Award title draft

I've had very different ideas about my award title but this is the one that is sticking at the moment...


The award I seek as a result of doing this program is BA (Hons)Professional Practice in the Arts and Special Needs Education

Ethics

I've been looking at ethics and I see a lot of different things when working in a school with young children.

For instance: when working with younger children you need to be weary of the language that you use as a teacher. Adult language might be thought of very differently in a child's eyes and they might hear it completely different.

I have found in the school that I work in now that you have to be very careful about taking pictures/ videos of children and that getting parental cooperation is absolutely necessary and that you need to accept their views if they do not accept to they letter asking for you're approval.

I think confidentiality with parents is very important, when working in a close knit family like a school there are boundries that you have to take into account.

As well as confidentiality with the child when they are talkin to you in confidence, you have to be able to give them you're trust.

Lastly for the time being I think that it is very important to have 'witnesses' to corroborate and to back something as proof and protection without any unjust accusation.

My Questions ?????

Whilst working in a special needs school in Berkhamsted I have become extremely interested about Occupational Therapy, otherwise known as O.T. The development process within these children with special needs and sometimes just Dyslexia or Dyspraxia can be phenominal and I would really like to do some work on making it more globalised. With that in mind I don't just mean Special needs schools.

I think Occupational therapy could work vey closely with Drama, using it for frustration and anxiety before a play or performance to try and focus their minds.


I would think about asking such questions like:

• Have you ever undertaken an Occupational Therapy 'Research Project' before?
• Would it be feasible to work on the children's development in close detail?
• How benificial is the work for the children and does that depend on each child?
• Would I be able to use Occupational therapy before a performance to try and focus thier minds?
• Are there any books that would be helpful to be looking at in this process?
• Do you have any thoughts and ideas on the sorts of ways that we can work with special needs children using drama?

Thanks for taking a look and any feedback is welcome.

Any ideas?

Hello everyone,

I'm really looking forward to this next module but I'm having a bit of difficulty thinking about sufficiant questions to ask an Occupational Therapist? This is what I am thinking about using for my Research Project because whilst watching thier development in their lessons it is visible that they are using Drama in these special needs areas.

Does anyone have any ideas that could could help me to get going?

Thanks, and I look forward to your responce

MY NETWORKING

Relationships at school

• Time with Head teacher 

 
 University tutor

• Making time to talk
• Taking notes and listening to advice

 
Communicating with friends

• Acknowledging their ideas for your work placement

 
 

Work within school

• Learning from other teachers around you
• Being sensible and firm with the children
• Journal

 

University friends

• Blogs

 
Work with The Drama Gym

• Organisation with the boss
• Journal

 
Chickenshed work

• Being a group leader
• Relationships with children
• Managing performances with everything else
• Journal

Talking to Teachers and Teaching Assistants

• Gaining a bond
• Understanding their way of teaching
• Attending staff meetings
• Being proactive with Head of department

Working in the professional way

When involved in the Christmas performances this year, I have been given the opportunity to be group leader of seventeen children. This means that you have to take care of your group and make sure they are prepared every time they go for a standby. This year I have been able to get to know my group quite well and they have grown to trust me throughout the whole of the Christmas period.
At one time I was told a secret which I didn't know how to deal with and I have found it quite difficult. I had to dig deep to find the correct way to deal with this.

'In Britain, we are going backwards'

Another article that I found from The Daily Telegraph was by Alex Hope saying "Today's computing classes teach passive software usage, not essential programming skills. " So what are we trying to about this? He goes on to say
"Britain has a heritage of technological ingenuity and creative flair, which goes hand in hand with our innate skill with computers. Which in turn, depends on knowing how computers work."

There is so much more that could be seen being done at school just like Alex Hope says
"First to engage young people with the excitement and potential of computer programming. One hopeful sign is the development by David Braben and his colleagues of Raspberry Pi, a whole computer on a tiny circuit board that its makers intend will be simple and cheap enough for schoolchildren to break and fix for themselves."

Computers offer a vast range of exciting possibilities, both to individuals, especially to the next generation, and to this country. There is so much room for growth, if only we can get the right people.