Trying to understand ethical considerations.

Ethics.

For weeks now this word has caused shivers down my spine. I have been continuously researching ethics; ethics surrounding dance, education and our every day lives, but for some reason it has taken me much longer to become engrossed in this topic. Even now I don’t feel like I completely understand, but wanted to share some of my research and also hear other students' thoughts to help improve my knowledge;

So, what are ethics?

"a system of accepted beliefs that control behaviour, especially such a system based on morals" - Cambridge Dictionary

I often get mixed up between ethics and morals. I thought that the Cambridge Dictionary definition would help me understand, instead it caused more confusion. However, I came across a video online of a lady who spoke about when she joined the army. She felt conflicted because she believed killing was morally wrong, but the army’s ethical code encourages taking lives for the sake of the mission. Similarly (but of far less importance), in an audition situation if the person next to you falls over mid-dance, we don’t stop and ask if they are okay, we continue because ultimately, we want/need the job. Ethics aren’t always moral. This helped me understand that morals are concepts that we have to help us be good people, but we don’t have to use them, whereas ethics describes behaviour that is right or wrong.  Additionally, this prompted me to recall ethical situations that I faced whilst growing up in the dance world. For example;

• Being told I would never be a Ballerina due to my body shape (at the age of 11).
• Then, contradictory being suspected of having an eating disorder (also at the age of 11).
• Being told I shouldn’t audition for certain dance colleges because I wouldn’t get accepted (I auditioned anyway and proved them wrong).
• Competition judges judging unfairly.
• Favouritism (or in some cases being unfavored).

The journey to become a professional dancer isn’t a walk in the park, and these are only a few examples of unethical situations that I had to deal with during my training. I have also had to deal with similar situations in my professional career, however I feel that it would be unethical of me to discuss these on my blog.

To help my understanding of ethical considerations, I watched a TedX Talk by Michael D. Burroughs called 'The Significance of Ethics and Ethics Education in Daily Life'. As I am now working in a new field of practice, it was very helpful to learn about everyday ethics that can be found in a classroom situation. It also cleverly pointed out that children go to school to participate in a variety of different subjects and extra curricula activities to encourage maximum chances of learning, however there is no training in ethics education. I can relate to dealing with children who ask ethical questions in class, but these questions are not always answered; maybe because we think these questions are inappropriate, or maybe we try to avoid controversy. But we should not be teaching children to avoid issues and to pretend they will go away on their own. I believe to be affected by this now - not only have I been struggling to get my head around ethics in my current learning, I also sometimes chose to ignore certain issues, either because I don't fully understand or I don't want to stress myself. Borroughs describes children to be imaginably present. Adults seem to lack this skill; maybe I should take this opportunity to learn from the children in my class.

I am also currently having to deal with another matter in my new job - trying not using my 'dance morals' in the classroom. Dance has taught me many things, not all of which are beneficial in our everyday lives; for example, criticism will lead to improvement, never say no, the show must go on (even when you feel exhausted or ill), always aim to be the best you can be etc. We have adapted to these ideas and were forced to grow a thick skin. But I need to remember that the children in my class are more fragile and they need to understand you don't always need to be perfect. It is okay to get things wrong sometimes. It is also okay to have a break when you feel overloaded. I often think that I am a little hard, but my morals now are as a result of my dance upbringing. I need to work more ethically to ensure my students feel comfortable and happy in class, because this will lead to optimised learning opportunities for them.

So this is my take on ethics. After writing this blog and exploring these ideas surrounding ethical considerations, I can admit that it doesn't feel as daunting anymore. I hope I am on track to understanding ethics correctly, and would love to hear others thoughts about this very interesting topic. 

References

Websites

Ethics.  (n.d.).  In: Cambridge Advanced Learner' s Dictionary and Thesauruses.  [online].  Available at: dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/ethic.  (Accessed 22/10/2020).  

