Wednesday 24th March 2010
After a week of thinking more intensely about my project choice, coming up with so many diverse ideas all in different areas. I decided I need to take a more realistic approach and talk to ChickenShed my work placement, to find out what I will be involved in next term, so I can link my project to my work involvement. With my timetable availability being limited due to other work commitments and with working around my daughters school schedule. I had little input in what I can get involved with due to my availability. Excluding some of my original ideas, which realistically for my timescale would have been unrealistic any way. I will be involved in teaching a BETEC dance session, with most of the students aged sixteen and straight from school. My other connection, being part of a creative team for an after school children theatre session for children aged five to seven.
As a result from talking to my advisors and being informed of my association next term with ChickenShed, this has helped me in narrowing down my topic ideas for my project. By talking to my tutor at our campus session and my work base advisers. I have realised the importance of taking advice from my mentors as they will be the ones supporting me and advising me throughout my project. I have a massive opportunity being able to work with two very different groups and I am conscious I need the take care in choosing a project linked to my work involvement.
Things to do:
* create a list of project ideas linked to my work placement
* make list of questions to ask myself about what I want to gain from my project
* continue adding to my glossary and building my knowledge
* initial researching for project ideas
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Monday, 22 March 2010
Glossary
I have created this glossary, that I will continue to build during my research period. So I can enhance my knowledge and understanding of the literature and vocabulary used by researchers in my field of study.
Methodology: The methodology is the term used for classifying my approach towards my project for example, action research, qualitative, experimental excreta. I can move methods once an approach has been selected.
Primary research: Research collected by the researcher. Information gathered using surveys, interviews and questionnaires.
Qualitative: Detailed information gathered. For example Story based information.
Fieldwork: Observation and work done outside your normal work place.
Appendix (Appendices): At the end of a book an independent collection of material.
Survey: Main emphasis on fact finding. Purpose to obtain information from a selection of population, to present findings. Key pointers to remember if using surveys. Ensure sample population is truthfully represented. To take care with the literature and questions asked to ensure the question means the same to all respondents. If I decide to use surveys in my project, I must choose a number of surveys to carry out so I am confident the outcome represents my information fairly.
Ethnographic: Is term used for people wishing to study an aspect within society or society its self, culture or a culture group.
Action research: Is a practical approach to research. Putting your theories into practise physically.
Quantitative research: Often collected through surveys or questionnaires, designed to gather factual information, and then used to compare against each other.
Jargon: A specialized language, used by experts in many different fields, to ease communication among professionals.
I have created this glossary, that I will continue to build during my research period. So I can enhance my knowledge and understanding of the literature and vocabulary used by researchers in my field of study.
Methodology: The methodology is the term used for classifying my approach towards my project for example, action research, qualitative, experimental excreta. I can move methods once an approach has been selected.
Primary research: Research collected by the researcher. Information gathered using surveys, interviews and questionnaires.
Qualitative: Detailed information gathered. For example Story based information.
Fieldwork: Observation and work done outside your normal work place.
Appendix (Appendices): At the end of a book an independent collection of material.
Survey: Main emphasis on fact finding. Purpose to obtain information from a selection of population, to present findings. Key pointers to remember if using surveys. Ensure sample population is truthfully represented. To take care with the literature and questions asked to ensure the question means the same to all respondents. If I decide to use surveys in my project, I must choose a number of surveys to carry out so I am confident the outcome represents my information fairly.
Ethnographic: Is term used for people wishing to study an aspect within society or society its self, culture or a culture group.
Action research: Is a practical approach to research. Putting your theories into practise physically.
Quantitative research: Often collected through surveys or questionnaires, designed to gather factual information, and then used to compare against each other.
Jargon: A specialized language, used by experts in many different fields, to ease communication among professionals.
