Dance Education: Lesson Plan 5

Dance Education: Lesson Plan 5

Semester II
Course Code DANC 2014
Course Title Dance Education
Lecturer: Dr. Jorge Luis Morejón
No of Credits 3
Meeting Day: Wednesday
Time: 5 – 8 PM

Lesson Plan # 5

This lecture introduces the students to educational strategies that will allow them to have a better notion of what is their role in designing a mission and goal statement as well as goals and objectives using a business model.

Objectives

The students will learn:
How to write a mission statement
How to underline the importance of the subject matter
How to develop teaching strategies
How to write a vision statement
How to write educational goals and objectives for dance
Content:

Mission

Following a business model, the mission statement should be a concise statement of educational strategy developed from the student’s perspective and
it should fit with the vision for the program. The mission should answer three questions:
1. What do we do?
2. How do we do it?
3. For whom do we do it?

What do you do?

This question should not be answered in terms of what is physically delivered to students, but by the real and/or psychological needs that are fulfilled when students register for your class. They may register in your class for many reasons, including economical, logistical, and emotional factors. An excellent illustration of this is a dance class in West African dance. When asked what do you teach, you may reply, "I teach West African dance." But when asked why students register in your class, you may explain that, "they're buying a story in where the dance came from and how it relates to their ancestry." This is an important distinction and answering this question from the need-fulfilled perspective will help you answer the other two questions effectively.

How do you do it?

This question captures the more technical elements of the class. Your answer should encompass the physical product or service and how it is sold and delivered to the students and it should fit with the need that the student fulfills by taking the class. In the example above, you, the teacher had originally defined your class as West African dance and you were attempting to sell your class to schools with a Eurocentric view of education. After modifying your answer to the first question, you may realize that you needed to deliver the story to your students along with the product (dance class). You may begin organizing activities (dance parties including slide shows of West Africa, stories of personal experiences there, and pictures and descriptions of the villagers who dance the dance.
For whom do we do it?

The answer to this question is also vital; as it will help you focus your teaching and marketing efforts. Though many teachers and professors would like to believe otherwise, not everyone is a potential student, as students will almost always have limitations in terms of attention span, behavior, personal interest, prejudice, self identification. When starting out, it is generally a good idea to define the demographic characteristics (age, ethnicity, dance background, academic and creative history) of students who are likely to come to your class and then define opportunities in which your class can gain a presence. As you grow, you can add new classes and expand your focus.

Mission Statement

An additional consideration with mission statements is that most classes will have multiple interest groups that register in your class for different reasons. In these cases, one mission statement can be written to answer each of the three questions for each group or multiple mission statements can be developed. Also, as a final thought, remember that your vision and mission statements are meant to help guide the class, not to lock you into a particular direction. As your class grows and as the educational environment changes, (foreign students vs. local) your mission may require change to include additional or different needs fulfilled, delivery systems, or interest groups. With this in mind, your vision and mission should be revisited periodically to determine whether modifications are desirable

http://www.inc.com/resources/startup/articles/20050201/missionstatement.html

When used properly, vision and mission statements can be very powerful tools, especially for new classes. Just as a successful teacher has a vision for putting a class together for successful execution, vision and mission provide direction for a new class, without which it is difficult to develop a cohesive plan. In turn, this allows the class to pursue activities that lead the department forward and avoid devoting resources to activities that do not.

Vision

Vision statements and mission statements are very different. A vision statement for a new class spells out goals at a high level and should coincide with the founder's goals for the program. Simply put, the vision should state what the founder ultimately envisions the program to be, in terms of growth, values, employees, contributions to society, and the like; therefore, self-reflection by the founder is a vital activity if a meaningful vision is to be developed. As a founder, once you have defined your vision, you can begin to develop strategies for moving the program toward that vision. Part of this includes the development of the program’s mission.
EXAMPLES OF MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS
http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples/examples-of-mission-statements.html

GOALS

http://assessment.uconn.edu/docs/HowToWriteGoals.pdf
a) How to Write Program Goals
• Difference between Primary, Secondary and Tertiary (Higher) Education Goals
• Primary and Secondary (Unless a Magnet School) your class is the program, thus you have to envision it all: mission, goals and objectives.
• Higher Ed., your goals have to be in compliance with the mission of the Program
b) What is the mission of writing a goal statement?
• It is to create a bridge between the lofty language of the Mission Statement and the more concrete-specific nuts and bolts of the program

objectives.

• The Program Goals Statement becomes a blueprint for implementing the mission by answering the following questions:
 How do program goals relate to the program mission?
 How does this program fit into a student’s overall development?
 What general categories of knowledge and abilities will distinguish your students/graduates?
 For each principle of the mission what are the key competency categories students/graduates of the program should know or be able to do?

Learning Goals and Objectives

DRAMA

1. Students in Drama and Theatre Arts will acquire and develop various fundamental performance and production skills sufficient to prepare them for employment or graduate study in the theatre
1.1 Students will learn to deliver audience-appropriate theatrical presentations.
1.2 Students will learn to use discipline specific technologies.
1.3 Students will show growth each semester in their performance and production skills.

