There are so many questions I feel I could be asking at this point and which to choose is so hard. In everyday teaching I find myself asking these questions and I know not only other professionals but also parents of the students I teach also would benefit from answer to these questions.
I am currently teaching in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, there is such a mix in cultures which is a reason I love it so much. The amount I have learnt from the children about their country and ways of life is crazy, sometimes I feel like I'm the student! As a result, a lot of the children I teach, English is their second or third language and if they have just moved out here can struggle quite a lot. It is amazing in just the 6 months I have been out here how they have developed and some don't even go to English speaking schools.
An area of dance and dance education that is of personal interest to me is dance in the community and how dance can help change peoples lives. When returning back to England I intend to follow this further and incorporate it into my career and not just teach in the private sector.
With these two aspects in mind these are the main questions that have surfaced.
1. Education in Dance - what transferable skills are learnt in dance
2. Dance in Education - what benefit does dance have if placed within the education system
3. Discipline in Dance and Education - do both have equal standards of discipline whilst one being a hobby and one being mandatory
4. Does Dance from a young age help discipline - Does it affect other aspects of life aspects of life? > for example school, behaviour, social communication
5. Dance and Language - can dance help break down language barriers? Does dance promote the speed of which a language can be learnt?
Eloise, Your job sounds extremely rewarding!
ReplyDeleteYour second question is similar to my line of inquiry which I am hoping to carry out at my old high school
Your question 4 is very interesting and I would be intrigued to know about that.
You may be interested in joining this LinkedIn group and be in our SIG
http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Dance-within-Secondary-Education-4328089?trk=myg_ugrp_ovr
Dance in Education
Sina
Hello Eloise
ReplyDeleteSounds like an great job.
I am going to comment on question 5. As a personal experience I found that dance helped with my English language development. My first language was Italian as my parents came to this country as immigrants and lived within a small Italian community in 1958. My first dance lesson was at the age of three so that was when I first communicated in English. It was easy to mimic the movements of dance and any correction needed would have been physically placed in the correct posture.
I thought I would mention about a deaf student in my class, I can honestly say that she followed without a problem. I would demonstrate as a visual aid and use books or show one child's performance compared to another. I would regularly speak to her parents if I couldn't express what I wished for her to understand as they would use sign language or other aids.
Best wishes