, and one that I'm very proud of myself for. I've learnt lots of new things and I've definitely found things out about my field that I didn't think existed.  Supplementary training is a massive topic, so I'm pleased I narrowed it down into looking at it from the perspective of teaching RAD Intermediate Ballet. I know there is still so more to expand on this thought and specifically how it helps exam training. So onwards to my presentation and then its all over ... 

 After an arrival of a puppy, a birthday and 3 weeks of the flu ... I'm back to it! In this time, although I've been MIA from here, there has been lots going on in the background. I've managed to finish the critical review part of module 3, which I have found to be the 'easiest' part (I say easy, it's still be incredibly difficult!).  Onto the professional artefact ... I'm not the worlds most creative person when it comes to physically creating something (other than an exam or show dance!). So I've found it hard to create something that shows the process I've been on for the last 10 weeks. It took me a very long time to figure out what I actually wanted to do and then how I would show a process, I knew that with my topic the idea of a choreography just wouldn't be right, so I've put pen to paper (literally), and have begun to create a book that captures my journey. It's not the neatest of things but I feel like this is very representative...

 So this week marks half way through my final masters term! And although it feels like I've been in a dissertation hole forever, it's actually quite reassuring knowing that it's only 5 weeks prior to today. I've made a lot of progress particularly in the last three weeks. My survey was opened, answered by many, and then closed, analysis of this then started last week and now it's onto making this into an actual essay rather than just numbers and words.  I've found things I hadn't thought of (always a good thing) but also discovered things that I use and did already know.  Still baffled by the idea of a professional artefact, but hoping it'll just fall into place! I hope everyone else is still have a good term :) Ellie x 

So having been stressing about sending out my surveys for the past week (yes I am the Queen of anxiety and procrastination!!). I finally plucked up the courage to send them out today. The response has been incredibly overwhelming and it's made me super excited to analyse their responses and see if it fits in with where I stand on using supplementary training. I also can't wait to see if there are any new ideas surrounding this topic that I can try out in my own lessons.  I feel like my MAPP journey so far hasn't been the easiest and there have been lots of bumps in the road. But I finally feel like it's all coming together.  I hope everyone's term is going well so far! Ellie x

As the term is already (!!!) just over 1 week in, I feel like this is a good time to reflect on module two (the stress that that was), and the impending stresses of module three.  It's safe to say that me and module two weren't the best of friends and I really struggled to put pen to paper and come up with a proposal for module three. Two MORE forms, and a redesigned proposal later and we finally got to a place, that, I think, I'm happy with. My module three focus has shifted to a new perspective, where I am now looking at how other teachers view supplementary training in regards to what they think this means in relation to the RAD Intermediate Ballet syllabus. Rather than using my own students as 'test subjects' as to whether the incorporation of supplementary training 'works'. After a week of extra research surrounding the topic of supplementary training I am keen to see what other teachers think supplementary training involves and how and if they use it w...

The last few weeks have been filled with project planning, which has been scary, yet super exciting! I'm already looking forward to beginning this research in September. I've felt very overwhelmed this term, even with forward planning at the beginning of the year, I'm hoping that all that stress will pay off. With only just over two weeks left of term, it's all systems go to make sure everything is ready for hand in! It's been a busy few weeks, MA studies aside. I went back to teach in the studio last week and my heart is full (but very tired!). It's great to feel like I can actually do my job properly and see all the students I teach. I feel like my MA studies are actually coming into my lessons more now we're back, I'm definitely more reflective and I feel like my lessons and the students learning are more successful from this. I'm hoping I've said goodbye to Zoom forever and for that I am extremely happy. 

 So over the past couple of weeks I've been in an ethics rabbit hole ... I feel like it took me a long time to get my head around all of the different sections and making sure I had everything filled in. But it's done (i think!!). Wishing luck to my fellow Module Twos if you haven't started yet, my motto has definitely been little and often!  Now onto my project plan, I think from doing my ethics form first I have a bit more of an idea of what my project actually is and how I can (hopefully) reach my hypothesis. But, I'm still stuck on being philosophical, after a tutorial with Angela 2 weeks ago I realised I'm being more philosophical than I thought I was being, but it still makes absolutely no sense to me!!  Onwards and upwards.  Hope ebvryone is having a productive yet restful Easter Break :) 

So after my little panic last week of feeling like I have no time to research/write, I have worked out my timetable and sorted the times that I need to put pen to paper and my head into books and be super productive!  This week I have mainly been focusing on one of my last two AOL Essays. I had already had a rough plan put together from last term (very grateful for past me right now!!), so it was just a case of adding in some more theory and making sure I relate this to my practice and say how I feel about it. 1545 words down and I have a full draft, I feel like I'm in a good place with it which is good. This AOL is centred around 'teaching to support children's mental and physical needs' - this led to a lot of research about motivational climates within the classroom and creating a positive learning environments. What I found interesting is deciphering what motivational climates I use, and what this means for my teaching. Looking at the theory I use a 'performance ...

