'Too much for a blog' - Task 5C

Task 5C

I had taken so much information from the Reader and the additional readings that I decided to do this as a separate document on Google Docs.

It is rather a long one, but I would really appreciate any comments, advice, suggestions etc. as always :)

Are there any points that I have missed that you think will be really useful in terms of our research project?

See link below....

Task 5C

Looking forward to reading your comments and suggestions :)

Task 5B - Official 'Codes of Practice' and 'Regulations'

Task 5B

With regards to 'Codes of Practice/Regulations' so far I have simply focused on the assumed regulations that were instinctive to me as a teacher (Task 5a). These 'rules to abide' have been gathered from my experience of teaching within the private sector and I think it would be fair to say, have been learned through trial and error methods.

It is now time to look at the official 'Codes of Practice' that are stipulated within my Contract of Employment and also from various Professional Sources.

Contract of Employment
I started this task by looking at my Contract of Employment from one of the schools I work for on a Self-Employed basis. I think the main point to highlight here is 'Self Employed Basis'. The contract covers various headings such as Pay, Invoices, Holidays, Sick Pay etc... All of these were very self explanatory and as assumed I am not entitled to holidays or sick pay as I am not employed by the company full time. The main point of focus for me is the section 'Roles and Responsibilities':

A selection from 'Roles and Responsibilities':

• Plan, prepare and deliver stimulating classes that engage the learners.
• From time to time you may be asked to submit a lesson plan (you will be given notice of this)
• All scripts and music, planning, materials are YOUR responsibility.
• Easter term - you are required to give short written feedback in the form of a report. This will be done in your own time.
• Shows - You are not only responsible for your subject but the whole show (sales and marketing, technical requirements, theatre bookings, FOH)

Various other issues are covered in the contract such as giving at least 2 weeks notice if you cannot teach and having to provide your own cover. Wearing the correct uniform, rates of pay, etc..
CRB checks and Confidentiality are also mentioned, but in very brief terms.

In all honesty, the contract gives me no more information than my already assumed 'Code of Practice'. Perhaps it is assumed or it is made obvious in an interview that the employee has a good standard of Personal/Professional Ethics. All the teachers at the school are trained Professionals and therefore their Professional Ethical Standards should be of a high standard and have been instilled through their training and Professional Practice.

I have always been aware that if you work on a 'Self Employed Basis' then the benefits from the employer are much less, however there is nothing within the contract that focuses on employer to employee. In return what does the employer give me?........A job!

I think it is fair to say that this is the first time I have picked up this contract since signing it....I think that says everything! There are no guidelines contained within it that I am unaware of and I am more likely to find guidance and an outline of good ethical practice from other Professional Sources.

Professional Sources As a private teacher I teach various classes to include Performing Arts (covering dance, singing and drama), Acting, LAMDA coaching and one of my main focuses is Mobile Singing Teaching.

Apart from the LAMDA classes which obviously follow a set syllabus, the other classes are all free work/non-syllabus based, therefore I am not affiliated with any particular organisation, apart from obviously following the Organisational Ethics that each school holds.

I decided to google 'Ethics for Singing Teachers' and I came across the following website....

http://www.centralregionnats.org/ethics.php

This Code of Ethics is established by NATS in order that its members may understand more clearly their ethical duties and obligations to their students, other teachers, and the general public, as well as to promote cooperation and good fellowship among the members. (NATS, 2006)

This is actually an American website but the 'Code of Practice' featured has many useful points. Some of the regulations are specific to the organisation but others can be used no matter who you are affiliated to...