2. Drama and Theatre Arts Majors will demonstrate proficiency in oral communication.
2.1 Drama and Theatre Arts Majors will compose and deliver effective, audience-appropriate oral presentations that develop and support a point; or lead or participate in collaborative discussion of a question or a text.
2.2 Drama and Theatre Arts Majors will acquire the skill to use visual, auditory, and/or technological aids in support of oral communication.

3. Students in Drama and Theatre Arts will acquire and develop dramaturgical skills.
3.1 Students will read with comprehension and learn to critically and aesthetically analyze works in dramatic literature and the performing arts.
3.2 Students will learn to comprehend and analyze historical movements in dramatic literature and practice.
3.3 Drama and Theatre Arts majors will demonstrate a proficiency in dramatic literature, stage history, and theatre aesthetics.

4. Drama and Theatre Arts majors will gain proficiency in various areas of the Performing Arts
4.1 Drama and Theatre Arts students pursuing production will gain proficiency in various areas of technical Theatre.
4.2 Drama and Theatre Arts students pursuing performance will gain proficiency in performance in various styles and venues.
4.3 Drama and Theatre Arts Students pursuing directing will gain proficiency in theatrical directing.

5. Theatre Arts Majors will participate in a capstone project appropriate to the concentration they are pursuing which will prepare them for a professional career.
5.1 Theatre Arts Performance students participate in a showcase that is publicized and presented to New York casting directors, agents, and producers.
5.2 Theater Arts Performance students will prepare appropriate headshots and resumes in a timely fashion to be distributed at the Showcase.
5.3 Theater Arts Production students in Stage Management, Directing, and Design tracks will prepare a professional resume and portfolio or appropriate support materials according to their discipline.

6. Students in Drama and Theatre Arts will learn the importance of responsibility to their community.
6.1 Drama students will learn the importance of cooperation through collaboration.
6.2 Drama students will learn the importance of service to their community through the creative division of labor.
6.3 Drama students will work to create a supportive and respectful atmosphere for one another in all learning and working environments.

Learning Goals and Objectives

DANCE

1. Students in Dance will acquire proficiency in and understanding of multiple dance disciplines.
1.1 Students will demonstrate technical proficiency in a variety of styles of modern dance, and in ballet.
1.2 Students will have the option to study additional dance forms, including African dance, jazz dance, tap dance, and other forms.

2. Students in Dance will gain scientific understanding of and technical expertise in exercise systems and somatic practices.
2.1 Students will gain strength and conditioning through Pilates training and individually designed exercise programs.
2.2 Students will enrich the quality of their dancing through somatic practices.
2.3 Students will learn the anatomy of the body and how the body works most efficiently, with less chance of injury.

3. Students in Dance will develop the ability to assess their own dancing and experiences.
3.1 Students will learn to determine and express their own strengths and weaknesses.
3.2 Students will develop personal pathways to success.

4. Students will grow as choreographers and performers.
4.1 Students will acquire basic musical skills and a more comprehensive understanding of musicality.
4.2 Students will develop choreographic skills through exploration, improvisation, and the making of studies and dances.
4.3 Students will perform in student choreography in both informal and fully realized dance concerts.
4.4 Students will develop, rehearse, and perform works by professional choreographers.

5. Students will develop basic production skills
5.1 Students will learn the basic skills required to create and run a dance company.
5.2 Students will do the jobs of a production crew, including costumes, lighting, and stage managing.

6. Students in Dance will expand their knowledge and understanding of dance as an art form throughout history.
6.1 Students will see many dance performances in New York City, beginning as freshmen as part of the First Year Connections Dance Major Cluster.
6.2 Students will be able to richly describe dance that they see.
6.3 Students will be able to critically and aesthetically analyze choreographed works.
6.4 Students will comprehend and analyze historical movements in Dance practice, and relate that understanding to the dance of today.
6.5 Students will participate in the reconstructions and performances of historical dance works.

7. Dance Majors will learn about dance in education, and be prepared to teach dance.
7.1 B.A. Dance Majors will have the opportunity to begin to develop the skill to teach dance to students of all ages.
7.2 Students interested primarily in teaching will have the opportunity to become certified to teach in the New York State Public Schools as the culmination of the B.S. in Education - Dance Education Program.

8. Dance Majors will demonstrate proficiency in oral communication related to their field.
8.1 Dance Majors will compose and deliver effective, audience-appropriate oral presentations that develop and support a point; or lead or participate in collaborative discussion of a questions or a text.
8.2 Dance Majors will acquire the skill to use visual, auditory, and/or technological aids in support of oral communication

9. Dance Majors will learn the importance of responsibility and contribution to the Hofstra community and to the dance community at large.
9.1 Dance Majors will form a close collaborative bond with their fellow dance majors, beginning in freshman year by taking part in the First Year Connections Dance Major Cluster Courses.
9.2 Dance students will learn to cooperate through collaboration.
9.3 Dance students will learn the importance of service to their community through internships and work opportunities.

Assessment:

Write a mission and a vision statement for a dance program in a primary education school.
Based on the examples given in class, write the goals and objectives of your first dance lesson in Higher Education setting.