Beyond the Studio: Service Learning in Dance.Abstract For years university and college dance students have confined con·fine v. con·fined, con·fin·ing, con·fines v.tr. 1. To keep within bounds; restrict: Please confine your remarks to the issues at hand. See Synonyms at limit. their learning to the classroom, studio, and theater. Service-learning, the integration of community service and academic study, offers students opportunities to learn and apply their knowledge in off-campus situations, which accurately reflect the world in which they live. In addition, colleges and universities can contribute significantly to their surrounding sur·round tr.v. sur·round·ed, sur·round·ing, sur·rounds 1. To extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle. 2. To enclose or confine on all sides so as to bar escape or outside communication. n. communities by providing services to the community. Introduction "The ultimate goal of any educational institution is to generate graduates who are 'educated' and `prepared' to productively function in public life." M.J. McKenna and K. Ward (May 1996) "Service Learning: A Culturally Relevant Pedagogy." Thresholds in Education In many parts of the country, the university is seen as insulated in·su·late tr.v. in·su·lat·ed, in·su·lat·ing, in·su·lates 1. To cause to be in a detached or isolated position. See Synonyms at isolate. 2. and disengaged dis·en·gage v. dis·en·gaged, dis·en·gag·ing, dis·en·gag·es v.tr. 1. To release from something that holds fast, connects, or entangles. See Synonyms at extricate. 2. from the community. As Ernest Boyer writes, "Increasingly the campus is being viewed as a place where students get credentialed cre·den·tial n. 1. That which entitles one to confidence, credit, or authority. 2. credentials Evidence or testimonials concerning one's right to credit, confidence, or authority: and faculty get tenured ten·ured adj. Having tenure: tenured civil servants; tenured faculty. Adj. 1. tenured , while the overall work of the academy does not seem particularly relevant to the nation's most pressing ... problems." My own college education took place primarily in the studio and classroom. During my senior year I did an Independent Study project teaching dance in two public school classrooms. My learning curve skyrocketed! Suddenly I wanted to learn approaches and techniques for teaching and needed to thoroughly understand my subject matter. At the University of Montana in Missoula, graduation Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the associated ceremony. The date of event is often called degree day. The event itself is also called commencement, convocation or invocation. requirements involve the usual coursework coursework Noun work done by a student and assessed as part of an educational course Noun 1. coursework - work assigned to and done by a student during a course of study; usually it is evaluated as part of the student's : Anatomy anatomy (ənăt`əmē), branch of biology concerned with the study of body structure of various organisms, including humans. Comparative anatomy is concerned with the structural differences of plant and animal forms. , Dance History, Laban Movement Analysis Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) is a system and language for understanding, observing, describing and notating all forms of movement. Devised by Rudolf Laban, LMA draws on his theories of effort and shape to describe, interpret and document human movement. , Studio Technique, Composition, Production and Design, and Teaching Preparatory pre·par·a·to·ry adj. 1. Serving to make ready or prepare; introductory. See Synonyms at preliminary. 2. Relating to or engaged in study or training that serves as preparation for advanced education: classes. Recent curriculum changes now require senior dance majors to conduct a "community project" in either teaching or choreography choreography Art of creating and arranging dances. The word is derived from the Greek for “dance” and “write,” reflecting its early meaning as a written record of dances. and performance. This article will discuss the benefits of the community teaching projects. Community Teaching Projects A dance teaching major can offer a new class at an existing dance studio, or propose a new class at an art museum, school, senior citizen center, group home, hospital, prison, or youth center. All senior dance majors are responsible for designing their projects based on their own interests and expertise, finding a person to be the liaison, and doing the leg-work(!) to set it up. This is done in consultation with a faculty advisor who provides assistance and support. Before embarking on a Community Teaching Project, student instructors need to ask: What dance classes are presently available in our community? * How much do students pay for these classes? * What is needed in our community? * What do I have to offer? * What age/population do I want to teach? * Where will I hold the classes? * Do I have to rent a teaching space? Once student instructors decide on a project, they may find themselves asking themselves questions comparable to those asked by studio owners: * How will I get students to attend? * What (if anything) will I charge? Should I charge less because I'm a student teacher? * What will I call the class? * What times should I offer my class? Is after-school better or worse than Saturday mornings? * How will I advertise it? * What kind of accompaniment will I use? Student instructors designing a dance curriculum should consider the needs, ages, and abilities of their students. Throughout the project, student instructors meet with their faculty advisor to explore the following questions: * What do I want my students to learn? * How will I develop my curriculum so students are challenged yet not overtaxed? * How will I know if my students are learning? Student Instructors' Growth and Development As they prepare for graduation student instructors learn first-hand about the network of individuals and agencies supporting a local dance class. The learning taking place is unique as it includes the interrelationships and contributions of many people not encountered in the traditional classroom or campus studio. When student instructors read themselves quoted in print, they learn the importance of clearly articulating their thoughts. Information-gathering and problem-solving skills, diplomacy diplomacy Art of conducting relationships for gain without conflict. It is the chief instrument of foreign policy. Its methods include secret negotiation by accredited envoys (though political leaders also negotiate) and international agreements and laws. , and collaborative learning Collaborative learning is an umbrella term for a variety of approaches in education that involve joint intellectual effort by students or students and teachers. Collaborative learning refers to methodologies and environments in which learners engage in a common task in which each skills develop. Academic learning has taken place through improving basic skills in writing and speaking, and in personalized per·son·al·ize tr.v. per·son·al·ized, per·son·al·iz·ing, per·son·al·iz·es 1. To take (a general remark or characterization) in a personal manner. 