Members will present themselves honestly, in a dignified manner, and with documented qualifications: academic degrees, professional experience, or a combination of both

Members will treat each student in a dignified and impartial manner

Members will offer their best voice and music instruction and career advice to all students under their instruction
(NATS, Code of Ethics, 2006)

Another extremely useful website is the CDET for their 'Code of Conduct'. I think this could be considered as a Dance Teacher's bible! It has all the relevant information/guidelines that you need to follow. Of course with teaching there is no black and white, but if you try to follow these ethical guidelines you can be confident in teaching with good ethical standards.

http://www.cdet.org.uk/teaching-and-qualifications/code-of-conduct/

The document covers the following headings:

Fundamental Principles

Integrity

Objectivity

Competency

Courtesy and Consideration

Confidentiality

Publicity

Teaching Names

Data Protection

Health and Safety

Standards of Good Practice

Notification

It is the 'Standards of Good Practice' section that really stands out for me, particularly the following statement...

communicate a love of dance and encourage the art of dance (CDET, 2012)

So often we get tied up in following rules and regulations that we forget the real reason we are teaching and why we love what we do :)

SummaryComparing my Task 5a and Task 5b I have realised that mostly my assumed regulations are those which are stipulated within statutory sources.

As a self employed teacher it is extremely important to have a good strong set of Personal and Professional Ethics. With these you need to be able to follow the Organisational Ethics of the establishment you are working in and hope that with a combination of all three types of Ethics you will provide the best possible standard of teaching you can.

Ethical problems start to arise when your Personal/Professional ethics conflict with the ethics of the organisation. No matter what basis you are employed under (full time/self employed), you have a duty to respect the employer and follow their 'way of doing things'. Jobs are hard to come by, but perhaps it is advisable to consider the ethics of the organisation before committing to them. If you have strong personal/professional ethics which conflict then perhaps it is best to walk away?

What do you think about this statement? Would you be willing to walk away from a job if you had real conflict with the ethics of the establishment?

I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts on the above and particularly from fellow self employed teachers on their experience with contracts/codes of practice etc.

Task 5A - Assumed Regulations within my Workplace/Professional Community

Task 5a

Within any profession there are 'Codes of Practice' which must be adhered to in order to comply with the correct ethical standards and in teaching I think Ethics play a huge role.

Without referring to any official documents such as contracts or education websites (such as CDET) I can think of numerous 'unwritten' or 'assumed' rules that I am expected to adhere to in order to uphold the 'Professional Standard'.

These 'Codes of Practice' will fall under three strands of ethics - Personal, Professional and Organisational. I will talk about these in more depth when I look at the actual ethical framework which 'guides the setting' of my professional community and workplace.

Knowledge/Competency

I must have the correct knowledge, skills, competency and qualifications in the subject area I am teaching. I must be trained to a high standard in the specific area and be able to teach it with confidence.

Professionalism

I must be professional at all times. I must arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the class starting. The room must be set ready for the lesson and I must have the correct material with me for the class. I must remain professional when discussing other schools/teachers. The lesson must be planned and prepared, with a backup of material for unexpected circumstances.

Health and Safety

I must be aware of all Health and Safety aspects within the workplace and the class situation. Make sure there is always a trained first aider in the workplace. Know where the fire exits are located and what the procedure is incase of an emergency. Make sure the room is approriate for the lesson - is the floor clean and clear? Is the temperature correct? Are there any obstacles?

Appearance

I must be appropriately dressed for the lesson, uniform if this is required. My clothing must be suitable for the subject I am teaching. I must look smart and presentable, as I am representing the school and need to look professional at all times.

Other

• CRB check
• If working freelance and using a different space - perform a risk assesment of the space and make sure any accident forms are filled in and signed. Locate the fire exits and remove any obstacles. Make the room safe!
• Maintain the reputation of the school at all times - ORGANISATIONAL ETHICS. Be sure to adhere to the ethos of the school. There may be conflict here as your PERSONAL ETHICS may differ from those of the organisation, but if you are employed by a school, you respect their 'way of doing things' and pass this on to the students.
• Be sure to always communicate with your employer - inform them of important issues when necessary.
• Liase with parents when necessary.
• Do not discriminate - sexual, gender, race, any kind.
• As a teacher you have a responsibility to guide the children and aim to improve their abilities as much as possible.
• Be polite and courteous.

After re-reading the above, I realised that I have purely focused on the ethics I have to adhere to as an employee, rather than the ethics the employer must adhere to with their employees. This sparked the following questions..

