Caitlin Laidlaw UWS

This week, we focused on visual arts and how they can be used to communicate thoughts, ideas and emotions.

When considering my previous experience with visual arts, I mostly think of my time in high school, where I had the most expressive freedoms. When I recall the lessons I received in primary school, they were often repetitive and over-structured. I assume now that this was due to time constraints as the access to quality art materials never held equal value to English and Maths in my timetables.

We discussed how art could be used to convey information in the same way that the written or spoken word could. In future practice, especially with older pupils, I would like to put visual essays into use in the classroom. They are a fun and creative way to organise and present information.

Using such methods gives pupils more freedom of choice as they can present their work in a way they feel more comfortable. Additionally, in the case of pupils that are learning English or have English as a second language, images can be used where they may not know the words in English to explain their point.

 

This week focussed on creating soundscapes in groups using a video clip or image as a stimulus.

The video my group chose a clip from the Pixar movie Soul (2020):

We used sounds from the BBC sound effects library and Garageband to create an audio clip that could be played with the video.

The sounds used created a much different effect compared to the original soundtrack. This provided an interesting link to the idea of major or minor music creating different moods. Bill Bailey explores the concept in this video:

(Prince’s Trust Music, 2018)

Overall, I found this activity really enjoyable and I see how it could be effectively used in a primary classroom with instruments or software. Especially where the space is available, it could be exciting for pupils to be sent to different rooms in their groups to experiment with sound and then be brought back together to present their work. This structure would support several important experiences and outcomes in the expressive arts curriculum, including:

“I have experienced the energy and excitement of presenting/performing for audiences and being part of an audience for other people’s presentations/performances. EXA 0-01a / EXA 1-01a / EXA 2-01a”

(Curriculum for Excellence, n.d.)

 

Curriculum for Excellence. (n.d.).Expressive arts Experiences and outcomes [online] . Available at: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/expressive-arts-eo.pdf.

netflist (2020). Joe Falls Through The Universe – Soul. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EItHKvwRFg4 [Accessed 26 Feb. 2021].

Prince’s Trust Music (2018). Bill Bailey – Major / Minor (We Are Most Amused and Amazed 2018). YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dVFknALySA [Accessed 26 Feb. 2021].

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This week, the focus of the lecture was on behaviour management for expressive subjects.

The idea of behaviour management in the classroom when considering expressive subjects, I must admit, does seem intimidating. I can recall many exciting lessons in primary school where the teacher may have just lost control of the class and we all had a stern telling-off. Looking forward as a future teacher, shouting and disciplining the class is something I want to avoid. Especially in order to build a safe space for the expression of creativity.

Thinking more recently, I was drawn back to last years placement where I observed and took part in a bi-weekly music class. The classes the primary 2 pupils attended were structured and consistent. For them, this meant they knew what to expect coming into the class and understood how to behave and how to take part. For the teacher, the predetermined routine meant that children could be quickly calmed at the start of the lesson and very little behaviour management had to be implemented. A particularly effective tool the teacher used was his “top-banana” stickers given to 3 pupils at the end of each lesson for participation and engagement. The class teacher supported his reward system by allowing “top-bananas” to move their peg up on the behaviour chart.

The idea of a silly and fun reward really emphasises the idea that learning is fun (Cowley, 2014, p. 180). Moving forward to encourage good behaviour, I will be brainstorming some unusual and creative reward systems that can be used across the curriculum. Cowley further discusses the benefits of surprising the class and how to get their attention in a variety of unusual ways. One particular technique I have seen put to practice is pretending to eat a can of dog food (or baked beans with the label covered) to grab the attention of the room.

S. Cowley. (2014). Getting the Buggers to Behave. Bloomsbury

This week focussed on exploring how stimuli could be used to build a piece of music. This is something I have not had a lot of experience doing before, so I found it especially helpful to work in a group. The main inspiration was taken from the musical piece “The Carnival of the Animals”. The piece was written by a French composer, Camille Saint-Saëns, and explores how music can be manipulated to give different effects.

Ingroups, we considered further animals that could be explored. The group I was part of considered the movement and rhythm a mouse might create. Because we were not very confident composing over Zoom, we decided to produce a graphic score. Here is mine:

We also discussed the kind of noises and movements a mouse might make, thinking about the characteristic high pitched squeak and the way they can ‘scurry’ across a floor. There was also some consideration of the comical effects sound can have when paired with images. For example, the classic cartoon ‘Tom and Jerry’.

Following the lesson, I used garage band to translate the score into a short audio clip.

A similar stimulus that could be used with children is picturebooks (Murphy, 2013, p. 134). Murphy recommends using books such as ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ (Carle, 1969) and ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ (Rosen, 1989).  Illustrations and dialogue can influence children and help them imagine sound effects that could build into short musical pieces as well as supporting literary development by looking deeper into the meaning of texts (Murphy, 2013, p. 134). Furthermore, using a story could link into drama by providing inspiration for freeze frames or analysing characters.