Week 6 – Music and Dance 17/10/17

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This week’s music workshop was theory based so was less practical than previous sessions. We began by reading a paper titled “The Power of Music: it’s impact on the intellectual, social and personal development of children and young people” by Susan Hallam, in the International Journal of Music Education. The paper was split into sections and each group had a section to look at in more depth, making a mind map of the main points. Our group looked at physical development and I learned a lot from the chapter. I found that skills such as throwing and catching can be improved from programmes involving rhythm and that posture can also be improved as well as breathing.

Here is a picture of our mind map:

 

After lunch, we had our first dance input. I must admit I was apprehensive to be learning dance as I have very little dance experience and do not have the best coordination nor rhythm. However we did not dive straight into choreographing a dance routine but by playing games that could be used in the primary school when introducing pupils to dance. These activities helped me by not only settling my nerves but also demonstrated easy ways to engage children and prepare them for learning new skills. We then had the task of drawing around the smallest member of the group and labelling the organs, bones and muscles. This tested our anatomy knowledge and allowed us to think of different warm ups/ stretches for that particular body part. Next, we spoke about our thoughts on teaching dance and I was relieved to discover many people felt the same way as me. We were reassured that as long as we know 10 basic moves we would be more than capable to teach dance. These moves were:

Balance

Gesture

Grab

Hop

Jump

Kick

Reach

Roll

Slide

Turn

After discovering these basic moves, in small groups, we had to create a dance routine using the 10 moves. I felt this input was incredibly beneficial as it emphasised that a teacher does not need to have dance experience in order to teach it and if I develop my confidence in this area I will be able to successfully teach dance to my future pupils.

 

Today’s sessions taught me that the Expressive Arts allow pupils to represent their thoughts and feelings. The Expressive Arts also allow for the development of skills in other areas of the curriculum.

 

Reference List

Hallam, S (2010) The power of music: It’s impact on the intellectual, social and personal development of children and young people, International Journal of Music Education. [Online] pp.269-289. Available: http://ijm.sage.pub.com/content/28/3/269 [Accessed: 17 October 2017].

 

Week 5 – Visual Arts and Music 10/10/17

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In the visual arts workshop, we added to our work from last week. To begin with, we chose one of our prints from last week and photocopied it smaller, and in black and white. We then added to our prints by either copying the original painting (which learners who are not confident in their abilities may choose to do) or imagining what might be around it and drawing it in colour. This could easily be repeated in a classroom as children have the option to either copy or use their imagination.

We also looked at a variety of colouring books. The book “Oodles of doodles” particularly grabbed my attention as children are provided with a starting point and they must use their creativity to complete a drawing.

 

Next, in the music workshop we used garage band to create our own piece of music. We experimented with many instruments and tunes before selecting a few and adding them together to make an eight-bar tune. We then varied the tempo and pitch as well as adding fade outs and sound effects. This activity would be engaging and educational if repeated with a primary school class and would cover different areas of the curriculum such as IT. Bloomfield (2000) discusses that the teaching and learning of music should allow children to: learn how to make music as well as develop ICT skills in music and it is evident that this workshop would certainly enable children to develop these techniques.

For our next activity, we chose a silent animation and created our own ‘movie’ thinking about what feeling we wanted to convey and picking our sounds accordingly. I was surprised with how much I was able to do in the workshop and think that children would really benefit from this activity as they could build their confidence in their music ability in addition to improving their IT skills.

 

Overall, I found this week’s inputs to be very engaging due to their interactive nature which is beneficial to me, as it is clear to see how the workshops can be used in a classroom.

 

 

Reference List

Bloomfield, A and Childs, J (2000) Teaching Integrated Arts in the Primary School. Oxon: David Fulton Publishers.

 

 

Week 4 – Drama and Visual Arts 3/10/17

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In our drama workshop, we began by discussing our own experiences with drama as a learner and our thoughts on teaching the subject as future teachers. The general consensus was negative and most people found the thought of teaching drama daunting. However, we were open to learning and improving our confidence.