Friday, 5 March 2010
Friday 5th March 2010
I have been racking my brains to come up with some sort of project that will keep me engaged and help me to achieve what I want in life. Firstly I thought of what I want to accomplish after the course, the answer was clear as iv been wanting to start my own business for a few years now. I want to focus on the benefiting mine and my daughters life. I’ve been unsure in what I v wanted to start my business in, as I have had lots of different training and experience in very different areas. There are two ideas that I was torn between. The first being one that would benefit communities more so then my bank, coming up with some sort of project to tackle crime amongst youth of today. Although I do feel this would also be a popular project choice amongst piers. The second a totally different project focusing on creating my own business, offering entertainment for events. I am drawn to my second idea as this is what I have wanted to achieve for a few years now and feel I will benefit more from working on a project that I will one day put into practice. I feel a topic on the organising of entertainment events, will provide me with enough interest but at the same time i understand that this may be unrealistic with my timescale and the resources availible to me at my work place. I will still take the time to look at my options as I understand this is my final project and want to get as much out of this experience as I possibly can. Although i understand that i need to check the oppitions available to me within my work place. I know this will have a big influence on my decision for my final project.
Trails of thought to continue:
* Think about projects
* Ask others advice on final project.
I have been racking my brains to come up with some sort of project that will keep me engaged and help me to achieve what I want in life. Firstly I thought of what I want to accomplish after the course, the answer was clear as iv been wanting to start my own business for a few years now. I want to focus on the benefiting mine and my daughters life. I’ve been unsure in what I v wanted to start my business in, as I have had lots of different training and experience in very different areas. There are two ideas that I was torn between. The first being one that would benefit communities more so then my bank, coming up with some sort of project to tackle crime amongst youth of today. Although I do feel this would also be a popular project choice amongst piers. The second a totally different project focusing on creating my own business, offering entertainment for events. I am drawn to my second idea as this is what I have wanted to achieve for a few years now and feel I will benefit more from working on a project that I will one day put into practice. I feel a topic on the organising of entertainment events, will provide me with enough interest but at the same time i understand that this may be unrealistic with my timescale and the resources availible to me at my work place. I will still take the time to look at my options as I understand this is my final project and want to get as much out of this experience as I possibly can. Although i understand that i need to check the oppitions available to me within my work place. I know this will have a big influence on my decision for my final project.
Trails of thought to continue:
* Think about projects
* Ask others advice on final project.
Tuesday 2nd February 2010
Today I found out what character group I am in, Oberon’s fairy’s . This is a small group in the show containing only eight of us. Each of us with different experience levels from staff to BETEC’S to Foundation degree students, a very diverse group. Oberon’s fairy’s focus in the show is dance and movement. We will be working and performing along side the character Puck. It was made clear to us that we were outsiders, a group of fairy’s with strong presences, and that it is important to different ourselves from the larger group of Tatiana’s fairy’s. It was also made clear to us that the rehearsal process is going to be a mixture of us being taught set sequences and us working together to create our own movement. This excited me the most, we were lucky enough to be put into a small performing group, which we will be able to make a valid contribution inputting our own ideas.
We spent the day rehearsing, learning a set sequence that we would all perform together. Listening to the powerful music, which gave our characters the feeling of menace. We also went through a scene with Puck, getting thrown into using our own creativity to improvise and then set.
Key pointers I will take from today:
* To trust the people I am working with, as there will be a lot of contact with each other.
* Having an openness to what is being asked of me.
* To use my brain as creatively as possible.
* Research dance chorography especially lifts. (as there will be a lot of partner work)
Today I found out what character group I am in, Oberon’s fairy’s . This is a small group in the show containing only eight of us. Each of us with different experience levels from staff to BETEC’S to Foundation degree students, a very diverse group. Oberon’s fairy’s focus in the show is dance and movement. We will be working and performing along side the character Puck. It was made clear to us that we were outsiders, a group of fairy’s with strong presences, and that it is important to different ourselves from the larger group of Tatiana’s fairy’s. It was also made clear to us that the rehearsal process is going to be a mixture of us being taught set sequences and us working together to create our own movement. This excited me the most, we were lucky enough to be put into a small performing group, which we will be able to make a valid contribution inputting our own ideas.
We spent the day rehearsing, learning a set sequence that we would all perform together. Listening to the powerful music, which gave our characters the feeling of menace. We also went through a scene with Puck, getting thrown into using our own creativity to improvise and then set.
Key pointers I will take from today:
* To trust the people I am working with, as there will be a lot of contact with each other.
* Having an openness to what is being asked of me.
* To use my brain as creatively as possible.
