Task 4c & Enrolment

Enrolment

 

 

I am so excited! I have paid for last year's tuition fees so will be able to enrol onto the course in the next couple of days for year 2012/13! Wooohooo! I am going to get my Degree! :)

 

 

Task 4c

 

I have just sent two teachers (one in drama and one in dance), who have lots of experience, my questions in Task 4a. I cannot wait to get their answers and will post them soon! I have also started a rough Inquiry plan based on my ideas I already have. I have also started a survey with some questions in 4a, it is on my blog post so please fill in if you are a teacher, it only takes a few minutes. But I have already had a few fantastic answers! 

Task 4d

Task 4d

 

So after further discussions with Alan, I realised that a BA in Professional Practice in Education of Drama would not be right as a title for my studies as it may appear like I have specific knowledge of education rather than the subject itself. Therefore I have decided on my original Award title of

 

BA (Hons) in Professional Practice in Drama & Theatre Arts

 

I have decided to specialise in Drama, however do not want to completely forget my Dance and Musical Theatre work which should come under all Theatre Arts.



A survey to investigate how teachers use certain approaches whilst teachers and how they are believed to benefit the teacher and students

Please take a minute to answer my survey as this will really help with my Inquiry.

Here is the direct link: Rebecca Clarke's Teachers Survey

Thank you everybody :)

My Inquiry Plan

Planning of Inquiry

 

I have been struggling with all my ideas for my line of inquiry this week and after talking with Alan Durrant via email, I think I have a rough idea now of what I am heading for.

 

I had so many ideas but was finding it really difficult to articulate them and put them into sentences. I am going to write some of my ideas here and why Alan thought they wouldn't be successful.

 

Aim
An Inquiry to discover in what way method acting effects a child's development.

Objectives

Would go something along the lines of..

• Questionnaire for students
• Questionnaire for teacher
• Observing an drama class (government curriculam) at a school
• Observing an acting class at an outside of school Theatre group

etc etc..

Aim

An Inquiry to determine in what way different acting methods effects a child's development.

This would have similar sort of objectives.

Aim

An Inquiry to explore why teachers chose to teach method acting and how it would effect a child's development.

After discussing these ideas with Alan, I realised that these ideas were too specific and I could not get a definite conclusion as so many other outside factors would come into the conclusion. For example with method acting, it may not only be method acting that had effected a student but other factors like learning difficulties, problems at home etc. Therefore, we could not determine an answer.

My other idea was to investigate into why teachers use certain teaching approaches and why they do this? How do they benefit the students? I was really struggling to articulate this idea and told Alan this.

We eventually came up with:

Aim

An inquiry to explore why a teacher would use certain approaches in drama and why this is believed to benefit the teacher and students

The 'believed' in the sentence makes sure the conclusion will be supportive of both pros and cons. It should give me lots to write about to as it is not as specific as looking at different acting methods but teaching different acting methods, how we teach them and what effect they make on the actors using them.

I think I am going to use my final idea. However, I am still keeping my options open and if I think of anymore then I will blog them. Please do let me know how you are all getting on and how far you have got with your inquiry plans. I would love to discuss and also if you have any constructive crtiscism, that would be greatly appreciated too.

Thank you.



Task 4d

Award Title & Rationale

 

 

 

BA (Hons) in Professional Practice in Education of Drama and Theatre Arts

 

My original ideas were to have my title in performance for example; 'in Performing Arts' or 'in Musical Theatre', however I came to the conclusion that I already have a National Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre from the Urdang Academy. I realised not many casting directors are going to take a Degree into account when casting productions. Therefore, I decided to use 'Education' in my award title as I want to use my Degree to get a Teaching Qualification and I want to focus on drama education as my practice. 'Drama' represents my current focus and 'Theatre Arts' covers all my performance related subjects that I teach , e.g; different styles of Dance, Musical Theatre and Choreography.

 

 



Task 4d

Task 4d

 

 

I realise I have missed out a Task but I just wanted to blog my early ideas for my award titles. I have been thinking as I already have a National Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre from the Urdang Academy, I don't feel its necessary for me to have a degree in Musical Theatre or any performance related award. With my performance side of work, casting directors aren't going to be particularly interested in a degree. They may focus on where I have trained, how long I trained for and my experience. I continued to think what am I aiming to use this degree for.. Teaching & Education. I know the course is not an education course but I am focusing my attention on the educational aspect of my work. Therefore, if I want to progress on and do a QTS or PGCE, I feel it is right for me to relate my award title to this.

 

 

My first ideas are something like this; BA (Hons) in Professional Practice in Education of Performing Arts, BA (Hons) in Professional Practice in Education of Drama and Dance, BA (Hons) in Professional Practice in Education of Theatre Arts.

 

 

What do we think?

Task 4b

Task 4b

 

 

 

I have decided to use Linkedin to help with my SIG as I wanted to keep my personal facebook away from University & work. On the right of this post, there is the 'Home' link, underneath it there is a page that links to a page promoting my SIG. Feel free to comment on the page and also take a look at the link that is posted on there (this will take you directly to my SIG). Add and comment as much as you like. I have posted my Research questions on there as a discussion starter.. Post yours if you like and hopefully we can get some conversations going!

 

 

Thanks everybody!



Task 4a (Research Questions)

Task 4a

 

Whilst reading through reader (4), I decided to add some notes to it when I got to a point of interest, baring Task 4a in mind. The reader mentions that finding some research questions is quite difficult, especially if we are interested in many different topics- myself being interested in Dance and Drama in a performer's and a teacher's aspect. Being from a performing arts background, I felt it is very hard to pinpoint a specific interest to base my degree on. I realise that inventing my award title may prove complicated.

When asking questions, I decided to base them on 'drama instruction' as I have just recently opened my own (first ever) business as a private Speech & Drama/LAMDA tutor and think my business and myself as a teacher could really benefit from focusing my attention on the business's description title- 'drama instruction'.

My questions so far lie within this topic and am hoping that my peers may have some comments or suggestions to add. Please feel free to comment!

1. How does script work aid a child's understanding of text, not only in drama & english literature, but in day to day life?
2. How can teachers help young adolescents believe that pre 1914 drama is interesting and not boring?
3. How can actors use dance to express emotion when performing a drama production? How can professionals incoporate both dance and drama?
4. How can a teacher help a student to understand the concept of 'inner monologues'?
5. What is the importance of drama/acting in a child's delevelopment?
6. What is the importance of personality projection when learning the skills for performing arts? How does this develop a child's skill when performing?
7. How can we, as teachers, help a student to understand the importance of homework and bringing relevant material to lesson?
8. Should children use method acting to help with character development? If it is used how does this effect the child's academic and emotional development?
9. How much should an actor's imagination contribute to actual performance? Will this encourage too much improvisation?
10. How does a student's self esteem effect their performance? What can teachers do to help?
11. What is the role of a teacher?
12. What is the role of an actor?

When asking these questions, I realise that some encourage me to think more than others. When reading back through them, I am more interested in questions that consist of the words 'teacher', 'student' and 'develop'. This shows that teaching drama and dance is maybe the topic I want to concentrate on at this point in the course.

I am back!!

Hello, I am back on the course! WOOHOO! May be in debt but at least I am one step closer to getting my degree.. Going to have a read through of the Module 2 Handbook this weekend, any advice would be much appreciated. This going to be a crazy year with a new business to run and a University course to get through, but hey ho, we'll manage! :)