development – Rachel Fraser UWS ITE ePDP

Integrated Arts- Music and Dance 17/10/2017

The focal points of this week’s integrated arts inputs where music and dance. Again, after these inputs I believe I have developed further knowledge and confidence within the integrated arts education.
During the lecture we explored why music matters within education and how music can complement other subject areas, in particularly literacy. The skills of music are encircled by the skills of literacy primarily transpiring as reading, writing, listening and speaking, Hansen et al (2014, p.1) connotes “children are learning valuable skills of music that are an integral part of becoming a literate person”. Likewise, Patricia Stock cited by Hansen et al (2014, p.3) denotes literacy as “the ability to use available symbol systems that are fundamental to learning and teaching- for the purpose of comprehending and composing- for the purpose of making and communicating meaning and knowledge”. Music empowers children to acquire additional skills of creative, perspective, comprehending and rhythm. Even at a young age when children are engaging in play, children are making emblematic connections to the real word. From early stage children should be encourage to listen to music and create their own music too, researchers have proven that music can enhance children’s language and literacy acquisitions. Decoding is a fundamental skill of learning to read and making the connections between the phoneme and grapheme (Hansen et al, 2014). Teachers are able to use music in literacy and maths for instance “using songs as a way to learn the content of reading or mathematics such as memorising grammatical structure or multiplication tables” (Hansen et al, 2014, p. 42). Similarly, music can also raise attainment in the primary school, children may become more engaged in learning and behaviour may improve due to the involvement of music. As a perspective teacher it is important that I find a way of implement music in the classroom, allowing the children to be engaged within all of the arts and give them the opportunity to create their own authentic pieces of integrated art work, whether it is an individual or with peers. There are many options that engendered children’s involvement in music, this can be through learning to play an instrument or learning to sing, learning to compose, using ICT to develop music, learning to produce a performance. What I gathered from lecture is music is a powerful subject which can help teachers to develop learning and teaching, and also aid the cognitive development of children, as a perspective teacher it is important that within my practise I express enthusiasm and energy in order to make learning engaging and enjoyable. Bloomfield (2000, p.67) highlights the importance of music in the curriculum “some children will find an opportunity to excel in musical communication while others will be highly motivated by musical activities. It is important to acknowledge that such music is such a powerful musical tool”.
The music workshop focused on the theory aspect of music and the advantages of music in other subject areas. In groups we were assigned a curricular area within the ‘International Journal of Music Education’ by Susan Hallam, my group was assigned physical development, below is the mind-map of information we abstracted.

Also within the input we consider lesson planning in music, using an interdisciplinary approach, below is our lesson plan

This week we were introduce to the dance aspect of the integrated arts. Before the input I felt rather apprehensive and uneased by the prospect of teaching dance, but throughout the input I acquired valuable techniques that has increased my empowerment and confidence in dance. Dance is made up of movements which are used to illustrate emotions and meaning, dance is part of cultural across the world, and dance is considering a means of social interaction (Bloomfield, 2000). Children are first exposed to dance “through singing games and spontaneous rhythmical play actions, acquired through family, nursery, and media resources (Bloomfield, 2000, p,45). Bloomfield likewise states dance is “experienced through awareness of kinaesthetic flow patterns, the awakening and development of skills through coordination… meaning of movement in a creative and expressive way (2000. P.45). Throughout the input we were shown a variety of ways to implement dance in an engaging way for instance dance whisper- the class form two equal straight lines and the two children at top is show a short sequence dance and must pass it along line to the end of the lines. Another approach is getting the children to form a conga line and different music plays and each child gets the opportunity to create a unique response to the music. Also in groups we consider bones and muscles that we use when we exercise, when teaching dance especially through Physical Education it is important to do a warm-up and ensure the children are ready to dance, likewise a cool- down is important too. Movements of the left side of the body are dominated by the fundamental motor and sensory sector of the brains right hemisphere, (Bloomfield, 2000). When teaching dance, it foremost to be aware that individual have one side of their body more presiding than the other, it is therefore principle to practise the movement on both sides of body, being resilient if one side of body is more challenged by the movement (Bloomfield, 2000).

Nonetheless this week we were able to establish the principle TEN words of any dance routine being:
• Twist
• Reach
• Roll
• Slide
• Gesture
• Hop
• Jump
• Kick
• Turn
• Balance
Utilising the ten words above in groups we create our own movement for each and next week we hope to incorporate into constructed dance routine.
I found this week inputs to be overall insightful, I have been able to consider the power, the influence and theory of music not only to the curriculum, but the significance that music can have on children’s development and attainment within learning. Likewise, in dance I have be able to acknowledge the importance of movement within dance and the thought behind creative dance routines.

References
Bloomfield, A. (2000) Teaching Integrated Arts in the Primary School. Oxon: David Fulton
Hansen, D, Bernstorf, E, Stuber, G. (2014) The Music and Literacy Connection .(2nd ed). London: Rowan and Littlefield

Cognitive Development of Children’s Art Work

The focus of this week’s integrated arts input was the cognitive development of children’s art work, as they progressed through their primary education.