We explored techniques including teacher in role and freeze frame. I found the first technique – teacher in role – very useful. This is when the teacher can use a prop such as a hat to show the pupils that they are no longer a teacher as such but now an actor. We related the techniques to a story of a dragon flying above a village and acted out our adaptations of a particular scene using the freeze frame technique. Having looked over the Curriculum for Excellence: Expressive Arts experiences and outcomes it was clear to see how the class how the workshop could be replicated in a classroom and tie in with relevant framework. For example, “I enjoy creating, choosing and accepting roles, using movement, expression and voice” EXA 1-12a.

 

During our morning lecture, we were given a copy of the watercolour painting ‘Windows in the West’ by the Scottish artist – Avril Paton. In our visual art input, we used this painting and a piece of polystyrene to copy a section of the paining. Next, we folded four different colours of A4 paper, covered our polystyrene tracing in paint before printing it on to each sheet of coloured paper. Once complete, we altered our original copy by removing sections of the polystyrene. We then used a second colour and reprinted onto each sheet of paper again. The fact that everybody’s drawing was different could reflect on Eisner’s (2002) 10 Lessons the Arts Teach. One lesson would be that the arts celebrate a variety of perspectives and the other being that there is no wrong answer, only a number of solutions. Below are pictures of Avril Paton’s “Windows in the West” as well as the process of creating my prints.

I found this activity enjoyable but think if it was to be replicated in a classroom environment it would best be covered over multiple lessons as it is messy and would be difficult for primary school aged children to do in a single lesson.

Overall, these inputs have allowed me to better explore the arts by embracing creativity. From the two inputs I am also now of the number of different lessons that can be taught relating to just one Expressive Art lesson.

 

REFERENCES

Eisner, E. W. (2002) The Arts and the Creation of Mind. London: Yale University Press.

 

Scottish Government (2017). Curriculum for Excellence: Expressive Arts. [Online]. Accessible: https://www.education.gov.scot/Documents/expressive-arts-eo.pdf [Accessed: 5 October 2017].

 

Climate Change Learning Log

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Prior to the lecture I was aware of what climate change was having studied Geography in school but had never paid much attention to how I contribute to it and how it might affect me. In the lecture, we were shown how our planet has changed over the years (increase in temperature and decrease in ice cover) as well as how it is recorded and the effects it can have on the likes of agriculture and sea level.

 

The first workshop was very active and included a series of experiments. One of the first experiments we tired was making a tornado in a jar. This was done by filling a jar with water and adding food colouring and washing up liquid. The container was then swirled in a circle for a while and once stopped, it was clear the see what looked like a tornado. The aim of the experiment was to understand how real tornados are made – cold and warm air combining and spinning. Another activity involved having two plastic cups: one filled with cold water, pebbles and blue food colouring. The other with warm water, red food colouring and pebbles. Both cups were then put into a large tub of room temperature water. It was interesting to see that watch the red water rise to the top of the tub whilst the blue water sank to the bottom. I found these experiments amongst others to be very engaging and this workshop helped me understand ways in which climate change can be taught in the primary school using a cross-curricular approach.

 

In the second workshop, we looked at politics and global warming. I had not considered how much of an impact politics can have on global warming. However, after this workshop and the directed study task I now recognise the type policies being implemented by the government to reduce our carbon footprint and, ultimately, slow down global warming.

 

Through the tasks from last week and the directed study task I can now see how global warming can be taught in the primary school and how a cross-curricular approach can be used to link global warming to other subject areas. In addition to this, I have identified experiences and outcomes which could link learning to relevant curriculum areas.

 

I can consider ways of looking after my school or community and can encourage others to care for their environment. SOC 1-08a

 

I can discuss the environmental impact of human activity and suggest ways in which we can live in a more environmentally responsible way. SOC 2-08a

 

Having explored the ways journeys can be made, I can consider the advantages and disadvantages of different forms of transport, discussing their impact on the environment. SOC 2-09a

 

I can investigate the relationship between climate and weather to be able to understand the causes of weather patterns within a selected climate zone. SOC 3-12a

 

This topic has changed how I view climate change by allowing me to evaluate the impact I have on climate change. I think I will now be more conscious of my decisions as I know that even though my actions may be small they can influence others and therefore have a large impact. I have also learned ways in which I can teach this in the classroom.

