Task 2d: Inquiry

Task 2d: For this task I need to look at how the ideas of reflection relates to me, I have been set a series of questions which I will answer with my lines of enquiry I wish to pursue further in mind.

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?

As I am currently juggling alot of different aspects to do with my profession, I have alot of things that make me really enthusiastic, but to follow my line of enquiry as I want to use more of my teaching route, I really am enjoying finding out the difference in teaching different age ranges of small children through to adults and how I need to change my persona to suit.

I admire the other teachers i work with, when I have a difficult class I only tend to have them for a couple of hours however some of the class teachers then have to have them for the rest of the week, I admire the way they adapt their teaching techniques to best suit the class they are teaching.

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? 

Sheer frustration gets me angry and sad, I will completely over analyse a situation and if things go wrong i will completely blame it all on myself when i reality i cants stop others actions, when trying to teach a class of 35 i will blame myself if i don't reach a point where i wanted to be, when in actual fact my teaching was probably fine and it is many factors that contribute, no class is ever the same 

I find most teachers share my frustration feelings but how you move on it is how you learn. I have a teacher on a Monday who has experienced both my classes and is very supportive and each week gives me a different idea to focus on. She understands that we are all trying to get the end product from children but how we get there is up to the individual.

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 performing. I love all aspects of performing, unfortunately now I'm getting older I'm still doing cooperate events and one of shows as my teaching career takes over but my heart will always be on the stage. However I am now experiencing a new side of this becoming a spectator of my pupils performing, this makes me beam with pride for what they have achieved and each individuals journey in getting there.

At one of the production companies i work with performing is the love that has bought us altogether, whether they are still auditioning or like myself just cant let go and like to keep their hand in with the industry.

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 don't understand quite a few things in life! why some days you can do somethings and some days you cant. Why some days you wake up in a positive mindset and sometimes things just don't go the way you want to.

One of my friends who is an ex performer has found that the by having a positive mindset has helped her through many situations. If you can draw a positive on each situation you can continue to grow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixva4GzaGSM - This shows a motivational speaker, sometimes we all need positive thinking!

How do you decide the appropriate ethical response in a given situation? To what extent are disciplinary responses different to that you might expect more generally in society? For example, what level of physical contact would you deem appropriate (and not) from another professional that you would find unacceptable more generally? Why? 

I think there are many aspects to take into consideration, firstly is the audience you are giving the answer to, a fellow teacher? a student? what age is the student? is it a delicate subject? can it be responded to? do you need the audiences input? You can show alot more emotion in dance that you can in an office for example. 

This also the same for physical contact, pas de deux to ballerinas is a normal day at the office however a day at the office would not include lifts! However in teaching you have to assess the environment you're in. In mainstream school not physical contact with a child in allowed even to correct what they're doing. In the dance school i teach it is appropriate and helps with the learning if i can correct the placement of a students dancing. This is due to the protection laws of children and how much they have progressed I remember when my ballet teacher used to have a cain to hit us if we didn't have a straight leg in arabesque!

This has opened up a few lines of enquiry for me, I'm still not sure which one to choose!

• The relation of performing world compared to the other industries, as a performer and a spectator.
• The transition of being a performer to being a teacher
• The different aspects of being a self employed performer.