I found the recent skype chat very engaging. Those involved were Sinead, April (by text as she had no microphone) and Adesola. Discussions were based around physical and mental space. We also discussed the differences in approaches to dance in our various countries and the sometimes unhelpful focus on 'winning' a dance competition subsequently focusing on 'tricks' and winning rather than quality, technique emotion or narrative. We talked about how we support those young people, particularly those wishing to take dance to a higher level.
I brought up a book that has been keeping my mind busy called 'Mindset' by Dr. Carol Dweck. I am on module 2 and have been thinking about how a mindset can influence not only the student but more importantly the teacher. I have been struggling to clearly define my thoughts and it was when Sinead spoke about differentiated learning that I realised I was getting closer to where my thoughts were trying to lead me.
Since the conversation I have realised that the area that interests me comes before the stage of offering differentiated approaches to learning. It is the part in the teacher that cares whether or not the student succeeds and centres around the teachers own beliefs about learning.
Mindset, links very closely for me with the positivist and non positivist schools of thought. In essence, the growth mindset believes that each student has the ability to develop and change even if they do not have the most obvious talent. It is a matter of a process and working with the student assisting them in reaching their potential. The fixed mindset believes that its not really worth the effort because change is not possible in the student. A student is either 'clever or not and no amount of intervention will alter that.
Dr. Dweck says ; 'Teachers with the fixed mindset create an atmosphere of judging. These teachers look at students beginning performance and decide who's smart and who's dumb. Then they give up on the "dumb"ones'.
I have been thinking about my own teachers and how a fixed mindset may have played a role in their approach to me as a student. The fixed mindset will have preconceived ideas based on gender, race, body shape, aesthetic etc, placing a judgement on who is and who is not worth teaching.
'Do teachers need to love all of their student? No, but they have to care about every single student.' Dweck, C.
'.....growth-orientated teaching' will see where a student is and then work to get them to the next stage (which is when differentiated learning would take place). Dweck, C.
Questions then arise for me in terms of teaching. I wonder how many dance teachers come from a fixed perspective. It is not to say that it is not possible to change but if a teacher is not aware that this may be their approach to teaching and learning how can they change. Would they want to? Is it necessary? Does it impact on the students? How? Do they use differentiated teaching methods? Believe in differentiated learning? Have they seen the results? Do they accept the results? How does a teachers own education, background, environment, social conditioning and values impact on their approach to teaching dance? How have mine?
How have yours? I would love to hear your thoughts and even a couple of lines on how you feel your history has influenced your teaching (positive or negative).
Have a good day all!
Bibliography
MindSet Dr. Carol Dweck 2006
Hey Tara.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post.
As a teacher, I enjoy the challenge of engaging students, and finding ways to offer connections to material, ideas, and their own creative discovery. In this sense, I do not consider myself as someone with a set of fixed criteria for what makes learning (dance) possible.
A hurdle for me as a teacher (and student) of dance is the challenge of finding balance between practicing movement basics, and offering platforms for exploring creativity. As a teacher, I like to keep myself open to learning about what students are curious about, and the latter platforms offer the opportunity to come in contact with these points of view.
As a student, I felt this was lacking, so I am adamant about making practical space for students to exercise their intelligence and creativity in my classes, no matter what the level.
You have to give people space to be intuitive, and to discover something about themselves. It's vital to their continued participation, and the continuation / growth of the art form. (Is that a fixed perspective???? .....I think it is just a strong value :) )
Hi Alana,
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear from you, thanks for responding.
It’s interesting how our own backgrounds shape our understanding of movement and shape our priorities in terms of what we prioritise for our students. Perhaps because I was quite different to many of the students in my class, in terms of age, race and social class I encourage individuality. My training was very technical but I realised early on that I learn about technique through actually moving rather than stationary exercises and so my classes tend to have a lot of movement within and I teach technique via this route.
My early work in community dance took me to Ethiopia where I (and others) trained a group of 18 street children who (14) now work as professional dancers. Three of those dancers work internationally (consistently) and have made a name for themselves within the contemporary dance field as well as in the African dance world. This experience showed me that it is possible regardless of your beginnings that with hard work, almost anything can be achieved. Many of the dancers did not start out as the best but they persevered and with and with encouragement, support and belief from their tutors peers and possibly families (but not all)(I think) change and growth was possible and they have been able to work and compete at the highest level. I wondered at that time (1996) and even more so now, what it took for them to persevere - day in and day out!.
Adesola has just asked me “where is your mind, What is your mind when you dance?’Interestingly, for much of the journey for the dancers/students in Ethiopia, they would practice without a tutor. I would work with them for 4-6 weeks and then leave them a ballet and contemporary class, which they would then work on without any assistance. It has made me wonder what motivated them to continue. Some to such an extent that they were able to improve dramatically by the next time I would visit, others would have made little or no improvement. What thoughts or feelings did they have through their classes with and without a tutor? It’s a long story but many of their families were against them dancing and so I wonder how this impacted on them both then and now as the new generation of teacher/choreographer and dancer. How our own history offers the foundation for the futures of our students.
You have to give people space to be intuitive, and to discover something about themselves. It's vital to their continued participation, and the continuation / growth of the art form.
I love this sentence because for me it is like the responsibility of a mother to a child. In order for the child to eventually be independent (grow)the space needs to be given for discovery whilst continuously offering and encouraging them to practice their basic technique (values/morals).
I keep returning to how the dance studio and ‘outside world’ merge and reflect one another.
Strange that with every sentence comes another question so I will just post this but may well add some other thoughts.
Thank you Tara. I find the more I teach and consider what it is to teach, the more questions emerge. This affirms for me in another way the importance of giving students 'space': If I don't have a solution, they just might :) Great creative work and learning for everyone, students and teachers alike.
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