* Research dance chorography especially lifts. (as there will be a lot of partner work)
27th Wednesday January 2010
This morning I was asked to support a BETEC session. In this session we were introducing the language of Shakespeare. BETEC students are of an age which can sometimes be a difficult age group to teach. So when it was announced to them that they would be playing around with the language and acting out small scenes from the play “midsummer’s night dream” a look of boredom swept across their faces. As I remember most probably the same look I had when it was announced to my BETEC year we were performing Othello. I soon learnt to love Shakespeare, and so I ask myself why I had such a dramatic change of mind. For me it was the language that was the issue. As soon as I started to understand it, I learnt to love it. So I knew that in this session I had to work hard at getting the BETEC’S to look deeper into the language and to enjoy it rather then them carrying on not understanding and disliking it even more. Thankfully Jel the teacher taking this session has had many experiences teaching less the enthused teenagers Shakespeare and had a few tricks up her sleeve.
Firstly the BETEC’S were handed a piece of paper containing insults from the play “Midsummer’s nights dream” Jel got them to walk around the room shouting the curses at each other. It was clear from how they all responded to the activity that they enjoyed this. An excellent ice breaker for introducing a difficult language and also a fun way, which enabled them to create an interest, which in turn held there focus.
Key points I learnt from today:
* Make sure everyone is clear on the text reading through it slowly stopping and explaining the meaning of each line or phrase.
* Keep your students engaged, make it fun and exciting so they want to learn.
* Ask them questions about the text. Get them thinking for themselves.
* Explain the language to them in way and terms they understand.
This morning I was asked to support a BETEC session. In this session we were introducing the language of Shakespeare. BETEC students are of an age which can sometimes be a difficult age group to teach. So when it was announced to them that they would be playing around with the language and acting out small scenes from the play “midsummer’s night dream” a look of boredom swept across their faces. As I remember most probably the same look I had when it was announced to my BETEC year we were performing Othello. I soon learnt to love Shakespeare, and so I ask myself why I had such a dramatic change of mind. For me it was the language that was the issue. As soon as I started to understand it, I learnt to love it. So I knew that in this session I had to work hard at getting the BETEC’S to look deeper into the language and to enjoy it rather then them carrying on not understanding and disliking it even more. Thankfully Jel the teacher taking this session has had many experiences teaching less the enthused teenagers Shakespeare and had a few tricks up her sleeve.
Firstly the BETEC’S were handed a piece of paper containing insults from the play “Midsummer’s nights dream” Jel got them to walk around the room shouting the curses at each other. It was clear from how they all responded to the activity that they enjoyed this. An excellent ice breaker for introducing a difficult language and also a fun way, which enabled them to create an interest, which in turn held there focus.
Key points I learnt from today:
* Make sure everyone is clear on the text reading through it slowly stopping and explaining the meaning of each line or phrase.
* Keep your students engaged, make it fun and exciting so they want to learn.
* Ask them questions about the text. Get them thinking for themselves.
* Explain the language to them in way and terms they understand.
Tuesday 26th January 2010
This morning was the same old usual rush get the little one off to school, then off to ChickenShed. Today is the first day back at ChickenShed from having a few days break after the Christmas shows finished. Today is the introduction of the new show “Midsummer’s nights dream”.
All of ChickenSheds students will be taking part in this production, that’s two BTEC classes of approximately thirty students and three foundation degree student years of approximately fifteen students per year. Also including some staff and one of the theatres older performing groups called Lunar. This is a massive cast with roughly two months to rehears until the first show. As iv been a part of Chickenshed for seven years, starting at the age of sixteen and have performed in many of their shows, I know how ChickenShed put big cast productions together. What normally happens is we get split into our character groups, once we are in these we are given a timetable witch we then follow. In our set times we will be taught and directed only the parts of the show our group is performing in. When it comes to technical’s, (normally a few days before the first performance) only is it then we see what the other groups have been rehearsing and that the show all finally comes together.
This morning all students were together in the Rayne. Here we were spoken to by the director and Founder of ChickenShed Mary Ward. In this talk we were reminded of how we must respect one another listening and including all in what we do. Mary read to us some memoirs she had written from a previous production of “a midsummer’s nights dream”. Talking of her feelings throughout the production process and on her notes directing the play. We ended the day by watching a version of the play on DVD, this was important that we new the play before going into our segregated groups as It will not be until technical’s that we see what our piers have been working on.