 

Climate Change Study Task

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Having familiarised myself with the Climate Change (Scotland) Act (2009). I am now aware of the goal set by the Scottish Government to reduce Scottish emissions to below 80% of the baseline by the year 2050. To do this they have many strategies including the single use carrier bag charge and the land use strategy. The introduction of five pence charge for carrier bags was introduced in October 2014. It is estimated that exactly one year to the date of the charge being implemented, the seven main grocery retailers in Scotland would have used over 800 million carrier bags had the charge not been in place. This legislation has changed my habits as I have since purchased ‘bags for life’ that I use when shopping rather than purchasing single use carrier bags. Consequently, I have become more aware of recycling. The other strategy implemented by the Scottish government to help reach their goal is becoming more aware of land use. The land use strategy was first published in 2011 and is revised every 5 years. The strategy has a long-term goal of having well-integrated, sustainable land use which will have many benefits for society. The vision, according to the Government is “A Scotland where we fully recognise, understand and value the importance of our land resources, and where our plans and decisions about land use will deliver improved and enduring benefits, enhancing the wellbeing of our nation.” Scottish Government Land Use Strategy 2016-2021 (2016).

The clip “Antarctica on the Edge” left me shocked. It allowed me to see and better understand climate change. I learned that Antarctica is warming faster than anywhere else on the planted which influences the entire global weather system. Because of this, sea levels could rise by 1 metre by the end of the century.

 

Using the WWF Measure Your Footprint activities I could see my own carbon footprint. My carbon footprint was 90% and my total annual carbon emissions was 9.4 tonnes I felt this was a staggering amount but it is, in fact, less than the average UK average. My largest contribution was travel at 39%. Admittedly I should walk more frequently, however, I do car share when driving to university and there were no questions about car sharing yet it was suggested as a tip to decrease my footprint. Had there been a question about car sharing, my emissions may have been slightly less. The task also provided me with ways I could reduce my footprint. These included changing my diet by eating less meat and more plants, buying locally sourced food and wasting less food – something I am very guilty of doing.

 

In addition to this I also completed an activity on the BP Carbon Footprint Toolkit where I attempted to measure the carbon footprint of my primary school. I found this interesting but difficult as you are required to know the amount of gas, electricity etc. used per year which I am unaware of and would be difficult to establish. However, I think this task would be useful to do with pupils as it allows them to see ways they could reduce their carbon footprint.

 

To conclude, climate change is an issue that is extremely important and it is paramount that children – as well as adults – are made aware of ways they can help improve the future of the planet. Having completed these tasks I think I will now be more conscious of my decisions as I know that even though my actions may be small they can influence others and therefore have a large impact.

 

 

 

WEBSITES USED

http://bpes.bp.com/secondary-resources/science/ages-12-to-14/earth-and-atmosphere/carbon-footprint-toolkit/

 

http://footprint.wwf.org.uk/?_ga=1.176985891.745195644.1442412124

http://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/sites/default/files/SUCB%20Charge%20One%20Year%20On%20Report.pdf

 

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Environment/Countryside/Landusestrategy

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2009/12/contents

 

 

 

Week 3 – Music and Visual Art 26/9/17

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In today’s art lesson, we began by making our own paintbrushes using the materials provided – such as wool, feathers, buttons and cotton wool. This was an activity I had never done before today because in school we were provided only with ordinary paintbrushes. I thoroughly enjoyed this activity and it was interesting to see the variety of creations made from the same set of materials. We discussed that when using a uniform tool such as a paintbrush children are likely to compare their artwork. However, when using a tool created ourselves the product is a result of our own creation and so are less likely to compare the art with others’ as they are all different.

After this we were then read a description of a picture and we each painted our interpretation of it. Today’s activities could relate to at least two of Eisner’s (2002) “10 lessons the arts teach”. One of which being that the arts can be interpreted from many angles and the second being that the arts are about accepting the unknowing.

I thoroughly enjoyed the visual art workshop, the class reassured me that one does not have to be ‘naturally gifted’ to create art. These activities could be easily replicated with a primary class and I think the pupils would enjoy it very much.

