Labels

Today during the 5pm chat we discussed labels and how sometimes we put people into a box that simply don't fit into a box. This is common when preparing students for exams and as teachers we think of our own level of perfection, some students may never be able to reach that level and often we forget that each person has their own level at which they can work.
On the other hand sometimes we do need a label in order to fully understand why a students reacts in a certain way. This fits in with my research where I have been studying the relationship between dyslexia and dance, here as a teacher it is important to know of any difficulties in order to fully help the student achieve.

I have found that generally there is a lack of understanding when it comes to learning difficulties and dance and have been surprised at the extent that some of them can affect the way in which we learn. This also ties in to the discussion where we approached the area of history and how this can affect the students in your class, everyone has their own little story. My son has dyslexia, simple instructions given to him too many at a time can be completely mis understood and can leave him very confused. His dyslexia cannot be seen, its a hidden disability. If you didn't know that he was dyslexic you might assume that he was misbehaving in some way by not completing your instructions. Here comes the assumptions, without knowing the history. There is always a bigger picture.

Adapting what we know

This morning got me thinking how we have to adapt what we know in order to progress. This can relate to our academic writing for our MA studies, our teaching practice. It made me think about how different my practice is now compared to at the start of my MA last September. I wrote in module 1 how we learn but don't necessarily know that we are learning, or we know how to do something and we learnt how to do it through life rather than a course. On reflection the learning process this past year has been huge.

I had a conversation with some of my first year students yesterday and we talked about how they are struggling with a particular teacher who is horrible to them and they dread going to their lessons. First of all I would hate to be that teacher knowing that they didn't want to come to my class because of how I treat them, secondly I am glad they felt able to tell me, this was not my business but they felt that they were able to tell me and knew that I would listen. Our role as teachers is valuable, we affect the students lives in so many ways- I would genuinely hate for it to be a bad way. I could have been that horrible teacher but I've adapted the way that I teach because of what I know and what I have learned, so their bad situation made me reflect(on the long drive home) and it made me realise that yes I am adapting, changing what I know. I know that I support them in the best possible way because I treat them as human beings, not just a name. One student commented that I always ask them how they are at the start of the lesson- that's because I care and I want them to be ok. Would I have changed so much if I hadn't made the decision to complete my MA? Probably not. I'm not saying that we all have to go out and study but we all need to do something to help us progress.

Headspace and thinking time

I had a catch up with Adesola last week and we discussed where I was at in terms of my study. I told her about my new hobby which was running and how I use some of my running time as my headspace where I think through my study.

Today I went for a very wet and muddy run, my usual beautiful views were masked by cloud and mist and this almost seemed to resemble my current headspace where I have all of this information but I'm not sure what to put where. At first I didn't want to go, I wanted to stay in my warm and cosy surroundings at home but I thought of my progress made and that spurred me on.

I run on a trail with some breath taking views, today I could see the reservoir faintly through the mist almost as though this was my end product and the mist was the information I had to clear in order to get to the reservoir. I did get some rather muddy feet as I was concentrating on the obscured view rather than concentrating on where I was running!! I ran through the wet slippy leaves and thought about the uncertainty that I have felt at times throughout my MA, they slowed me down, but then I saw the end of my trail and that gave me the boost to keep going.

Today I was also faster, still quite slow, but if I look at how far I have come in a short time I can see what  huge improvement has been made. I started running because I decided that with all the dancing I do I don't actually do anything for myself as I'm always teaching class for somebody else. The same with my MA I wanted to do it for myself, having done my PGCE out of necessity for my job I needed to continue and do something for me.

At times I thought I can't go out running I need to study but I also need my headspace and this has been working really well for me. It's taught me that its ok to feel unsure about what to do but you have to take that first step as you never know what you will discover. I felt the same at the start of my MA journey, I wonder if I will feel the same at the end of my journey as I do at the end of my run- out of breath, muddy, tired but at the same time jubilant.



This is a more impressive view taken during October half term.

Reflection

Its hard to fit everything in that you want to fit in, putting aside time to study, then work without neglecting your family. I often find the Sunday chats hard as that's my family day and its hard to suddenly have to get into the study zone.
Module 3 has got off to a slow but steady start ,I am observing my dance students and managing to make notes but it is hard to observe them and still teach the class. I might have 1 student in a class of 26 who I am observing for my research project. I often wonder if I am purposely looking for them to do a certain thing in a certain way because that's what I am expecting them to do so I have tried to take a step back from my constant questions and really try and watch and see them for who they really are. Its interesting as I am seeing patterns emerging and similarities between students that I would never have noticed if it was not for this project, this is good. Sometimes my mind starts working over time and its hard to switch off and then focus on my next class. Wednesdays are hard days as my classes are all back to back and my reflection time often has to be in the car on the long drive home from work but this works well for me.

I have had the opportunity to observe a trainee dance teacher doing her teaching practice and this made me reflect on my own practice. We take so many things for granted and often don't realise what we know until we have to break it all down and get somebody else to do it. It also made me think wow this is a hard job, there is so much to do. It took me back to my early days as a teacher and I have really amazed myself with the transformation, not just from the early days but from the start of this course. There is so much more to observations and reflections that its hard to try and tick all of the boxes.

Getting started

I had an interesting skype chat with Adesola trying to identify areas of learning. Having started the conversation with vague ideas in my mind I came away with many more- much more focused. It's made me realise that whilst I am a dance teacher I actually do so much more than teach dance and many of the things I do just get taken for granted. It's really interesting dissecting my career, highlighting areas that might seem quite dull on the outside but once you step inside its a whole different thing.

An example we came up with was being able to facilitate creativity in others- yes I can do that!! I do it every day but its only through sitting down and actually having to think about it that I can can it an official title!! I looked at how this facilitation flows into my family life- I'm constantly getting my own children to be creative- and yes they dance. They have minds of their own, and their minds don't have to work in the same way as mine afterall we are all unique.

 A conversation I had with my almost 9 year old son was about his maths homework- subtraction. (Please note I hate maths). His teacher had told him a method, I sat down and told him how I would do it as it was a different way. I told him that as long as he comes up with the right outcome i.e correct answer it doesn't matter how he gets there, he could mix bits of the different methods together to do whatever works best for him. And so there it is, facilitating creativity in others, and it has nothing to do with dance!!!

So here is my first blog!! I don't really have anything to blog about at this point as I'm taking it a step at a time. On the plus side I survived the skype induction without cutting myself off or anything like that. I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the first module!