This session focused on observing other groups performing micro-teaching tasks which was useful as it provided a basis to reflect and constructively critique. Often within drama, children observe each other’s performances and teachers should encourage children to reflect upon each other’s performances whether it be freeze frames or role plays. This means “acquiring the skills of observing drama means careful observation of movement, facial expression, and listening carefully to words, all of which are the clues which children gain insight into understanding the characters in the play” (Bloomsfield and Childs, 2000, p.30). Using texts as stimulus means that “teachers can seize opportunities to integrate drama into subject specific studies and in thematic work” (Jones and Wyse, 2013, p.85).
In addition, time should be allocated to reflecting upon children’s own performances as well as peer performances. “In reflecting upon this imagined experience and the difficulties encountered, they make creative connections to their own world and learn through reflective engagement” (Jones and Wyse, 2013, p.83).
Overall, teaching drama should encompass “purposeful and realistic planning, purposeful implementation of concepts, knowledges, skills and attitudes, and purposeful response and critical analysis of various aspects of dramatic engagement” (Jones and Wyse, 2013, p.43). This would require drama as an “ongoing lesson” (Jones and Wyse, p.43, p.43) and not one off lessons.
Furthermore, learning the ukulele in the music session was enlightening as it inspired me to purchase my own ukulele after having thoroughly enjoyed this session. Progressing from learning the basic chords to playing bars and finally amalgamating all the learning into playing a song provided a useful experience into the creative process. This was similar to the steps of learning the violin in the aforementioned String Project.
Figure 18: Ukulele used during music session.
Figure 19: Own ukulele.
On looking back, this has been one of the most valuable sessions as I have never before had more of an interest in learning a musical instrument until this session.
Learning the ukulele was an interesting, fun, yet easy and less common instrument found in primary schools and therefore may be a worthwhile investment for those schools who wish to uptake this instrument. In addition, “music lessons…may help to create a stimulating and motivating academic environment” (Wilson and Prior, 2006, p.592) thereby it “strengthens intelligence quotient, academic performance, word decoding and phonological skills” (Ellen, Goldstein and Stephan, 2013, p.18) thus providing a multitude of benefits.
As a future music educator, I hope to inspire the same enjoyment and inspiration as I felt in this session to my pupils and encourage them to take up a musical instrument as a hobby.
Overall, music education along with visual arts, drama and dance are essential as “students will need to be better equipped to successfully navigate the increasingly complex and ill-defined nature of life in the twenty-first century” (Wells and Claxton, 2002, in Kaufman and Sternberg, 2010, p.447) therefore highlighting the importance of integrating the arts within the curriculum.
References
Bloomfield, A and Childs, J (2000) Teaching Integrated Arts in the Primary School: Dance, Drama, Music and the Visual Arts [Print] Great Britain: David Fulton
Ellen, W., Goldstein, T., and Stephan, V (2013) Educational Research and Innovation Art for Art’s Sake? The Impact of Arts [Online] Centre for Educational Research and Innovation publishing. Available: https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=YPN_ffgNjr0C&oi=fnd&pg=PA3&dq=unesco+education+integrated+arts&ots=jk_qVk07pW&sig=Uxt1bfILABEc2Dnk7WhCVVf0v2w#v=onepage&q&f=false [Accessed: 22 December 2016].
Jones, R and Wyse, D (eds) (2013) Creativity in the Primary Curriculum (2nd ed) [Print] Oxon: Routledge
Kaufman, J and SternBerg, R (2010) The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity [Online] Available: https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=1EBT3Qj5L5EC&oi=fnd&pg=PA447&dq=creativity+in+the+classroom&ots=7Kjmvu-FVq&sig=08OI-xRAh52DTnsB07O5wVBOzXY#v=onepage&q&f=false [Accessed: 29 December 2016].
Wilson, S and Prior, M (2006) The Cognitive and Academic Benefits of Music to Children: Fact and Fiction. An Internatinal Journal of Experimental Educational Psychology [Online] Vol. 26 (4) pp. 579 – 594 Available: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01443410500342542?scroll=top&needAccess=true&instName=University+of+the+West+of+Scotland+%28UWS%29 [Accessed: 7 January 2016].