Below shows the process of creating my paintbrush and paining and my mixing tray at the end of the class.

 

In the music workshop, we were looking at finger notes. After a brief introduction of what finger notes are we were given glockenspiels and music and practised in small groups. I found the exercise enjoyable and easier than I had imagined it would be. I have very little experience in music so cannot read music, however, this experience enabled me to play an instrument correctly without having to read sheet music. Drake Music Scotland (2017) emphasise that you do not have to be able to read sheet music to play an instrument as with finger notes “if you can match, you can play!”.

 

This weeks inputs allowed me to value imagination in the teaching of the arts. Allowing pupils to use their imagination means their work will vary and they will be less likely to copy the work of others.

 

Reference List

Drakemusicscotland.org. (2017). Fingernotes – Drake Music Scotland. [online] Available at: https://drakemusicscotland.org/figurenotes/ [Accessed 29 September 2017].

Eisner, E. W. (2002) The Arts and the Creation of Mind. London: Yale University Press.

 

 

The Environment

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If, as teachers, we are to educate pupils about the environment we be aware of our environment and that of our pupils to maximise understanding.

 

Last week’s workshops consisted of a variety of activities. The activity I took the most out of was the sensory walk, it allowed me to explore areas of the campus I didn’t know existed and showed me the vast amount of green, open space in the University’s grounds. The sensory walk would be a great activity to conduct with pupils as no equipment is required. It can also be done at different points throughout the year and pupils could explain the differences they see in their environment as the seasons change. After the walk, many cross-curricular activities can begin, for example, writing a descriptive piece mentioning their senses.

 

During the directed study task, I learned that there is a much higher level of deprivation than I had imagined. I was aware that my town had obvious areas of deprivation but had no idea it was as bad as the statistics have shown. Last week’s classes taught also me that we need to care about the environment closest to us to care about the global environment, taking small steps make a big difference. For example, walking to the shops rather than taking the car.

Urban Environment

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My urban environment is a small town called Saltcoats, located in North Ayrshire. The population of Saltcoats is approximately 12,000 with many of the houses being new builds because of the development of farmland. These new builds along with the older housing estates largely take the form of cul-de-sacs comprising of detached and semi-detached houses. The town centre is currently undergoing a regeneration project to attract more people to the area but at the moment – in the centre of the town – lies banks, pubs, bakeries and small shops. It also hosts a cinema, police station and gym. Public transport in Saltcoats takes the form of a train station and buses. Although the bus routes run through the town they were created before the expansion of the town so, for me, the nearest bus stop is a 10-minute walk from my house.

 

Saltcoats boasts a great deal of green space which takes the form of playing grounds and fields. The air quality as of the 21st of September was ranked at 2, which is very low on the spectrum. There are five primary schools in Saltcoats, three of which are less than a five-minute walk from my house. There are also two secondary schools – one nondenominational and one catholic.

 

North Ayrshire has 51 data zones in the most deprived 0-15% in Scotland (North Ayrshire Council, 2016). My specific area is ranked as a 3 on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, meaning it is in the middle between the most deprived (1) and least deprived (5). It is clear from these statistics that my area suffers from high levels of deprivation which is why it is currently undergoing a regeneration project – as mentioned previously. The regeneration process focuses on three areas: town centre, waterfront and business quarter (Irvine Bay,2017).

Part of Saltcoats town regeneration project.

 

If I were to investigate urban environment with a Primary 5 class I would begin by considering the history of their urban environment (SOC 2-01a). This would help them have a deeper understanding of the area in which they live and allow them to compare what it was like in previous years compared to how they know it. I would also discuss pollution emitted by transport (SOC 2-09a) to encourage positive health and wellbeing through walk or cycling to school. This would link in well if the school were participating in a walk to school week.

 

Reference List

 

Air Quality in Scotland (2017). Latest Pollution Map. [Online]. Accessible: www.scottishairquality.co.uk [Accessed: 21 September 2017].

 

Irvine Bay Projects (2017). Countess Street, Saltcoats. [Online]. Accessible: http://www.irvinebay.co.uk/projects/countess-street-saltcoats/ [Accessed 21 September].