Do I really know what I should expect from my employer?
What are my rights?
What holidays am I entitled to?
What support should I be receiving from my employer?
Have I experienced any discrimination in the workplace?


As most of my teaching work is done on a self-employed basis I definitely overlook the ethical standards from the perspective of the employer. It will be interesting in Task 5B to look at official documentation and see what 'Codes of Practice' are in place from Employer to Employee.

It will also be interesting to see how much the 'assumed' regulations differ from those in the official regulations. Am I upholding the correct level of 'Ethical Standards'? I have a strong set of Personal Ethics which I bring to every job, regardless of the Professional/Organisational Ethics but am I adhering to the correct Professional and Organisational standards? Will I face any 'Ethical Dilemmas'?

Tune in next time to find out :)

'Reflection Process'

Part 4 - Reflection Process

This Module is definitely proving to be more intense than the first Module and more committment and dedication is definitely needed on the student's part.

Saying this, I have really tried to throw myself into the tasks whole heartedly and give as much as I can within the time restraints and obstacles of juggling this with everyday life.

I started eagerly, producing my inquriy questions, centering them around full time training in under 16's versus part time training. Which proved to be the most successful? Which type of training would better your chances of a prosperus career? I brainstormed my line of inquiry and produced a whole range of questions which I posted to my blog (Task 4a). Without realising it I immediately jumped to Task 4c, contacting my friends and tutors within my Professional Networks. All the responses had a similar theme and I started to realise that perhaps my questions were 'pseudo questions'. Did they actually have an answer? Not really!!! There is no real right or wrong, black or white! What type of training is right for one child may not be right for another. Many children who have been to schools such as Sylvia Young's have gone on to have very successful careers, such as those who attended part time training. I went back to my original questions and looked at ways in which I could develop them further (Developing Quesions).

As a teacher I want to prepare my students in the best way possible and many of whom will want to go on to pursue full time professional training.  I then started to ask myself, how can I do the most for my students? How can I give them the best chance of getting into a full time training institute? This led to my developing line of inquiry....

'How can you best prepare someone for full time Professional Training?'

I could feel the excitement on the thought of this inquiry and this is when I knew that I had hit the nail on the head, so to speak. I need my inquiry to be something I am passionate about and as Blaxter, Hughes and Tight say 'Will it get you out of bed early on a wet Monday Morning?' (How to Research, Getting Started, 4th Edition, 2010). 

I contacted previous tutors from my college and proposed a few initial questions to them. What do you look for in potential students? What are the demands of full time training? What skills do they need to have at the time of audition?

I also contacted a few close professional friends and asked them how they wish they could've been better prepared before attending full time training? What do they wish they had been told before starting? What skills do they wish they had? What were the hardest parts of the training? How could you have been supported better?

I asked them to send me either a voice/video clip, so that I could trial this method of data collection/research method to see if this is something I would like.

(Voice clip and Video to follow - I have to change the format of the voice clip in order to upload. Something I will now be aware of in my inquiry process).

I have spent the last few weeks blogging as much as possible and trying to find the people who will be in my SIG.  I have found them by looking at the similarities within our lines of inquiry and looking at the potential for development through discussions with them. Myself and Lizzie Wright have very similar lines of inquiry and we decided to set up a Facebook group for our SIG. I have blogged and invited fellow relevant Bappers to join. (Teaching Dance to Young Children).  I am looking forward to developing our discussions and helping each other through the process of the inquiry. 

One of the most important things I had to do was to choose someone who would act as my Professional Associate/Mentor throughout the inquiry process (Task 4c).  Working primarily as a freelance teacher, I didn't want to choose one of my many 'bosses'. I decided to choose my Head of Acting from Laine Theatre Arts, Andy Smith. He has supported me continuously throughout my training and career, he is not only my mentor but a true friend. I have complete faith that he will be honest with me and most importantly make me question myself and critically analyse throughout the process. He kindly agreed as soon as I contacted him and is eager to get involved as soon as possible.

