My BAPP Journey

Integrating  arts at an early stage. Even though my inquiry is looking at dance in primary school ages and how dance is incorporated in to the classroom and teaches experiences with this. The Washington Post wrote an article about a kindergarten teacher "using theater and dance to teach math and it's working..." very interesting. Melissa Richardson a drama teacher was sent from the wolf trap institute to collaborate with kindergarten teacher, Carol Hunt to encourage students in her class using arts integration. The article talks and gives an  about how they incorporated arts into the classroom and the statistics of doing so compare to other students not having the experience from the wolf trap program.  For more information go to :  https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/teachers-are-using-theater-and-dance-to-teach-math--and-its-working/2016/02/22/61f8dc0c-d68b-11e5-b195-2e29a4e13425_story.html?utm_term=.c9a5c246457a I wanted to find out mor...

How integrating arts int other subjects make learning come alive. This piece of literature talks about how art had been recognized as an important part of a well-rounded education, but when it comes down to setting budgets priorities, arts rarely rise to the top. Some schools cut dance and arts out but some are weaving arts into everything they do. This article talk a lot about the " Integrated Arts Academy (IAA)" which is a school and association purely concentrating on arts not being a second thought " Instead, artistic learning goals are held up as equals to academic standards and teachers work hard to design lessons that highlight content through art."  Here is a link to a blog of IAA with a video posted on September 9th 2015 showing thier students talking about learning through arts. Blog link:   https://integratedartsacademy.wordpress.com/ Elizabeth  Paterson a fourth-grade teacher at  Cashman Elementary School in Amesbury, Massachusetts s...

ARTICLE: Importance of music & movement in education of young children Another article but this information is more on how music and movement benefits a young child. As it can help a child with "development, social interaction and language growth in early childhood education." Brain Development: According to early childhood music and movement association , 85% of brain development occurs by the time a child reaches 3 years. Language: Speaking a language fluently involves regular pauses, stops and starts, use accents and even increase or decrease the speed of speech, therefore language has its own tempo. This relates to music as it "has a tempo and teaching young children songs that have rhythm and beats or learning to march in time with music can help development and improve their communication skills and learn the rhythm of speaking." The article then goes on to describing different types of songs and activities to help benefit young children...

The deeper I look the more interesting this inquiry gets... Another piece of literature which really opened my eyes to how dance can really be integrated to any lessons such as in this case mathematics. I came across a website called "Dance Equations - Teach Math through Dance" - It is a website offering teaching resources just as books and music with lesson plans in to help teachers teach math in a fun active way.  It also explains how math and dance are similar in ways such as angles and symmetry etc.  Here is a video about Dance Equations:  https://videopress.com/v/QFx12DGU and the Link for the website if your interested in having a look: https://danceequations.com/ Dance Equations are also on the web 2.0 platform such as you tube and Facebook. Expanding and passing on ideas and knowledge to people all over the world.

New Literature.... After days and days of more researching I came across a professor Marilyn Berrett and ex-student of BYU, Erika Cravath.  Erika Cravath researched about integrating dance into the classroom for her honors thesis project with Marilyn Berrett being one of her mentors on this journey. Erika has also published a book in 2011 the title being "Creative Dance Integration Lesson Plans by Erika Cravath" It's a guide for teachers to help integrate dance into their lessons also giving example lesson plans at the end of the book.  To find this book here is the link:  https://education.byu.edu/sites/default/files/ARTS/documents/educational_movement.pdf   Also here is a video of Marilyn Berrett and Erika Cravath conducting a workshop to teachers on how they can incorporate dance into the classroom environment.   Link:  https://vimeo.com/20476307

Module 3... we are a couple of week now into module 3... honestly I'm can't wait to get stuck into it. From my feedback I have decided to find more research of literature to help develop my professional practice and how I can make a difference. I will be blogging findings I find on the way of a way to keep track of literature and information. Look out for them in the next following days.