 

North Ayrshire Council (2016). Key Facts and Figures. [Online]. Accessible: https://www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/council/council-information/key-facts-and-figures.aspx [Accessed 21 September].

 

Scottish Government (2017). Curriculum for Excellence: Social Studies. [Online]. Accessible: https://www.education.gov.scot/Documents/social-studies-eo.pdf [Accessed:21 September 2017].

 

 

Week 2 – Children’s Art Archive 19/9/17

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In the workshop, we analysed visual art created by children in the early, first and second levels of school. It was interesting to see how the children’s art changed as they moved through primary school. It was clear that as children move through the years, their tasks are more direct but they also become increasingly uncertain of their own abilities.

During the early years of primary school, children’s art may be identified as belonging to the ‘scribbling stage’. At this stage, they use whole-arm actions as well as stabbing motions to create their art (McAuliffe, 2007). One piece of art that caught my eye was this painting of flowers. It is clearly very colourful and eye-catching. It is very creative as it seems to me that the child has experimented with a variety of brush strokes.

 

Moving to the first level, it was clear that the artwork was created as a result of a task set by the teacher as it became more detailed but less creative. It was evident that most of the work I viewed was topic-related however there was room for creativity in the set tasks. For example, the piece of work shown below resembles a sunset over the sea. However, the child has used their imagination by experimenting with different colours.

 

Lastly, in the second level, children are increasingly aware of their culture and surroundings so draw on what’s around them rather than their imagination when it comes to their artwork. This is known as the ‘gang stage’ throughout which children become increasingly aware of others’ art and consequently more self-conscious about their own ability. In my opinion, the child should be incredibly proud of the work they produced in the picture below. The pupil has created an impressive piece of art from either looking at a picture or copying their surroundings.

 

In conclusion, this week’s class has given me a real insight into how art is taught through the years in primary education. I have considered how I hope to teach art in the future, giving my pupils the opportunity to use their imagination not only in the early years but throughout their time at primary school.

 

Reference List

McAuliffe, D (2007) Foundation and Primary Settings. In Teaching Art and Design 3-11 (ed). London: Continuum.

 

Week 1 – Music and Visual Arts 12/9/17

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Prior to this module, I was apprehensive as I was unaware of exactly what it would involve and did not have a particularly positive experience with the arts in school. Following our morning lecture discussing what the module would encompass and what was expected of us I felt at ease, ready to open my mind to the arts and get fully involved in the workshops.

 

In the music workshop, we listened to a ten-minute clip and worked, in groups, to create a story board we felt best represented the music. Our group had many ideas but focused on the idea of two fish, one of which is eaten by a shark only to later be released. The two fish are then reunited and live happily ever after with one another. Bloomfield & Childs (2000) explain that the arts provide opportunities for individual interpretation, this was apparent in the workshop as each story was created based on the same piece of music but varied between groups.
However, almost every story shared the commonalities of suspense and happy endings. This task gave me my first insight into how the performing arts can interlink as this was not only a music task but also involved art and could branch out further across to the curriculum to the likes of literacy.

 

 

To begin the art workshop, we were asked to write down the positive and negative experiences we had with art as a learner. I was one of many who had a largely negative experience with art in school, I found it was very direct with little chance for self-expression and was restricted by time. We discussed that young children’s ‘scribbling’ is art to them – a representation of how they see the world – and so it is important to show interest and listen to what they say about their drawing (McAuliffe, 2007). As a result of discussing our personal experiences with visual arts I felt ready to focus on having a positive experience and ensuring my pupils have an enjoyable experience in the future.

 

As a result of today’s inputs I am now more informed of the lessons the arts teach. I am also aware that the art’s can tell a story without the use of the written word and this results in everyone interpreting it and, thus, learning different lessons from it.

Reference List

Bloomfield, A and Childs, J (2000) Teaching Integrated Arts in the Primary School. Oxon: David Fulton Publishers.

 

McAuliffe, D (2007) Foundation and Primary Settings. In Teaching Art and Design 3-11 (ed). London: Continuum.

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