2. To attribute human or personal qualities to; personify. learning of subject matter. Student instructors develop greater responsibility for initiating a project and seeing it through. Hopefully they will develop a deeper sense of pride and dedication to their work. Service-learning may help college students decide whether they are cut out for a particular profession and give them crucial information about their talents and interests. It provides the impetus Impetus is a stimulus or impulse, a moving force that sparks momentum. Impetus may also refer to:
v to draw information from a client—whether by verbal questioning or physical examination—to assess the person's state of health. about how to write a press release and where to send it, rather than asking about the length of a term paper. The college course content becomes real and alive as it is applied in the real world. Evaluating Student Instructor Performance In the college setting, students need to be able to demonstrate and articulate the nature of their learning to their professor; either orally or in written form. Simply having a community experience doesn't guarantee learning. It is what student instructors do with their experiences that leads to learning and professional development. Student instructors are asked to reflect deeply on their experience: think about it, write about it, share with others and learn from them. Rigorous self-reflection is seldom the preferred activity of young people; thus these students are "learning to learn" from their experiences. Community sponsors and on-site personnel can provide feedback about student instructor progress, and university faculty may use site visits to view the student instructor in action. Video documentation of the progression of classes or the final performance can also be useful. Journals, formal papers, and class discussions are the most common forms for documenting learning. Encouraging Critical Thinking Asking the student instructors for in-depth reflective Refers to light hitting an opaque surface such as a printed page or mirror and bouncing back. See reflective media and reflective LCD. thinking stimulates their journals, papers and discussions. * What is your experience and background in this area? * What did you hope to learn from this experience? * Why did you choose the project you did? * What difficulties and challenges did you face? How did you handle them? Describe a challenging situation and how you reacted. * What did you offer the community? Describe its value. * What have you learned about forming working relationships with different people? * Imagine yourself continuing this same project for years to come. What would you change, add or do differently to improve upon it? * Describe your growth as a professional. * Describe your awareness of the changes occurring personally for you through this project. * Where does this experience leave you? What's next? What were the pros and cons pros and cons Noun, pl the advantages and disadvantages of a situation [Latin pro for + con(tra) against] of the site you chose? Student instructors almost always describe the experience as a memorable learning experience: ... [T]he most valuable aspect [of this experience] was the opportunity to go into the schools and actually work with children. To actually have the opportunity to apply what we were learning, as we learned it, was absolutely invaluable. The balance of theoretical/practical in this course was ideal ... A student instructor who was new to teaching, and had frequent college absences wrote, After each class I was able to see where I was doing things right and where I really needed improvement. I really didn't want to go out and teach some days, for whatever reason, but I still did it and felt really rewarded upon doing so. A student instructor with several years of previous teaching experience wrote, It gave me a whole new perspective on lesson planning. I learned that I do not always have as much patience for class control as I thought I had from past experiences. I also learned a lot about the individuality of children. I think that being forced to reflect on my experiences was the most helpful aspect, if not always the most enjoyable. Finally, another student instructor reflected about her future, It really made me think about my choice of learning to be a teacher. References Boyer, Ernest Boyer, Ernest (Leroy) (1928– ) foundation executive; born in Dayton, Ohio. He was an innovating chancellor of the State University of New York (1970–76) and U.S. Commissioner of Education (1977–79). L,. (Spring 1996). The scholarship of engagement. Journal of Public Service and Outreach Outreach is an effort by an organization or group to connect its ideas or practices to the efforts of other organizations, groups, specific audiences or the general public. . University of Georgia Organization The President of the University of Georgia (as of 2007, Michael F. Adams) is the head administrator and is appointed and overseen by the Georgia Board of Regents. , Athens. Volume I, Number 1. pp. 11-20. Gray, J. I. and Egbert, J. E. (1993). Using the volunteer experience to strengthen the professional classroom curriculum. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 4, 105-117. McKenna, M.J. and Ward, K. (May, 1996). Service learning: A culturally relevant pedagogy. Thresholds in Education. Karen A. Kaufmann is an Assistant Professor in the Dept of Drama/Dance. She recently co-produced "A Step Forward," a public television program featuring her dance work for people with disabilities, and has written several manuals for classroom teachers. <kak@marsweb.com> Karen Kaufmann, University of Montana |
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