Potential line of enquiry

I recently became a teacher of dance, drama and music. This has led me too consider 'The relevance of performing arts within education'.

 I can immediately think of numerous benefits taking part in the arts in school has on children:

• Boosts confidence
• Encourages team work 
• Encourages children too affiliate and co-operate with other class members. (This may encourage children too be friends and therefore reduce bullying and number of children feeling isolated)
• Dance is a form of exercise which in turn could reduce child obesity
• Script reading will allow children too practice their literacy skills.
• Allow children of whom do not particularly excel in academic work, too express intelligence and talent through the arts. Gardner (1983) suggests  children can be musical-rhythmic’ and ‘bodily-kinaesthetic’ learners.

I researched this topic and found american studies proving how arts can benefit learning in different ways on the site below.

http://www.onlinecolleges.net/10-salient-studies-on-the-arts-in-education/

After discussing this topic with other BAPP students I will also consider different cultures and their views on arts in education. Catherine Haywood brought too my attention that schools/universities in Dubai do not offer performing arts as a course. Catherine also mentioned that it is becoming increasingly popular in non compulsory classes out of schools/universities.

Affiliation

Affiliation

Affiliation is important in professional life. More often than not, working in the arts introduces us to new experiences regularly and we will rely on support from others to provide us with the knowledge and information we need to make the most out of the situation. 

Affiliation can be explained as 'A social process that provides us with a network of support that will help us when we are in need (Crisp and turner 2007, Reader 3).

Through research and relying on my own knowledge I have found that all humans have the need to affiliate, however these needs differ. 

If levels of actual affiliation do not reach the persons desire for affiliation it can often have last effects. 

Larson,Csikszentmihalyi (1982 p.322) found that 'teenagers where happier, more alert and more excited when in the company of others rather than alone.

Studies also proved that a lack of social and physical contact negatively affected the ability of the brain to cope with stress.

I would say my overall desire for affiliation is strong.  I feel motivated, positive and happy when spending time with others compared to feeling demotivated and stressed when spending too much time alone.

O'Connor and Rosenblood (1996) explored the model of social affiliation and came up with the idea that 'we operated in according to the principle of homeostasis; the idea that people control their levels of affiliation to keep it stable and as close as possible to a desired level. 


(a person concerned primarily with the physical and social environment (opposed to introvert ). Psychology. to direct (the mind, one's interest, etc.) outward or to things outside the self' http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/extrovert)


People who are introverted may have a lesser desire to affiliate. This links to the 'Privacy regulations theory' (Altman, 1975). Altman believes that our desire for privacy can affect our desire to affiliate. Some people are a lot more open than others. Most people who have met in the performing arts industry are often extroverts and seem to be very open people. It is important in our business to have affiliates and network particularly on stage and when teaching classes. Earlier I discussed how people may withheld information strategically. After studying affiliation and privacy levels I feel really bad for making that assumption.

 After thinking about this in depth I agree that desire of affiliations can vary.  There are certain situations where I feel I need to be alone, for example, when studying for BAPP or rehearsing for an audition. O'Connor and Rosenblood also believed desired levels of affiliation was linked to whether people are an 'extrovert' or 'introvert'. I would consider myself a extrovert.

Professional Situations when I may desire affiliation:

• First day of new job

• When stressed or struggling with work

• When reassurance is needed

• When confused or have little knowledge

All of these situations relate too anxiety. Stanley Schachter (1959) carried out a study in which he measured peoples need for affiliation in relation to anxiety. He split a group of people in to two groups and placed them in too different settings.

• High anxiety setting

• low anxiety setting

His analysis concluded that people in the high anxiety setting had a stronger desire too affiliate ( even with strangers), compared to people in the low anxiety setting.

References

Reader 3, Middlesex university 2014/15


Essential Social Psychology (2nd ed) Crisp, Richard J. and Turner, Rhiannon N. Chapter 11: Affiliation and attraction  

http://faculty.babson.edu/krollag/org_site/soc_psych/schachter_affil.html

Co-operation in relation to my communities of practice

Co-Operation

'Co-Operation' is a concept raised by researcher Robert Alexrod (1984). Alexrod was a political scientist.

