Start your AOL with clear indication about what you have learnt - what you are claiming!

Here are two examples of opening AOLs. These were written in 2005! A critique of them is that they do not have enough reference to the literature but they are good examples in in terms of clearly stating what the learning is that is being claimed.

 

Example one

Area of learning two- Initiating and supporting kinesthetic learning through change in the delivery of core curriculum subjects.

Introduction

In this area of learning I am analysing my learning from having worked as a consultant artist/teacher on delivering foundation curriculum subjects such as maths, literacy and science through the arts, particularly through dance. The title of ‘initiating and supporting’ rather than ‘professional development for teachers’ or ‘curriculum development’ has been chosen because this title acknowledges that, whether it be a school administrator or class room teacher, there is an act of letting go that a professional must go through  in order to be open to new methods of delivering foundation subjects in curriculum. It is important to note that this area of learning deals with working with professionals. I have learnt to acknowledge and address the fact that I am teaching something new to professionals and that by way of being professional there is an assumption that core learning has stopped, that repetition of a given process is acceptable and that any learning that is done is in addition to or to validate the repetition of that given process. When I have been employed in school districts it has been because they want to add a new method of teaching foundation subjects to their teachers’ resources. I am therefore teaching new ideas to professional teachers. Because of this I have learnt to find ways of developing the curriculum that seeks to empower teachers by working first in partnership with them and then supporting them delivering their curriculum alone. I have also learnt to create lesson plan formats that are clear for teachers while not sacrificing the change. It is important to note that this kind of curriculum development is as much a shift in view for the teacher as it is a shift for the curriculum itself. One must also acknowledge that the Arts are about change, adaptation: changing a set of elements or things to create another set…….. I have acquired my learning through working as artist/teacher on number of initiatives: 

 

‘Learning Through the Arts’, (LTTA) (www.ltta.ca)an education initiative working throughout Canada, USA/New York, Sweden and England/Birmingham to teach core subjects supported by different fields of art with an emphasis on partnership between art and teaching and a goal to support teachers in acquiring skills to deliver subjects using different art forms on an on-going basis. With LTTA I worked with Winnipeg School Division One (www.wsd1.org) with six inner city schools (nine classrooms) devising curriculum in literacy for year two, in mathematics for year three and science for year eight and St. James-Assiniboine School Division (www.sjad.net) working in five schools (ten classrooms) devising curriculum in science for reception and mathematics for year three. This was from September 2003 - April 2005. Illustration: pages eight to nine– reference letter from Mary Smith Coordinator for the XXXXX.

Page ten – contract from XXXXX

 

 

 

Example two: 

Area of learning five– Choreography

Introduction

In this area of learning I am analyzing my learning from being employed as a choreographer and through choreographing as part of my teaching. I have choreographed for a number of plays for young audiences and for dance companies in USA-New York, Puerto Rico, UK- London and Canada.

I have also received grants for creating works. I received grants from New York State Decentralized Fund to choreograph the Shakespeare Project. I also received grants from Manitoba Arts Council to choreograph ‘Running with Scissors – an evening of dance and film.’ 

 

As an artist educator and specialized link teacher I have choreographed in schools as a form of teaching co-operation, developing confidence in pupils, nurturing creativity and encouraging investment in learning from pupils. Including running programmes as part of residences in schools, one of which call Stomp, Rhythm and Roll which I run in over tens in Manitoba, Canada.  

Illustration: Booklet marked AOL five, one – XXX handbook detailing Stomp, Rhythm and Roll programme.

In my current job as Specialist Link Teacher with Enfield Local Education Authority (LEA), I am supporting schools in being involved with the Enfield Dance Festival by advising and choreographing for nine primary schools and one Secondary School.

Illustration: page 14– contract with XXX

I formally studied choreography with Bessie Schoenberg at the Dance Theatre of Harlem. Her understanding of choreography and the teaching thereof has been so widely recognized that awards for choreography in New York are called the ‘Bessies’.

Illustration: page 26– XXXXX – choreography line.

 

Analysis of Learning

My learning includes an understanding of the complexity of choreography in relation to space. ‘Any body can make up a dance but few people can choreograph.’ Choreography is about understanding the relationship between space and the dancer. The space is divided into two parts the space within the dancer themselves the form of the movement and the space outside the dancer the stage or performance space. Therefore, choreography is about one’s relationship to one’s surroundings. This is why it is important to differentiate between making-up-a-dance and choreographing. When choreographing you are consciously playing with and manipulating space both within the body to create shape and form and outside the body to create dimensions and pattern as well as space in relation to time and perception. 

I have learnt that it is important to distinguish between the dancer and the choreographer, just as one would between the musician and the composer, the actor and the director….