Key points I learnt from today:
* To keep notes on the play, not only will it help me keep a focused mind on the production but also that one day these notes might be a good source of reference to myself.
* The importance that everyone must understand the play they are performing in, for so many reasons such as enjoying the experience and having the right feel for their characters.
This morning was the same old usual rush get the little one off to school, then off to ChickenShed. Today is the first day back at ChickenShed from having a few days break after the Christmas shows finished. Today is the introduction of the new show “Midsummer’s nights dream”.
All of ChickenSheds students will be taking part in this production, that’s two BTEC classes of approximately thirty students and three foundation degree student years of approximately fifteen students per year. Also including some staff and one of the theatres older performing groups called Lunar. This is a massive cast with roughly two months to rehears until the first show. As iv been a part of Chickenshed for seven years, starting at the age of sixteen and have performed in many of their shows, I know how ChickenShed put big cast productions together. What normally happens is we get split into our character groups, once we are in these we are given a timetable witch we then follow. In our set times we will be taught and directed only the parts of the show our group is performing in. When it comes to technical’s, (normally a few days before the first performance) only is it then we see what the other groups have been rehearsing and that the show all finally comes together.
This morning all students were together in the Rayne. Here we were spoken to by the director and Founder of ChickenShed Mary Ward. In this talk we were reminded of how we must respect one another listening and including all in what we do. Mary read to us some memoirs she had written from a previous production of “a midsummer’s nights dream”. Talking of her feelings throughout the production process and on her notes directing the play. We ended the day by watching a version of the play on DVD, this was important that we new the play before going into our segregated groups as It will not be until technical’s that we see what our piers have been working on.
Key points I learnt from today:
* To keep notes on the play, not only will it help me keep a focused mind on the production but also that one day these notes might be a good source of reference to myself.
* The importance that everyone must understand the play they are performing in, for so many reasons such as enjoying the experience and having the right feel for their characters.
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Descriptive
Draft 2
Its Sunday the sixth of December seven twenty five pm, palms are sweating, hearts are racing. It was five minutes before the dress run of our Christmas show Pinocchio. Back stage was manic, people where pacing with nerves, children running round with excitement, teachers getting stressed trying to calm down over excited children and teenagers.
Finally we hear the all so familiar bing bing bong of the over head announcer, we get the call we had all been waiting for, beginners. A sudden silence sweeps the room. Interrupted by the voice informing us to make sure we have our entire group together and to check that we all have the correct costume on. A burst of energy renters the room as people rush off to gather members of their group. Once everyone is assembled in their groups wearing the correct costume. Which for our group is rolled up skinny jeans, with white socks, tucked in white polo shirt, brown waste coat and a neck chief. Our costume and style of our character group is based on the eighties pop group Madness. Once costumes have been checked and all groups have assembled, we start to head down to our starting positions back stage. Waiting quietly backstage we anxiously wait for our queue from the band. Waiting ready so we can enter and perform what we had been rehearsing for a month prier to this. All standing still, alert with anticipation we hear our queue. Finally we burst energetically onto stage, ready to perform our part of the story in this years Christmas show Pinocchio.
Draft 2
Its Sunday the sixth of December seven twenty five pm, palms are sweating, hearts are racing. It was five minutes before the dress run of our Christmas show Pinocchio. Back stage was manic, people where pacing with nerves, children running round with excitement, teachers getting stressed trying to calm down over excited children and teenagers.
Finally we hear the all so familiar bing bing bong of the over head announcer, we get the call we had all been waiting for, beginners. A sudden silence sweeps the room. Interrupted by the voice informing us to make sure we have our entire group together and to check that we all have the correct costume on. A burst of energy renters the room as people rush off to gather members of their group. Once everyone is assembled in their groups wearing the correct costume. Which for our group is rolled up skinny jeans, with white socks, tucked in white polo shirt, brown waste coat and a neck chief. Our costume and style of our character group is based on the eighties pop group Madness. Once costumes have been checked and all groups have assembled, we start to head down to our starting positions back stage. Waiting quietly backstage we anxiously wait for our queue from the band. Waiting ready so we can enter and perform what we had been rehearsing for a month prier to this. All standing still, alert with anticipation we hear our queue. Finally we burst energetically onto stage, ready to perform our part of the story in this years Christmas show Pinocchio.
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