Joe Kennedy Dance

So I finally feel like I can see some light at the end of the tunnel with my inquiry. Through exploring the idea of creating independent students who go on to be professionals, I keep coming back to the idea that teaching dance, particularly in pressurised vocational environments, we as teachers can often find ourselves consistently falling back on what might be considered 'old school' methods of teaching. 'Teach the technique, drill it, correct, make sure the students understand, develop it'. I find it funny that in a field that is aimed at nurturing creativity, we often teach with a bit of an authoritarian air, potentially how many of us were taught. In trying to get my vocational students to work autonomously and take responsibility for perfecting and developing their own learning, I've become increasingly aware of how much an authoritarian method of teaching can go against this. My inquiry is evolving as an exploration of how different teachers view the bal...

I have been trying to pull together my personal theoretical framework over the last couple of days and it has been a real challenge to reconcile a philosophical stance with the act of teaching dance and working with students. I understand that I have a perspective and my own educational theories that run through all my classes but have been finding it hard to articulate this in an academic sense. I have always held to the belief that dance is hugely subjective both in our understanding and appreciation of choreography, as well as our approaches to learning technique, developing our bodies and understanding movement. In this sense, I definitely fall on the non-positivist side of the line. In this research project I hope to further my understanding of how my students learn and develop but I am aware that my discoveries are likely to only be a general indication and that other students I encounter outside of my research are likely to think and respond to my teaching in very different wa...

So after a tutorial I'm still feeling overwhelmed by Module 2 but have worked out my philosophy and direction with regards to my practice. I have a real interest in examining the perception and response of my pre-vocational and vocational students towards the intense level of training they receive and it's something I want to explore further to ensure I can give them the best possible training as individuals at that level. Looking at different types of students that come into the college, their requirements both technically and artistically and the methods of teaching they respond best to will, I hope, enhance my ability to make them employable and self sufficient. The self sufficiency is a big focus for me as I have found that instilling in students the understanding that they need to take the teaching I give them and then take it further outside of class can be a battle. When the subject we teach is so physical, encouraging repetition and practice, especially in an area tha...