Unknown.  2020.  What’s The Difference Between “Morals” vs. “Ethics”?.  [online].  Available at: www.dictionary.com/e/moral-vs-ethical/.  Accessed (22/10/2020).  

Video

TedX Talks.  2016.  The Significance of Ethics and Ethics Education in Daily Life.  [video].  Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8juebyo_Z4.  (Accessed 22/10/2020). 

Unknown.  2020.  What’s The Difference Between “Morals” vs. “Ethics”?.  [video].  Available at: www.dictionary.com/e/moral-vs-ethical/.  Accessed (22/10/2020).  

My Practice...

Who else was as excited as me for 'Strictly Come Dancing' to start this year? I have missed out on the past 3 years due to working abroad. Not only was I excited to have a relaxing Saturday night with my family whilst indulging in some treats and getting to 'chill out', but I was eager to have ‘dance’ back in my life, even if it was just on the television. For the past couple of weeks I have been thinking a lot about how much I miss performing. Dance has been a massive part of my life for as long as I can remember, and performing had become my biggest love since graduation, but it was unexpectedly taken away from me earlier this year.

During the first week of the BAPP programme, I became interested in discovering what defines my practice. I started a mind map and stuck it on my bedroom wall, and whenever I had a new idea I wrote it down. As we are starting our Module One portfolios (and having approached mid-term break), I would like to share what I have documented so far. What started off as only two small fragments (Dance and SEN TA), it has now become a rather chaotic combination of ideas. I have organised these ideas into this new mind map;

Let me start by discussing my practice surrounding dance - what I consider to be my biggest passion. My training was challenging, but it allowed me to gain my teaching qualifications as well as leading me to my dream job as a production dancer. This opened up doors to my next two biggest interests - fitness and travel. Dance has also given me a wide range of skills that I believe can be used in many other aspects of my life. 

Another part of my practice is my new role as a Special Educational Needs Teaching Assistant. I find myself using the skills that dance taught me in this new field of work, especially when it comes to creativity. I am discovering that the ability to be creative is an excellent form of self-expression, especially in children with differing needs. I enjoy sharing this with the children in my class and believe it is beneficial to them as well.

What has caused the diversion in my career?

I have strong home values and miss my family greatly when working away from home. I discovered that every time I would come home from a contract, it was harder to adapt back to ‘normal’ life. I questioned whether this was healthy. Then, everyones lives were forced to change drastically when we were hit by a global pandemic. I used this as the main reason for my recent career change, but was this an excuse for something more exclusive? As dancers, we know what we need to do to support our bodies and maintain good health. Additionally, I was diagnosed with a minor health issue last year that affected my ability to be in control. I struggled to support myself in the way I needed to when I was on board. Something had to give, and in that moment it was my career. 

So where does my practice fit in with this? 

I always thought of my practice as being a dancer; and thought about whether I should consider my practice as something else now that I am not dancing anymore. I have realised that ‘professional practice’ doesn’t just refer to your current job; it is about your journey, reactions, morals, professionalism, passion, skills and many more other elements that help create a bigger picture. If anyone can add to this list, I would love to hear your ideas. 

I believe that when it comes to dance, there is no real ending. I am a lover of the arts, always will be; and even though I am able to accept changes and discover new aspects of my practice, I like to think my artistry will never diminish.

References

Unknown.  (2020).  Professional practice.  [online].  Designing Buildings.  Available at: https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Professional_practice#:~:text=The%20term%20'professional%20practice'%20refers,someone%20from%20a%20particular%20profession.&text=Professional%20bodies%20may%20set%20standards,to%20remain%20within%20the%20profession.  (Accessed 20/10/2020).  

Unknown.  (2020).  Creativity and Play.  [online].  PBS.  Available at: https://www.pbs.org/wholechild/providers/play.html.  (Accessed 20/10/2020).  

The scariest moment is always just before you start...

