Today’s lecture was about ‘Dance in Education’ discussing that dance should be fun, safe, meaningful and a child lead activity (Cone 2009). Within danced in education it is important to understand that everyone has a role to play in creative dance. Dance should help children build upon many things such as confidence and wellbeing (Cone 2009).

In today’s dance workshop we were given a new theme of Christmas. We were then split into groups and given different activities such as games, stretches, dances sequences and stimulus. In my group we were given games, the ideas we had for games was reindeer tig, Santa says, the number game related to Christmas objects such as presents, Christmas tree and Santa’s sleigh.

We then went into groups to work on our dances and change some parts to fit into our new theme of Christmas, before coming up with a full class dance before showcasing our group dance using the 10 step sequence.

In the drama workshop today it was my groups turn to do their micro teaching drama lesson to our fellow peers. The book my group had picked was ‘The Little Riding Hood’. Working as a group we to delegate the different roles each person would have in delivering our lesson. The different role each person has was reading the book, role on wall, hot seat, freeze frame and fast-forward. This allowed us the opportunity to experience teaching and performing in front of fellow peers.

Both Workshops linked to each other this allowed us to perform in front of peers to build confidence in teaching as well as performing. Picking a certain theme in dance and allowing pupils to lead their own learning using the 10 step dance sequence to create a dance to preform in front of others as a full class activity. In drama it was useful using a book for different levels within the school using the 10 drama conventions to allow pupils to think creatively and express themselves in a different way, which is not the written word.

Reference:

Cone (2009) Following Their Lead: Supporting Children’s Ideas for Creating Dances

In today’s music workshop it was all about rhythm, note names, not values and rest values.

Having looked at the drake music document I understand how figure notes would be easier to understand as the use of colour and shapes makes learning visible.

Throughout this workshop we worked on combining different note names, not values and rest values together to create music. When working on rhythm in the music we practiced using percussion sticks before we then practicing on the Glockenspiel.

Within the visual arts workshop we all had the opportunity to discuss the arts we have seen of the arts whilst being out on our serial day placements. This was good to the different type of art our peers have seen out on placement. Whilst being out on placement Thursday isn’t the day for art however the class and school halls are filled with displays of the arts done in class as the arts are about “showing rather than saying” (Fleming 2012 p9).

Throughout the workshop we also spoke about why the arts should be promoted within schools as it offers children many different opportunities to develop the arts in other curricular areas (Education Scotland nd).

Reference:

Education Scotland (nd) Curriculum for Excellence: Expressive Arts Principles and Practices. [Online] Available at: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/expressive-arts-pp.pdf [Accessed November 7, 2017].

Fleming, M. (2012) The Arts in Education: An Introduction to aesthetics, theory and pedagogy. London: Routledge

In today’s lecture the many concentration was ‘Dance in Education’. Throughout the lecture we spoke about all the things associated with drama in education such as how drama should be a confidence builder, enjoyable, remove fears and not just be about actors. Participation in drama is key Baldwin states that there is value in teachers experiencing drama as participation in order to better understand it as a learner (Baldwin 2009).

Today’s drama lesson was an opportunity for our peers to lead a drama lesson in a micro teaching activity. The first group focus for the drama was the story of ‘The Grufflo’. The first drama convention we were introduced to was role on wall, were we had to write how we feel about each character on the outside of the picture and on the inside how each character feels about themselves. The next drama convention we looked at was Vox Pop and Teacher in Role for this we had to pretend we were a forest creature and were asked questions about the story so far. We then all took part in a Freeze Frame were we acted out a community meet about what we will do about the Grufflo. Then we moved onto a Thought Tunnel were we all said one word to describe how we feel about the grufflo. Finally after hearing the full story we then moved onto a Fastforward about how we would welcome the grufflo and what we should do about the mouse.

The second group focus was on the story of ‘The 3 little pigs’ as this is a well-known story everyone knew. The first drama convention this group introduced to us was Teacher in Role were each group had to discuss what they would do about the wolf. Within my group we came up with the idea of creating a trap and use the bigger numbers as there is only one wolf. The next drama convention we looked at was Flashback we had to think of why the wolf acts the way he does and act this out to our peers. Hot seating was the next drama convention looked at where the full section had the opportunity to ask to the wolf about why he acts the way he does by blowing down the little pigs houses. The last drama convention was a Though Tunnel about how we felt about the wolf before then how we felt after the asking questions.

In the music workshop again was a micro teaching lesson as there was pupils from Greenmill Primary School came into the university to teach us how to play string instruments. The instrument I was working with was the cello were the pupils taught us different techniques about how to play the instrument such as plucking and bowing. The pupils allowed us to play each instrument using the different techniques they taught us to simple songs and rhythms.

Both workshops linked to each other as it was a micro teaching lesson. In the drama lesson we were taught by our fellow peers and in the drama lesson taught by the primary pupils of Greenmil Primary. This would be a useful lesson ideas to let pupils lead their own learning.

Reference:

Baldwin, P (2009) School Improvement Through Drama A Creative whole class, whole school approach Network Continuum

This week for natural disasters we were put into groups and had to make a powerpoint presentation on different sub-topics relating to natural disasters. The sub-topic my group concentrated on for the micro teaching task was floods. Each member of the group had their own individual task to focus on for our presentation, my main focus was on the definition of floods and how this could relate to a lesson plan for curriculum for excellence. I found this rather challenging as I did not realise the effects of floods were so sever and had great impact of the communities.

Having done this micro teaching activity it has helped me develop upon my research skills and presentation skills. Developing my research skills came from identifying what appropriate and relevant information, that came from academic readings. In doing this it helped me enhance my knowledge about floods. Presenting is something out of my confort zone, however, I did feel that I had great knowledge about floods to share with my fellow peers. In doing this I did have to come out of my comfort zone to challenge myself to present. However, after presenting I realise it wasn’t as bad as I had thought and I let nerves get the better of me.

All in I felt the Micro teaching task was very beneficial for myself as it challenged me but also let me build upon skills.