I moved 2 weeks ago now to Dubai, for a contract teaching at a large dance school in media city called James and Alex Dance Studios: jamesandalex.com. It has been a challenging two weeks so far, and I've been thrown in at the deep end teaching around 20+ hours per week for children and also courses for adults up to advanced level. My main style is contemporary, which I am enjoying a lot but I am also teaching ballet, tap and hiphop to kids.
Today I've been thinking about this experience and how it relates to some of the points arisen from this professional networking section of the course. One of the hardest thing so far has been that I haven't had my support network here and I am the newcomer. I have questioned my own ability as I haven't really had a lot of feedback. Everyone is so busy doing their own classes, I'm always wondering if I'm on the right track. I haven't had any bad feedback and students are coming back to the classes so I assume I am doing ok but it has made me think about how my professional network is smaller here as I know less people. I want to expand my network, and therefore have more resources to gain knowledge and also constructive feedback on my work.
What are my top 5 sources of information?
My most important resources is my network of dancers and teachers who I have worked directly with. Here, it is my colleagues at the school and also my boss. It is in their interest for the school to succeed so I watch them teach and learn from people more experienced than myself, and also ask a lot of questions. I have also been taking videos and asking for their feedback. As a businessman my boss seems pretty laid back as to what I do with each class just so long as students are happy, so it's up to me to ask sure I ask for opinions. I also take classes myself and absorb good points of teaching that I could use. In taking class I also maintain the sense of what it is like to be the student.
Equally I look online to see what other choreographers are doing. I subscribe to dancers and teachers that post on sites like Youtube to get ideas for choreography and themes. This has ethical implications however; I would never steal a piece of choreography, but I do think it's important to look for new ideas, music, themes and stay current.
For technical points I think being a member of a professional teaching body is invaluable. Although I'm not currently teaching a syllabus, because I am registered with the ISTD I can still use their syllabus to help me to gauge what level a group of children are at and where they should progress to.
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| One of the studios and the view from concord tower across the marina
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What are my top 5 sources of information?
My most important resources is my network of dancers and teachers who I have worked directly with. Here, it is my colleagues at the school and also my boss. It is in their interest for the school to succeed so I watch them teach and learn from people more experienced than myself, and also ask a lot of questions. I have also been taking videos and asking for their feedback. As a businessman my boss seems pretty laid back as to what I do with each class just so long as students are happy, so it's up to me to ask sure I ask for opinions. I also take classes myself and absorb good points of teaching that I could use. In taking class I also maintain the sense of what it is like to be the student.
Equally I look online to see what other choreographers are doing. I subscribe to dancers and teachers that post on sites like Youtube to get ideas for choreography and themes. This has ethical implications however; I would never steal a piece of choreography, but I do think it's important to look for new ideas, music, themes and stay current.
For technical points I think being a member of a professional teaching body is invaluable. Although I'm not currently teaching a syllabus, because I am registered with the ISTD I can still use their syllabus to help me to gauge what level a group of children are at and where they should progress to.
Catherine,
ReplyDeleteIt seems a very good time for you to be studying networking as part of this course at such a time in your career! It is refreshing to see that your top source of information is people, I often think we forget that this is such an important source in the technologically driven world we work in.
I know that starting a new job can be confusing and I agree that it's hard to know if you're on the right track. I analysed Hill's (1987) theory of 'Attention or praise' gained from networking in my 3b task. His concept is that there are four specific social rewards that can effect someone's desire to network.
Do you feel that this theory is relevant to your practices at this moment in your career, especially in starting a new school?
Many thanks,
Jess.
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ReplyDeleteHi Catherine
ReplyDeleteI too can see how the connectivism era brings with it possible ethic issues. As you mentioned above, it is really easy to go on to YouTube and copy somebody's choreography, or download a musical track and use them illegally. I have not long ago began teaching and have found music on YouTube I know it is safe for personal use however I worry about using the music in school dance productions for copyright reasons. I have also found that citing in my critical reflection has been difficult. I have often looked at quotes and struggle too found it difficult too trace back information in order too cite it correctly. It is really confusing. Do you think wiki sites and blog posts are reliable sources for information ?
thanks Laura
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Thanks Catharine - your position and connection to your work students, colleagues and manager is well stated and your active sense of collaboration with BAPP, other professionals and professional organisations suggests a useful professional support network.
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