Final piece

So I have read some blogs of our course lecturers recently and most are saying to get a move on with the final piece, therefore I think I am going to begin drafting it. I am going to leave the remaining tasks until when/if I feel like I need them. I am so stuck on where to begin as I do not really understand if I am writing on my own professional practice and others or our networks? Also my journal is actually a mess as I have been writing for myself, if I am doing scans of them do you think I should re write in neat or leave as my original writing? Any clarification would be amazing! Thanks and good luck everyone x

Task 3b

It has taken me while but I am hoping I am there now with this task!

Task 3b

Task 3a

When it comes to professional networking, as a graduate, I feel very much oblivious and 'out of the loop'. I am hoping, by emercing myself in this module, I will be enlightened with the idea of networking.

A teacher I had when studying at college, told us that we MUST socialise when we get our first job. He said it was of vital importance that we go to the pub after rehearsals, whilst obviously behave in a professional manner. The reason for this is to increase our networks. As graduates, we were told to socialise and ask questions. As Emily has said in her blog; 'it isn't what you know, but WHO you know'. This is something I'd like to improve on, I am generally a very chatty person however, when it comes to talking to other professionals and practitioners, I can get a little shy so I'd like to push myself in this area of professional networking.

Having thought for a couple of days about my current methods of professional networking, my original thought was that I didn't really have any but after a day or so, I realised, much to my surprise, as a performer, I do! Spotlight is a tool that most performers should have, this enables casting directors and other practitioners to access your personal information and photographs, easily. My CV and headshots are on the internet for any professional to find, therefore by having a Spotlight page I am broadening my professional network. Getting your face seen and recognised can get you one step ahead.

Another 'tool', I realised I had, was an agent. Agencies are an already set up network that you can join to get auditions. Most agencies have links with casting directors, choreographers and other professionals, and get breakdowns of jobs sent to them, your agency then decides if you are suitable and then contacts the professional and you. This is an instant network, although you must give a percentage of your wage to your agent if you get a job, you are widening your professional network by being a part of the agency. Professionals trust many agents to 'come up with the goods' so will have no reason to not see you for an audition.

As well as the mentioned ways of networking, social networking ie; Facebook, Myspace, Twitter etc can also be used to enlarge your personal and professional network. At most, I use Facebook as a way of personally contacting friends or family. However, I do have a group on my Facebook of one of the schools I teach at. I post comments, useful videos and websites to my students, fellow colleagues and even my boss! Although I do not have these people as friends on my facebook, I use it to connect with them on a professional level. Another example I have is casting director Debbie O'Brien's professional facebook page where she posts auditions and workshops. Again, I have contact with professionals by merely using a social networking site I use to contact friends.
Personally, I do not use Twitter but I can see the benefits of using it. It is a great way for celebrities to get in touch with their fans and also other celebrities. Celebrities post their comments, friends and fans follow these. It can increase their fan base and also their professional network with other celebrities, directors, choreographers etc. However, Twitter like Facebook can have disadvantages. Whilst working out at the gym this morning a documentary came on the television, 'The Wanted, Backstage Special'- The Wanted are a recent boy band and were filming their tour in Brazil, from one post on Twitter saying they were at the airport, a whole load of fans turned up for autographs and photos! The boys handled the situation very well but one of the band's members said he couldn't believe the fans had followed them from seeing one post on a social networking site!

As for my professional network I'd like to keep my personal facebook page private so I can still use it for leisure. I want to enlarge my network so maybe having two facebook pages, one for professional and one for personal would be a good idea. I do not like the idea of other practioners and professionals seeing photographs of me on holiday with the girls! I would like to look into the use of websites, I do not know much about websites as I am a bit useless with technology but I think having a website especially for my teaching would be very beneficial. It could have lists of open and private classes, timetable of classes, prices, contact details and information about my teaching on it. This would develop my network so if anyone typed my name into google, my professional webpage would appear on the screen. Linking my professional facebook page, website, youtube channel, spotlight page and agency page is something I would also like to look into, links on each page taking you to different websites and videos. This would help to keep my professional 'online' network structured and easy to access.

Task 2d

• What in your daily practice gets you really enthusiastic to find out more about? Who do you admire who also works with what makes you enthusiastic?

In most of my reflective journal entries when writing about what I would most like to find out more about very much varies from day to day. However, a consistant answer would be I would like to find out more about using props in my class. Younger children sometimes have problems with their concentration levels. By teaching with a wonderful teacher called Miss Annabelle Watson, she has taught me that props can work very well to get the younger childrens' attention. The use of music is also a great way of doing this, using something the children can relate to can be very successful.  A line of inquiry I have an interest in is how can we, as teachers, use music and props to make the classes more beneficial and interesting for the students and how can we incorporate this into dance performance?