Initially, Elliot Eisner 10 Lessons the Arts Teach was imparted during the lecture, what I gathered was this publication should be at the centre of any creative teaching, as it abridges the exposition for the arts in education (Hall and Thomson, 2017). Likewise, the arts can aid attainment throughout the curriculum, but Eisner publication makes it his nucleus that the arts are more about understanding the world completely and the influence that creativity can have on our world (Hall and Thomson, 2017).

The pre-readings required for the lecture where very insightful, which explored art and design in primary education and the art developments of children through nursery and primary.

The Arts in Education, Fleming 2012
Teaching Art and Design 3-11, McAuliffe 2007

These reading encouraged me to consider the varying elements of creativity and how this can influence the mark makings, drawings and paintings of a range of ages and was able to use this knowledge when introduced to the archive of children’s art work.

McAuliffe (2007) encapsulates the different art and design stages that children develop, McAuliffe makes reference to the theories of Lowenfeld and Brittain (1997) which they alluded the following model of art development:

Stage 2-4 years- Scribbling stage
Stage 4- 7 years- pre-schematic stage
Stage 7-9 years- schematic stage
Stage 9- 12 years- gang stage

McAuliffe, D. (2007)

However, presently teachers no longer make reference to this theory as a means of art assessments due to cognitive advancements. (McAuliffe, 2007).

This a created by a child who was four years old, this is known as the pre-schematic stage (McAuliffe, 2007, P.26). At this age children can draw anything relevant from their imagination. Initially I though child’s drawing was of a birthday cake, however a description on the back made by their teacher said in fact the child drew a dog under a washing machine. The child’s teacher exhibited good practise by listening and making a note of what the child drew.

This painting was a produced by a child (aged 7- 9 years) during the schematic stage. As art ability is progressing children begin to add more details and features to their work, they are understanding the importance of proportion and placement of objects and the importance of colours (McAuliffe, 2007). However, there is a conversion in learning styles as at early level creation is more “child- based activity” and when they go into first level creation is “adult- based learning” (McAuliffe, 2007, P.28). Art work in the primary school becomes more unified and is centred around the lesson plans of the teacher and their creation and imagination rather than the spontaneous imagination of the children.

The final stage of art development in primary education is the “gang stage” (aged 9-12 years). At this stage children are able to make precise drawings of features, likewise children are becoming increasingly conscious of their art work and their ability as skills required become more demanding (McAuliffe, 2007). Also children in this stage add more detail to their work but will become more discontented and will use pencil in order to rub their errors out until perfect.

The lecturer introduced an excellent way to incorporate art and literacy, this can be done by giving children one page of a book or article which they read, instead highlighting key points, they would draw their response on the page given.

This week I have been able to expand my knowledge of children development through art and design, this allowed me to consider methods in which I can adopted in order to ensure children have the opportunity to employ their own unique imagination and creativity into their art work.

References

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

Hall, C. Thomson, P. (2017) Inspiring School Change: Transforming Education Through the Creative Arts. 1^st ed. Oxon: Routledge.

Eisner, E. (2002) The Arts and the Creation of the Mind. Chapter 4, What the Arts Teach.

Reflections on Placement

Reflecting back on my university placement, the week went by extremely quick. From the first day of university finding out the date that placement would begin, did not seem to long ago either.

Fast forward seven weeks I had discovered my placement school and was fretting over printing out the required eight placement task and hoping I had printed enough placement handbooks for staff who required it at the school.

Monday morning came I was immensely apprehensive as my placement school was dissimilar to the primary school that I attended and also where I gained my work experience at. But I was eager to get started and to embrace this new challenge… and the placement tasks.

As the week evolved I observed in many classes and also introduced to interesting teaching methods that contributed to completing the placement task. I was engaged in self/peer evaluations and school assessment that helped me to discover strengths and areas for improvement in my communication.

Strength

My most notable strength was the way in which I used voice to speak loudly, clearly and variation of tone when carrying out group work activities. This allowed the pupils’ to understand the task and also show my enthusiasm when explaining the task.

Area of Most Progress

My area of most progress during the placement was my engagement with staff. Initially during the first couple of days while in the staffroom I was rather quite, but as the week progressed I felt more comfortable in this setting and began to interact with staff more while in the staffroom.

Area Requiring Progress

It was evident after evaluations that my area that I need to improve is my overall non-verbal communication. When explaining tasks to groups I would use limited amount of body language and often would hide my hands.

Action Plan

This placement highlight to me that I need to become more confident with teaching staff and to improve my non-verbal communication. My next steps for next placement is get more involved with staffroom discussion. In terms of my non-verbal communication my next steps is to use more hand gesture when speaking to friends and family so I become more adjusted to this method of communication.