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Sunday Night Sensation - Thoughts on our first Sunday Discussion

Hello everyone! 

In today's MA discussion, our discussion was "Knowledge, Information, and Learning."

I think this discussion was very enlightening and gave me some nice insight into the thoughts and ideas of my classmates. 

Some notes I jotted down that stuck out to me during our session was:
"Learning isn't static"
"Words and how you say them are important"
"Embodiment"
"Transactional Learning"
"Don't Assume!"
"All bodies are not capable of doing the same things"
"(un)prepare"
"Listening Space"
"Learning and growing is putting yourself in uncomfortable situations"
"You have to teach what is in front of you"
"Information has to be meaningful"

These are all quotes or ideas that really struck a chord with me today. The statements in bold are the things that really made me think. 

On Friday I joined a zoom meeting with the creators of "Danscend." This is a dance education program focusing on bringing mental health to the forefront of dance training and education. Some of the speakers talked about how important your words are when giving corrections out to your students. They mention how, even when we give corrections that may sound constructive and kind on our end, it may be doing the complete opposite. It may be something they already know and have super high anxiety about, and we are just making in worse. Are there incorrect ways and correct ways to help a student? How are ways you go about correcting students, or even complimenting them?

BEING UNPREPARED.... ugh... wow.... this one. 
I absolutely struggling with having to be prepared ALL THE TIME FOR EVERYTHING. Today really made me look into my teaching style and think about the places I can let go a bit, and trust in myself and my students. I have started reading "Educating the Reflective Practitioner." on page 29, Shon talks about reflection-in-action, and this is a lot of what being "unprepared" kind of is. In the moment of class or rehearsal you are reflecting on that specific moment, feeling what needs to be done and going with it. I have a very hard time with this in class, BUT when I have to do any sort of improvisation on my own, I am completely fine. No idea how that even happens.... Help. I have anxiety when it comes to looking like I don't know what I am doing as a teacher, and that always terrifies me. I will be teaching a class tomorrow, and I have half of my class planned and half of my class not planned at all!!! I am going to try and go with my reflection-in-action and see where it takes me. I'll let you all know how that goes. This also brings up the point that someone mentioned in the discussion "You have to teach what is in front of you." I never really thought of it that way. I will have these elaborate plans, and then I will come into the studio and all the students REALLY just need a day to stretch, or do some yoga, or maybe do a light contemporary dance to work on their emotions. I am getting a lot better at "reading a room." Reading the room as a teacher is so important. Yes there is so much to do, but it's also important to remember class is about your students and what they need. 

In my zoom meeting on Friday, the speakers spoke about making time at the top of class to make sure you dancers feel safe, know they can make mistakes in class, and feel encouraged. All this has translated very well for me in todays discussion. 

Transactional learning is SOOOOO important. I have learned a lot from my students. About theatre, about the younger generation, about their needs, and what they want. It is also nice to remember that things aren't they way they used to be. Theatre and dance changes left and right. Educators need to always stay on the up and up to make sure we shift with the changing field as well. My students are my gateway into understanding what is going on in the world today more than any news article. 

Lastly "Don't assume." I sometimes assume I know what my students want. I think I am not challenging them enough, when in actuality they ask me to break things down more all the time. I have trust in them, and I find that is my downfall sometimes (oddly) I trust my students that they work hard and understand the material I give them. Most of the time they do, but every once in a while they are like "Amanda, I have no idea what you are doing, what is the combination?" I assume a lot of things about my students... and I need to lead a little more with an open heart. 

This discussion was a really good start to this module for me. I was really refreshed and inspired by all the other students who spoke. I can't wait to dig deeper into all of this! 













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