Education Vs Experience

Warning - long post!

As my anxieties about where to start on this first module begin to reside, I have found myself questioning things I once thought I had clear opinions on, and after initially worrying about not knowing what to write, I am now concerned about how I'm going to condense everything that I want to question and discuss.

My process of Module 1 so far looks something like this...

- Panic and anxiety about where to start and what is expected of me

- Back to basics to create some semantic mapping of my professional practice in hopes that I will find some inspiration

- An overflowing page of reflections, knowledge, opinions and questions, with so many links and overlaps that I have lines and arrows scribbled everywhere! but all of these interlinking headings point me to one main question: Theory vs practice. Education vs Experience. Can we separate these two concepts? Or is one merely void without the other?

Where to begin? I guess where it all began....

Like so many little girls, I began ballet classes at a young age. I have clear memories of being just 4 or 5 years old and so desperately wanting to be like the beautiful, graceful 'big girls' at my dance studio. As time went on my love for dance grew, I completed all the dance exams that I could in my RAD and ISTD Ballet, Modern and Tap classes, and became one of those 'big girls' at my dance school that I had admired so much as a young girl.

I guess this is where I discovered my interest for teaching. 

I was very fortunate to have gained a place at the Royal Academy of Dance HQ to study for my BA (Hons) Ballet Education, and I completed my Licentiate in this time too. My 3 years of this riveting course filled me with so much invaluable knowledge. To put it all in to one blog post would prove rather lengthy! In short, a few key areas of insight include dance history, teaching methods, lesson planning, musical appreciation, notation, movement analysis and interpretation, anatomy and development, practical application.... So much amazing knowledge! 

Never to be one for sitting comfortably, I established my dance school as I started the third year of my degree which in itself was a huge learning curve. Time management and organisational skills were in full swing! As soon as my degree and RAD Licentiate was completed, I jumped straight in to my ISTD teaching qualifications too, and completed my DDI and DDE for both Modern and Tap within 18 months. More movement analysis, dance technique, teaching methods and musical appreciation. Oh and of course time management.

After this, I spent some time building, growing and establishing my dance school; working out what I wanted my dance school to represent; what I wanted our image to be. I knew that I thoroughly enjoyed teaching, and I had high expectations. I of course wanted my students to thoroughly enjoy their classes, but I also wanted them to aim high and achieve their maximum potential. 

As more enquiries and interest from potential clients came in, I noticed a particular recurring theme from parents of children with disabilities and additional needs. So many of them had been turned away, or as one particular parent described, 'rejected' from other dance, drama and performing arts groups. All because of their 'difference'. They would take up too much time or be a distraction in classes. They should be in a 'special' class that catered for their needs.

This really resonated with me and I found it quite astonishing that children had been turned away from classes just because they didn't 'fit' in to the 'normal' template for a dance or drama school. Isn't this the whole reason we spent so much time learning about teaching methods and differentiation in our dance education? So that we could explore and find ways to pass on our love and passion for dance to each and every one of our students? No exceptions? And surely we should encourage everyone to embrace the arts?

I was determined to do all that I could to welcome and encourage students to my school that may have experienced this kind of exclusion. I wanted them to feel that they were entitled to be part of dance class, of a dance community. To love dance. To be confident in themselves and their abilities. 

I feel extremely proud to say that I have never turned a student away because they may be 'different'. I have embraced each and every challenge I have faced. there have been bumps in the road, but I believe I have done all I could to support and encourage students of all abilities, circumstances and situations. In my 15 years of teaching and running my own dance school, I have successfully taught students with autism, ADHD, scoliosis, cerebral palsy, deafness, down syndrome, SPD, haemophilia, dyspraxia... All within my regular, mainstream classes. Many of them succeeding in their RAD and ISTD examinations where they were able to. But most importantly, building confidence, self esteem, expression and a true love of dance. I am by no means saying this is an easy task, and there have been many occasions where upon reflection I have wished that I had handled situations and events within classes differently. I am forever learning. But I truly believe that everyone should have the opportunity to attend dance/performing arts classes should this be something they wish to pursue.

Just a couple of years ago, the ISTD reached out for teachers who may be interested in taking part in an inclusive dance project they were embarking on. The initial aim of this project was to question and reflect upon the ISTD syllabi and its inclusivity. This seemed perfect for me and my growing passion for inclusivity in mainstream dance classes. I emailed to express my interest, and was delighted to be appointed the key teacher within the Modern Theatre portion the project. For 12 amazing months I worked side by side with an inclusive dance specialist who regularly visited my school and worked with my students. I had the amazing opportunity to meet and work with so many influential artists, all striving towards the same aim - inclusive dance practice.  So much more knowledge gained. 

However, as I progressed through this project, I found myself becoming more and more disheartened. The general ambience of the project seemed to be gravitating more and more towards inclusive dance in general - specialist classes created for the sole purpose of being inclusive. Of course this is an extremely valid and much needed are of attention, but the ISTD syllabi seemed to become lost. My hopes of exploring and bringing inclusivity to the ISTD examinations, particularly within mainstream classes, began to dissolve. I am humbled by the ISTD's continued efforts to create inclusive dance platforms, but the intention of combining this with their syllabi work seems to have been very overlooked. I'm hoping this is something they will revisit in the near future.

This brings me to my current standing of reflection. Of questioning. Of hope for the future. And indeed of my area of interest for exploration in modules 2 and 3. I have so many thoughts on knowledge and theory in this subject area. And to a certain extent, some considerable experience. However, I am well aware that so many teachers out there may have completely different experiences. More experiences. How have other teachers found their experiences of attempting to integrate students with additional needs in to mainstream classes? Have they had experiences of accredited dance examinations? Positive or negative? Have they come across much of the often very negative feedback from so many others (parents, onlookers, other professionals) in trying to do so? 

I am still very much a disciple and enthusiast of dance technique; of excellence and of aiming to achieve high in association examinations for my students. I aim to train all of my students to the highest possible standard. To prepare them for a career in the arts. But how does inclusivity fare in this spectrum? How do we combine the high technical expectations of the professional industry and examinations, with the challenges of inclusive teaching of students with disabilities or additional needs? Can they be compared? Should they be compared? There are so many differing opinions on this delicate and taboo area of discussion. It will raise many questions and initiate difficult debates. But I look forward to continuing to learn.

Now after all of that I need to work out how I narrow down all of my thoughts. How do I decide which points are valid enough to carry forward to deeper discussions and writing, and which should be left? What makes one area of discussion more important than another? Especially when they all seem to be interlinked and important to my personal experience of life as a dance teacher? And more importantly as many of them are potentially quite political? 

How does our prior education and knowledge reflect in our current teaching practice? In our beliefs? 

I am really looking forward to the opportunity to discuss my thoughts and feelings with you all as this course progresses.

If you made it to the end, thank you for reading x