 'When should a person Co-Operate and when should a person be selfish in an on-going interaction with another person' Alexrod (1984)

The 'Prisoners Dilemma' is a game created by Alexrod (1984) to explain the above concept. He uses this game to prove co-operation is the best strategy.

'The game allows players to achieve mutual gains from co-operation, but also allows for the possibility that one player will exploit the other, or that neither will co-operate' Alexrod (1984 p.vii)

'Tit for tat' was the simplest yet most commonly used and effective strategy. 

The performing arts business is a very competitive industry. It was only last week an actor friend made a comment based on another actor. 

'He only contacts me when he wants something'

I had never questioned this comment until now. What are the motives of myself and others within my professional networks? Do we always expect to gain when helping others? I have found myself in situations where I am regularly networking with professionals who, in a social situation, I would not see eye to eye with. I do this for one simple reason, I know they have information and contacts that would benefit me. I question whether this is unethical. Does it make me a selfish person? After studying Alexrod I have came to the decision that this is not selfish as I would generally use the Tit for tat approach and therefore co-operate by exchanging some valuable information in return. Personal issues should be kept separate from the work place. 'Leave your personal life at the door' was a phrase I often heard throughout my training. I often inform friends about castings and give them guidance with aspects of scripts, song, choreography etc that will potentially benefit them. I do this as I enjoy helping others and I can certainly empathize  with other professionals struggling to find work and who are dedicated to furthering their career, as I often find myself in similar positions. Having said that I would be disappointed if they withheld information that they know could benefit me in one way or another.

'sociobiology is based on assumption that important aspects of human behavior are guided by out genetic inheritance. Wilson (1975 p.ix)

If this assumption was correct in all cases then 'How can  a 'potential co-operative strategy could get a foothold in an environment which is predominantly non co-operative' 

Alexrod (1984) studied this question and came to the decision that the 'approach was strategic not genetic'

As I previously discussed I enjoy helping others and am more than happy to go out my way to provide a friend or associate with knowledge which will  benefit them. A discussion with another student led me too think it might be due too my love for teaching.  Until now, I did not realise that this was strategic in anyway. Having researched co-operation and finding that often my strategy in networking would be 'tit-for-tat', I began to reflect on other professionals I know, some of which keep their cards very close to their chest. They completely go against the co-operation strategy and keeping information on auditions they are attending a secret. I believe often there reason for doing this is also a strategy. They believe that the less people who know about and therefore do not attend the audition the better the chances are of them being chosen themselves. My view on this is different. It is a small world and people will find out about the audition elsewhere and the competition will always be just as great. By not sharing information people may lose contacts whether as if they participated in networking they would gain more opportunities in return.

Time Management and Organisation

It is evident in my journal that my time management skills and organisation need too improve drastically in order too suit my busy life style. Lack of these skills cause stress which tends too make my day much harder. I often find myself procrastinating and focusing on work I consider 'fun', for example, script work and learning new songs too sing; although this is work related and important too my career it is not always top priority.

I have critically reflected on habits which hinder my ability too manage time and organise and began to make changes too my daily routine.

• Create ACHIEVABLE to do lists, rather than a list of un-achievable tasks which would be impossible too complete effectively in one day. ( maybe split the list and spread tasks over a few days)
• Organise emails into professional and miscellaneous to avoid wasting time searching through hundred of wowcher emails!
• Save contact numbers too my phone rather than guessing which number belongs too which person by reading through call logs and texts.
• DO NOT PROCRASTINATE (no matter how tempted)
• Reflect-on-action and reflect before action. Reflecting on action will enable me too analyse parts of experiences which need improving and which were successful. This will allow me too anticipate for next time and prepare and make changes effectively to save time.
• Organise notebook into sections rather than scribbling notes on random pages. (Teaching, Performance notes, BAPP tasks)

http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/time.htm 

This excellent information page from Kent university has really helped me improve my practice so far and will continue too do so. This is not a skill I will master over night and will be a work in progress. I posted it too my blog as I thought it maybe useful too anybody experiencing similar set backs.