After having last week off for half term it meant that I could really focus on my studies and try and get all my thoughts down on paper. I had my first tutorial of the term with Angela, which helped to align my thoughts further, and I feel like i'm at a place that I can put together a question/topic to base my inquiry proposal etc around (which is scary, but exciting, in itself).  This week, however, I feel like I've lost my mojo a bit, being back teaching 6 days a week plus trying to study and find time for me is proving challenging. But, of the research I have managed to do this week I found myself reflecting upon this while teaching my lessons, so I guess thats a step in the right direction! I'm still yet to get my head around being philosophical but I'm hoping, and from advise from others, know that this will come in time! I hope everyone's research is going well :)

As the first week of module 2 has come to an end, I have found myself feeling really excited about the weeks ahead with this module. Although I'm feeling nervous about the idea of philosophical thinking, I think it'll be good to take myself out of my comfort zone. However, for now, it is back to writing my remaining 2 RPL essays, which oddly feel like coming back to an old familiar friend. My final 2 RPL essays centre around 'teaching to support student's physical and mental needs in the classroom' and 'teaching to shape movements and create aesthetics'. As they are both fairly contrasting essays in terms of content it allows me to look back over my teaching career thus far, and determine what I do in my teaching practice to acknowledge these topics.  It's nice to be back in the realms of research and thinking and I'm looking forward to meeting everyone that is just beginning their journey with module one. Heres to a great term everyone! 

My research has led me to think about the communication I have had with myself and others to generate ideas, for both teaching and thinking about my professional practice and lifelong learning. I have discovered that I use both interpersonal and intrapersonal forms of communication.  Interpersonal Communication -  is an exchange of information between two or more people.  From looking back at module 1, I have found that this type of communication has come from blogging and MAPP discussion groups. This exchange of information has allowed me to them express thoughts that have come to light from this. Thinking about the idea the "vision is the art of seeing things invisible" (Swift), the use of the blog, especially has allowed me to convey thought processes and make them visible by being words on a screen. "When we search for words to capture and communicate our experiences, we discover what language is the medium through which we clarify and express our uniqueness" (C...

Over the past (and my first) 10 weeks of the MAPP DTP course I realise that I think a lot about what I do and how this helps my teaching and proving that what I learn gets put into practice. But, after speaking to Adesola about my DAN4510 essay draft this morning, I have realised that I need to focus on what I think about certain topics and what I have learnt from this. Thinking about knowledge, information and learning is where I have decided to begin.  What is knowledge? - the information, understanding and skills that you gain through education and experience. Knowledge is valuable, and to 'know' means to have some special form of competence. Another meaning of 'knowing' can be recognising something as true.  What is information? - facts or details about somebody/something. Information is said to be categorised as, Information-as-knowledge, information-as-process and information-as-thing. I find that information is acquired without us even acknowledging it. Informati...

Following on from Sunday (15/11/20) nights discussion group about communication, I have been reflecting on one specific point that was raised - Have learning styles been debunked?  I have since looked into this, and deciphered that it is a case of psychologists vs. instructors. I do agree that becoming too fixated on learning styles can lead to an assumption of being fixed on using a specific style for a particular student; however, I do also think that we can adopt various learning styles, and more than one at a time, dependent on the activity or skill needed to be acquired. As teachers/instructors I think we need to be aware of these learning styles to enhance learning, as a form of effective communication between teachers and students. Personally, I do think students learn more effectively when they think about their learning style, however, I do think there needs to be a holistic approach to learning and teaching, which includes this, amongst other teaching devices.  From ...

 I have always used mirrors when dancing myself, so that has led me to use them a fair bit when I am teaching. However, are we, as dancers, looking into mirrors too much? Do we get too caught up in the way movements look rather than the way they (should) feel?  This thought stemmed from my teaching via zoom last night. One of my Grade 1 Ballet students, when asked to perform an exercise with the rest of her group said "ooh I'm just going to pin myself first" - was this so she could just see herself so she wasn't then copying others? Or, was it so she could show some vanity and just watch herself? I'm sure her thought process for this wasn't complex, but it did make me think, have I used mirrors too much in my teaching and what impacts is this having, both positive and negative on my students? 

It has taken me a long time to get my head around the AOLs, but, I think I've finally got there. From my BA degree I have delved further into the idea of being reflective and understanding that our learning comes from somewhere, we aren't born with all this knowledge after all! Having only been teaching full time for 2 years, I found it hard to discover what I had been learning since leaving the RAD. But, since I work with young people, I realised that I am in fact learning everyday, in order to improve their learning experience.  A concept of teaching that I had only thought in depth about due to writing previous essays, was the importance of understanding teaching and learning styles and how we must use them effectively to maximise the student's learning and aid them in mastering specific skills needed, specifically relating to, RAD Ballet and ISTD Tap and Modern.  We all learn in different ways, and I think that's one of the vital aspects that we, as teachers, need t...

This was the first Sunday Skype discussion that I had attended, being new this term, to the MAPP community. I found it very informative and fascinating listening to everyone's different ideas and perspectives surrounding the topic of 'knowledge information and learning'.  It was discussed that we pass through each step to lead to another, we dissect information, absorb knowledge and embody learning.  Knowledge, information and learning can all come hand in hand, however, they can also be treated as individual factors. It was discussed, that knowledge is not necessarily about the outcome, rather the journey we pass to acquire it. From this, as a group we briefly touched on the philosophical aspects and the nature and theories of learning, a topic which I personally find fascinating. For me, the methods and theories of learning are how we acquire knowledge in a dance setting. The VARK learning styles (visual auditory, read/write and kinaesthetic), when used appropriately and ...