My proposed award title currently is 'BA Hons in Professional Practice (Musical Theatre)' (Task 4d). I had thought about linking the title with education/teaching in some way, as this is the direction my career will most likely be taking in the future. However, I also don't want it to be limiting and I still feel that I am a professional performer also, not just a teacher.  I had read a comment by Alan Durrant on a previous student's blog and he told the student to remember that this top up only makes up one third of the whole degree. Your previous three years of intensive full time training has to play a part in the title and therefore it seemed only right that I should simply have 'Musical Theatre'.

Overall I am happy with the progress made within this first part of the module. There are many tasks within the reader that I wish I had the time to complete, I am going to make a note of these and hopefully later on in the Module I can return to these tasks. I will also continue to develop my initial questions within the BAPP network and my external Professional Networks.

I am excited but also slightly anxious about the journey ahead, now to move onto 'Ethics' something which is definitely going to play a prominent part within our Professional Inquiry.

Task 4d - Award Title Rationale

After reading Alicia Beck's Task 4d, I was really inspired by her methodology and approach to the task.  She looked at her past training, current profession and future aspirations in order to get a well rounded perspective on her Professional life.

Alicia's method

Past training - Laine Theatre Arts - Professional Musical Theatre
Current Profession - Private/Freelance Teacher of all areas of Musical Theatre
Future Aspirations - Further Education Musical Theatre Teacher/Owner of Private Academy.

From this it is clear that my award needs to have a focus on Musical Theatre and the teaching of Musical Theatre. However, I want my teaching to be vocational based teaching, primarily practical not theoretical.

It is true to say that this degree only makes up one third of our training, therefore the title needs to reflect my full time training, along with my current position and future aspirations.

What do I want the title to say about me? How do I want to be reflected to others?

I want it to clearly show that I focus on Musical Theatre and that I teach in a Vocational/Practical way.

However, I am extremely conscious that I don't want to put too much emphasis on 'education' or 'teaching' as I feel this limits the skills and experience that I already posess.

For example... BA Hons Professional Practice (Teaching Vocational Musical Theatre)...

This to me suggests someone who only teaches and doesn't consider themselves as a trained performer. With using the word Vocational, I also don't want to suggest that I am only capable of teaching in this style, it is simply that I prefer to teach in this way, not that this is the only way I know how.

Is this too general....

BA Hons Professional Practice (Musical Theatre)

Do I need to have a reference to teaching somewhere, seen as this is the path my career is taking?

Please let me know your thoughts, any advice on this one would be greatly appreciated.

Task 4c - Professional Associate

Actually as soon as I started Task 4a, I was doing Task 4c without even realising it.  Instinctively I contacted all my professional colleagues within my network, particularly interested in previous tutors and friends who had undertaken full time training.

To me their input in the whole process will be invaluable.  Talk to those who know, who have personally experienced it. People who will be honest with you and make you question the questions.

Working primarily as a freelance teacher I didn't want to depend on one of my bosses to be my main mentor. I decided to ask the Head of Acting at my old college, Andy Smith. He has continually supported me, throughout my training and since graduating.

I can trust fully that he will guide me in the right direction and give me advice throughout the Inquiry process. I know that he will be honest within his discussions and will make me critically think throughout every step. He will challenge me and my opinions and push me to my limit.

I think it is fair to say that he will be the perfect mentor for me :)

'Teaching Dance to Young Children' - Facebook Group

Hi everyone...

Lizzie Wright has set up a facebook group called 'Teaching Dance to Young Children' in order to create an SIG on facebook.

The title is obviously self explanatory so if you feel that your line of inquiry links with this then please join the group. Just search for the title in the search box.

A few people who have contacted me regarding SIG or have been suggested to me...

Mary Bance
Jess Hay
Liam Conman
Lily Corrigan
Sarah Pearson
Charlie Bidston
Lisa Whyte

I will try to add the above on facebook, but anyone please feel free to join if you think it is relevant to your inquiry.

We thought facebook would be a good media to use as it is so common to everyone, no doubt you check facebook at least once a day :)

Looking forward to blogging/facebooking with you all.