• What gets you angry or makes you sad? Who do you admire who shares your feelings or has found away to work around the sadness or anger?

When thinking about what has made me angry during my teaching career whilst writing my journal, one incident always jumps out at me. I was teaching a rehearsal for a pantomime and as I was teaching the choreography a 17 year old boy challenged my teaching and said the choreography did not match the counts in the music. I tried to explain that I didn't want the movement in time with the counts, I wanted the movement on the beat. He then insisted that he was right and kept on challenging me. I had to send everyone for a small break as I was very frustrated and angry. It made me question my own teaching. I am most upset and angry if I feel like I have to question my teaching, however, I also see this as an oppptunity to grow and evolve as a teacher. When dealing with the situation, I automatically thought 'what would my dance teacher of done if I had challenged her like this?', a lady I have so much respect and admiration for is Alexia McAvoy, founder and director of Soul Performing Arts. The way she would of dealt with this circumstance would of been a very blunt and I think, beneficial way to deal with this. She would of asked us to leave the room and to consider who the choreographer is, me or her. Alexia has always been a very highly respected person in my eyes. A line of inquiry that I am interested in on this aspect is not only how do I handle pupils with low self esteem or over-confidence but how I can I use their energy to inform my teaching and progress further with the students dancing?

• What do you love about what you do? Who do you admire who also seems to love this or is an example of what you love?

I love giving back to the children, the feeling of knowing I have developed their knowledge and helped them to get closer to reaching their dreams. If a child has a question about anything, I would like them to feel they could come and ask me, whilst remaining a professional. I have felt this bond with a teacher I worked with when I was very young named Anna Hosgood. She is a drama teacher at Soul Performing Arts. As well as being a fantastic teacher, she cared about me and I felt like she always enjoyed teaching us, no matter how naughty we were! My line of inquiry here is how can I use my knowledge to develop the students' not only dance careers but also their day to day lives for the better?

• What do you feel you don’t understand? Who do you admire who does seem to understand it or who has found a way of making not understanding it interesting or beautiful, or has asked the same questions as you?

I am trying to use themes in my classes. I find it difficult to develop dance movements to teach the children from the theme I have used. If I could develop this I can teach the children to associate different movements with themes making it easier for them to learn. Again I would use Soul as a great example of this, in these videos, Alexia and Sam used the theme of dolls and choreographed a dance around that theme. All the movement came originally from the idea of dolls. Hype it up- Soul Youth Dance Company and Hype it up (2)- Soul Youth Dance Company. A line of enquiry I'd really like to explore; how can I use themes in my classes to develop my choreography?

Task 2c

After a very reluctant start, I actually really enjoyed writing this and got very involved in my thoughts.

Task 2c- A critical reflection on reflective practice

Task 2b- Journal writing experience

So I began my journal by just writing and seeing what came out. This helped me with getting started.  I remember what a teacher once told me at school, 'if you are just staring at a blank page and you can think of nothing to write, just write anything even if it is just random words or letters', I tried this and sentences began flowing from my pen. I have taken each day I teach and tried to explore each way of writing journals. I still have a few left but at the moment, I feel 'evaluation' and also 'list' is working well for me. With listing things down I don't have to think as hard as things just come out in order. Evaluation helps to deepen my thoughts. After I have explored all the ways of writing, I think I will definitely explore these two ways in more depth as I think combining both together would really help me reflect.

I am teaching street, ballet, jazz and tap tomorrow so I am going to try and use charts, graphs and diagrams to help stimulate my reflection- maybe in a spider diagram. I am now going to research 'My life in graphs' as mentioned in the module handbook.

I am finding my reflective journal very helpful with improving my teaching as it shows me where I have gone wrong and how I could do things differently. Noting this all down helps, as it is not forgotten.

Task 2a

I have begun my reflective journal. Trying to get my point across on paper is proving very difficult and reflecting on what has happened in the day is even harder! I have bought a little notebook and am just scribbling down all my thoughts for now to read later and try to get into the habit of reflecting. I don't really enjoy being on my laptop all the time so I have decided to write a good old fashioned journal rather than a high tech one but everyone is different and what works for me may not work for others.
Tonight, I might try to start working on task 2b, I think it may help develop my thoughts, however, I may be running before I can walk here.
I still need some help with task 1c and I need to catch my brother when he isn't busy! Any advice on where to start would be much appreciated.