On 14th October 2020, I attended an 'academic writing' workshop with guest speaker Peter Thomas, the Senior Lecturer in Academic Writing and Language at Middlesex University. I was particularly intrigued to attend this workshop as I often feel that my writing doesn't transcend well. The workshop was insightful in many ways. We were given a writing activity where we were asked to write uninterrupted for five minutes about the topic 'what is writing'. This technique of 'free writing' is a way to generate a flow of thought, without worrying about the correct language. What I initially realised from this task was that 'I am very bad at writing'. I have read some other students' blogs who have shared what they wrote during this activity and I have been surprised at the creativity and professionalism in their writing. I won't share exactly what I wrote because it is not my best work. To prove this, my last sentence was 'in this moment writing is hurting my hand'. Many thoughts were bouncing around my head after this activity, thoughts of panic and self doubt. I certainly didn't feel ready to write an essay after that. But I reminded myself about a certain part of the module handbook that resonated with me a couple of weeks ago;

"I like thinking that dancers are good at ‘doing’ because it makes me feel better about the experience that I am not very good at sitting and reading. This makes me realise that the idea I like is not so much about the idea itself, “dancers learn Kinaesthetically”, is more about my feelings about myself and my experiences. When I realised this I also realised I was NOT a Kinaesthetic learner after all, I had just assumed I was to justify what I felt I was not good at!"

I remembered this section because the first part felt like my own words. When I was growing up, I had to work extra hard in school to reach my target grades. When I left school to study dance full time, I assumed that I would get better grades because I would be working more practically. Dancers are thought to be able to express themselves better through movement than with words and I was therefore inclined to believe that I learn better kinaesthetically. In some aspects I believe this to be correct, but there have been many times during my learning/career when I believe to have failed this theory. 

In 1983, Howard Gardner released a book called "Frames of Mind' where he looked further into the theory that we can learn in 'multiple intelligences', which I feel is represented well in this picture;

When I researched this theory, I began comparing each intelligence to my life. I could even recall moments in my life when I have used 'logical-mathematical intelligence', despite having struggled with mathematical equations throughout my whole childhood (counting to eight was enough for me). This is something I felt rather insecure about at school. I would constantly reassure myself that I was more 'practical' and the other students were more 'brainy' and our future professions would be a consequence of this. But Gardner's theory states that everyone has all intelligences at varying measures and it doesn't determine someone's intellect. It may be possible that my interest in dance (from a young age) has allowed my bodily kinaesthetic to develop more than other intelligences, or maybe it is a characteristic that I was born with?

I read a very interesting essay by a teacher called 'Joan Walton'. Her knowledge of this theory encouraged her to use different learning techniques in her dance classes, therefore engaging with her students better and helping them learn faster. She described it as "Your intelligence is like a building with seven doors, all of which lead to the same place.  There is no right or wrong way to get there, there is only the way that is best for you.". By researching Gardner's theory and reading Walton's story, I now believe that I have made an assumption of myself; the way I have adapted to learning isn't the reason for my disinterests and my struggle to learn as a child. Furthermore, I now feel that I have a better understanding of this theory, so that I can hopefully support my students better in the future. 

***

Steering back to my original topic, as the workshop continued we were introduced to a writing structure that we can use for our essay writing - generate, organise and present. Thomas also gave us different tools that we can use to help us during these different sections. Free-writing would be helpful during our 'generate' phase. There is a big jump between 'generate' and 'present', and it helped me realise that the task that we did at the beginning of the workshop wasn't going to be the end result. I even realised that I use 'free writing' more frequently than I initially thought. Every time I begin a blog post, I start by writing what comes into my head, I then edit it to make it more presentable. 

As I begin writing my Module One essay, I am feeling apprehensive. But the workshop has given me different ways to overcome my worries as well as urging me to reflect on my own way of learning, ultimately boosting my confidence. 

“The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.”                                                                                                           - Stephen King

References

Books

ACI3611 BAPP Module Handbook, 2020 - 2021.

