Task 4A - Ideas for my Professional Inquiry and beginning Research

What will my Professional Inquiry be?

 

After the Skype session on the 23/02/2015 and listening to others ideas for there professional inquiry and having the reader set out clearer, it opened my eyes on to what my next task needed to be to progress. As I listened and contributed my ideas of what I wanted to base my Inquiry around I realised that I had a lot of ideas that needed narrowing down.

Now I needed o formulate ideas into questions and sub questions. This will help me to find out and research deeper into the questions I have asked myself to have a better knowledge of which angle I want to take to lead up to my final Inquiry title.

 

Referring back to Module 1 Task 2d

 

Within the inquiry task I three different questions which I was interested in and what had came to mind whilst working through module 1.

 

Here are the questions which arose in Module 1 Task 2d;

 

1). The different ways I learn really opened from a teaching perspective and I started to ask myself 'how can I cater for all types of learners for my own performing arts school?'. Once I had asked my question I had already done something which had worked fantastically, 'Teaching through pictures' (Mood Boards). I would love to find out more information and ways that could enhance my teaching skills in a fun way.

 

2). When watching 'Strictly Come Dancing' my mum will always say ' I cant believe they are using this music. When I did ballroom our music was so ridged and never chart music'. This got me thinking about how the Industry is really influenced by society. As I said in TASK 2C we have no control in the outside world and the experiences we all face. However we have seen over the years how many things have changed or how new things have emerged, such as;

-Contemporary Dance

-Chart music within Ballroom

-Dance Fitness programmes (Zumba and Street Fit)

-Street Dance and Ballet have a link

 

My question is; Is society and culture influencing the industry or is music influencing society in order for the industry to move as well?

 



3). Can we reflect through dance? song? text? improvisation?

 

However one subject has stood out to me still which has helped me in my workplace and will further my knowledge to become better as a teacher and to offer classes to all kinds of abilities in the future.

 

The first question is one I would love to continue working on but I would like to expand the Inquiry by looking deeper into how I (as a teacher) can cater for everyone's needs in the ways in which different people learn and understand certain things in different ways eg. visually, audibly or kinetically. Along with this I would also like to look at ways I can teach performing arts to those with learning difficulties and disabilities.

 This is something I am very interested in and would like to broaden my knowledge to get the best out of my students when they are learning and performing in all dance styles, singing and acting but to also allow those who have difficulties in areas be apart of a class which they gain so much from.

 

The questions I need to start looking at?

At the moment a few questions have sprung to mind but I will keep you posted with others I am looking into. Here are a few that I am starting with.

 

1). Complete research into work with children who have difficulties and what makes them happy to learn and how?

 

2). What other businesses are out there that help children/young adults with difficulties and disabilities within dance/singing/drama? and how do they work and what have they found to be challenging?

 

3). What types of learners are there? and what is it that these types of learners need and how can you relate them to teaching performing arts?

 

I have already given myself a large task but I am already waiting to hear back from a local business who teaches dance to children/young adults/adults with a variety of difficulties and disabilities and I am meeting with someone who works with a variety of children with special needs in a primary school local to me.

As well as having this knowledge I have my own theatre school and have just produced a large workshop with 45 children and created a showcase at the end of the week to families and friends. During this week I was able to work with a young girl with Cerebral palsy and I am currently working with another young girl with Mental Health issues.