I have been commenting on other peoples work, trying to create conversation to strengthen the connections in my network. I have tried to be constructive with my comments, and not just complimenting people on their work. This also helps me to become a better practitioner as it allows me to have a deeper understanding of the work at hand.
I have also been using social networking sites such as Twitter, to contact to other practitioners, as well as commenting on blogs of people outside the BAPP course, trying to expand my knowledge beyond the dance world.
I am interested in your thoughts with using twitter. I have recently started using this and have found it to be difficult to use! not sure how it will help my teaching!
ReplyDeleteHI Jacob and Michelle, I've been thinking about twitter but don't seem to find it useful or relevant for me very much apart from socialising or for following one person's particular journey. I can't seem to see what else it would be useful for, but am open to ideas. I see how it can help Jacob and any other performers where friends can advise of forthcoming auditions or review an audition/directors to announcing which celebrity they've just bumped into... Like Michelle, I can't see how it would help me in my teaching network. If you are in a school then you can have meetings with other teachers to exchange information. I now see social network sites like a PA system, you have things to announce to the world and you have a captured audience whether the subject is relevant or not to other people, someone out there will pick up your comment/twitter. I think it depends on where about you are in your time line of career or life from other people as to how often and when to use this media.
ReplyDeleteTwitter can be a vital to a teacher. From twitter you can find out when auditions are for your students. It can also tell you if a company is touring or in a town near you. With this information you could contact the company and see if they would be generous enough to allow one of your students take a company class with them, giving your students exposure and experience, allowing them to develop their knowledge of dance through experience.
ReplyDeleteThe company may also be performing and would be great for students to see dance and gain from this experience.
You may also notice if another teacher/practitioner of dance may be in the area that you could possible ask to teach an open class for your students, or indeed yourself traveling to other places, people may contact you to teach a class at another dance school as a guest teacher.
A teacher may use a particular time of exam board like RAD, ISTD, BBO etc. Updates may be posted on twitter to inform of exam days and locations.
In all, Twitter is highly relevant to teachers, the information posted on twitter and other social networking sites can be passed on to student to aid them in their career.