Gardner, H.  (1983).  Frames of mind; the theory of multiple intelligences.  New York.  Basic Books

Websites

Marenus, M.  (2020).  Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences.  [online].  Simply Phycology.  Available at: https://www.simplypsychology.org/multiple-intelligences.html.  (Accessed 17/10/2020).  

Walton, J.  (1999).  The Arts and Science of Teaching/Learning dance.  [online].  Joan Walton.  Available at: http://www.joanwalton.com/Home/Essays/the-art-and-science-of-teachinglearning-dance.  (Accessed 17/10/2020). 

World Mental Health Day

October 10th is World Mental Health Day. It is said that one in four people will experience a mental health problem in any year, but this year feels different. According to research, 60% of adults and 68% of young people have claimed their mental health got worse during the COVID-19 lockdown. 2020 has been tough for many reasons; being apart from family and friends, loss of jobs, money issues, loss of loved ones. We have had to deal with an endless amount of stress, and many people are still struggling to recover. 

I can admit that I wasn't myself during lockdown. I had just lost my job, had to quarantine alone in a foreign country for nearly a month and really missed my family and friends. Everyday I would wake up, grab my phone and scroll on social media for hours, watching irrelevant videos on TicTok of people pranking their siblings. I could feel my enthusiasm deteriorate as my screen time quadrupled. So I performed a mini experiment on myself in June where I didn’t use my phone and laptop for one day (a whole day… how absurd). For one day I didn’t speak to my boyfriend or watch Netflix, but I could confidently admit that I felt more motivated and slept much better that evening. This didn’t even surprise me. 

Although I can argue the problems that social media have on myself and others within society, I believe it has had many benefits to the arts. The creative industry has evolved to coincide with the development of Web 2:0, which has made it much easier for many artists to get jobs, especially during this pandemic when it has become more or less impossible. I consider myself slightly more old-fashioned and I haven’t yet used social media to promote myself, however, I am passionate about the arts and can recognise that this is an exciting breakthrough for the industry. I can envisage a time possibly over 10 years ago when other artists had to adapt to using emails as a way of applying for jobs. This may have been controversial at the time, but this concept is now our ‘normal’ and I have been fortunate enough to have secured two professional contracts with the use of my CV and showreel online.

Social Media has also allowed us to encourage and support each other during these uncertain times. When it comes to job loss, the creative industry has taken a massive hit. I have always felt lucky to purse a profession that I love so much, but this year, I felt discouraged. I was suffering the loss of my career. But I deflected this and instead put my time and energy into something new and exciting, which is what led me to becoming a SEN TA. Nonetheless my artistry will never leave me, which is why I felt insulted when I saw on the news that a big name in our government is encouraging artists to ‘retrain’. The training that we undergo is tough. We have been made into thick-skinned, versatile individuals. We have been given the skills to do many things (most of us have a ‘job on the side’ anyway), but to not have the ability to do what we love most is incomprehensible. No wonder our mental health has been effected. We are a community of performers who are normally very competitive, especially during auditions, but in these times of uncertainty, we are sharing our stories, encouraging each other, fighting for our careers and continuing to spread the love and passion online; which is unintentionally aiding good mental health in many people. 

I could discuss for hours about how Web 2:0 is effecting our generation. I believe I have come to the conclusion that social media is there to be taken advantage of, but it's important to remember that we are always in control. Since lockdown, I have appreciated days where I can turn my phone off for a short while, to take a break from the online world and be inspired by other things beyond the screen. Today might be a difficult day for some, but it’s important to know that you are not alone. And there is a community of people who want to support you, even if you don’t know it. 

References

Mind.org.uk, (2020).  World Mental Health Day 2020.  [online].  Available at https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/world-mental-health-day-2020/.  Accessed on 09/10/2020

Mind.org.uk, (2020).  How common are mental health problems.  [online].  Available at https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/statistics-and-facts-about-mental-health/how-common-are-mental-health-problems/#:~:text=1%20in%204%20people%20will,week%20in%20England%20%5B2%5D.  Accessed on 09/10/2020