My Sources of Information

As a dance teacher I need to keep up to date with relevant topics such as policies and rules of teaching, changes of the syllabus in exam work and even making sure I know about the latest trends in music. It can be difficult to keep up with these trends and changes but it needs to be done to ensure that I maintain the standard of a professional and experienced teacher. I do this by using a few different sources of information. These sources have their positives and negatives and are particularly applicable for certain situations/topics as I will discuss here.

Interaction -

• Employers and other dance teachers
• Friends and family
• Word of mouth

Media -

• Internet
• Radio
• Television
• Magazines

internet

The internet is a great way for me to keep my finger on the pulse, especially when it comes to music and the ever changing styles. If I like a piece of music I hear in a store while I'm out shopping, I will try and remember the lyrics until I get home where I can search for it on Google. I will often go to Youtube or Amazon until I find what I'm looking for. When I am watching shows or attending seminars I will mentally take note of any songs that I like, search for the pieces and then use them for myself later.

The internet is a good, readily accessible source for a lot of things particularly when you have a question or you want to find out more on a topic.

Negative

You have to be aware that using a single website for information could result in you adopting someones personal opinions even though that person could be a maverick, so using a diverse array of information sources is crucial to developing a robust understanding of the topic at hand.


Iona Holland raised a good point about how unreliable the sources on the internet can be:

" The main thing I have to be aware of when using the internet is how reliable the sources     are. For example, if I decide to use wikipedia as a source of research I have to be aware that anyone can alter the information so it may not be true. So it is up to me to decide how            reliable the source of information is, and to do further research if needed......."  (Iona Holland, The Sources of Information.)                        

This triggered off a thought that was mentioned to us at our induction for BAPP which I found very amusing and very accurate.

It was only yesterday when I was trying to find an answer to a question I had on the internet. I came across a lot of various sites all of which had information differing from each other. A lot of opinions were thrown in but not a lot of concrete evidence.

I read through Emily O'Shea's blog as she was an old friend from The Hammond. Emily put down Facebook  as one of her valuable sources of information. Reflecting over it I can see how Facebook can actually be a great source of information for various things. Not only is it a great place to learn about auditions as all my friends are connected and the information is passed around but it is also a good place to learn of music and videos. Facebook is constantly changing so is always current. Again though, Facebook is filled with peoples opinions and imput into topics so you have to be careful to verify each source of information.

radio

television

Whenever I am stuck for a piece of music I will use the internet but also television and radio.
Films have a lot of great soundtracks which I will often use, the movie itself giving me inspiration towards my choreography.
The themes and styles of choreography change frequently. I can usually establish what's "in" by watching entertainment TV shows and music videos.

Negatives

The television and the radio only play popular music but there are brilliant pieces of music and songs out there that are not mainstream.

magazines

books

It is extremely important for me to keep up to date with the ballet syllabus and making sure I haven't missed any changes. I keep myself up to date by reading the official IDTA magazine and book which holds all the information I need as a teacher. The IDTA dvd is also really helpful as I am somebody who likes to watch and learn, absorbing more information by visually observing.

Negative

Whilst popular internet pages are constantly updated and when you visit a website you can usually tell if the news is current or not, a book or magazine could hold information that is not relevant to today.

dance teachers

employers

Employers and other dance teachers I work with play a crucial part in keeping me informed of current news.

Employers who are more experienced than I and more established in the professional world of teaching are really helpful for letting me know of not only new work in the syllabus, of upcoming seminars and events but also of any policies and health regulations that I should be aware of.

Negative

The information you gain from employers and other dance teachers may not actually be correct. A lot could be based on opinions or be lacking in research. Again, the information gained must be verified by research using other sources before it can be relied upon.

family

friends

word of mouth

I listed family and friends as good sources of information. I categorised these separately as for me personally my brother has been a continual source of information when it comes to modern technologies and the music fashion whereas my more experienced dance colleagues are a good source of dance syllabus information. Quite often, especially when it comes to organising a street class, I am stuck for music as I am not an absolute follower of today's trends. In these situations I will turn to my brother for help who often has good ideas.

Negative

It is through word of mouth and friends that in the past I have come to know of some upcoming auditions. This is not a way I like to work though. News travelling through the grapevine is not always reliable, for information can become altered as the message is passed along and personal opinions can get involved which could deter you away from attending the audition. I have found out about some auditions through word of mouth but I have always checked out the information myself.

Conclusion

Different sources are useful for different topics, some of these sources are quicker and easier to use and some sources can be trusted more than others. I believe that maintaining a good list of sources, particularly experienced colleagues, and a rigorous verification of information gathered is crucial for my career progression.