Cooperation refers to an act or working together for a particular purpose, by doing what someone requires you to do. Robert Axelrod (1984) a Professor of Political Science believed in the importance of cooperation and the benefits of fully cooperating with others to achieve maximum benefit s. Axelrod argues that there are important patterns and common interactions that if used strategically can produce effective and expected outcomes. If Axelrod is correct, this concept offers me a route into achieving my career goals by maximizing the potential of the people I have in my current network who will be able to assist me and move me closer to my goals. I am slightly skeptical of this theory because I think different situations result in different outcomes. For instance what if the mutual goal of both parties involved was to be the sole beneficiary, what then would happen? I don’t think a “TIT FOR TAT” strategy would work allowing for both parties to reach their goals. In a case like this, is cooperation not just a fight to the top, a dual of survival? If we had what we wanted, would there be a need for cooperation? In order for cooperation to be relevant, at least one party has to have a want or need of something that the other may obtain. I think in order for cooperation to be effectively fostered I have to establish the purpose, intent, how I then can be an asset and what do I have to offer. I value A. Einstein perspective on cooperation “I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving” Albert Einstein (1879-1955). I believe that we rely on the cooperation of other people in order to have the potential of advancing. By not cooperating there is a stalemate. We also increase the probability of people wanting to work with us in the future because they are aware that together certain goals can be achieved
Affiliation is a concept in the field of social psychology that seeks to explain why humans ‘form close relationships’ (Crisp & Turner, 2007 pp266). By forming close relationships and associating with other humans we form a “human web” to access information and provide support. Crisp & Turner believed “the theory of affiliation suggests that we have an innate need to network”. I think affiliation starts as early as birth; we develop maternal and paternal bonds that are cultured into our psyche. I wonder if those less reliant on these bonds become more self-reliant having less need in their adult life for affiliation, or do they just later try and forge these affiliations with other individuals? Crisp and Turner posed the question of “If experienced and influential individuals are likely to be at their preferred level of affiliation, why is it common for them to still assist younger, less experienced individuals?” I was very interested in this because I think about how to get more experienced practitioners to assist me. I think it is common for experienced and influential individuals to assist younger less experienced individuals for a variety of reasons, to give back and repeat the cycle of someone who once gave to them, they do not pose as direct competition, and it subconsciously elevates them? I have come to the conclusion that there could be many reasons which one cannot assume. There is a common phrase “it’s lonely at the top” so maybe it is just for companionship. I have experienced through my affiliation with people on a professional level that nodes or bridges of communication have been formed allowing introductions to be made granting me access to third parties. To further my needs of advancement in my field of professional practice I will look at the social circles that represent the kind of person I would like to be associated with. To attract individuals I can benefit from into my network I will look at how to market myself successfully.
Social construction is a key concept of sociology. It refers to the way that we construct meanings as humans. We construct meanings of the world and the experiences of it through social interaction with others. Networks are large social constructions. We construct our networks by the choices we make, resulting in their evolution, giving them significance and purpose. This concept offers the notion that we have a measure of control which enables us to take ownership of the self-development of our future new and existing professional networks. I think when we construct our professional networks we cannot predict how or when we are going to benefit from it. By developing ideas with others you add a skill that you don’t have. I think you become more influential as you know more people and people may come to you because they know you have a large source of contacts.
Connectivism developed from the field of computer science looks at how technology impacts learning through connections of information such as sources or nodes. The ability to learn is more crucial than what is currently known. Connectivism provides an answer about how people connect and learn from inside their networks. As learning is constantly evolving, the theory of Connectivism implies that the tools we use for learning are nodes in our network that provide information to transition into a different level of understanding. Therefore nurturing and maintaining connections is essential to facilitate continual learning. Peter B.Vaill (1996, p42) suggests “learning must be a way of being – an ongoing set of attitudes and actions by individuals and groups that they employ to try to keep abreast of the surprising, novel, messy, obtrusive, recurring events…” . I think the more resources you have the more you have access to knowledge, similar to having a library of various books as oppose to one book.
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Communities of practice are “a group of people who share an interest, a craft, and/or a profession. The group can evolve naturally because of the members' common interest in a particular domain or area, or it can be created specifically with the goal of gaining knowledge related to their field.” (Lave & Wenger 1991) In order to advance our professional networks we need to share information and experiences with other people. Communities of practice result knowledge sharing and knowledge creation. The value of belonging Community of Practice is the network of people can aid you by giving their experiences and opinions. The benefits are accessibility to information becomes easier through collaboratively pooling solutions with other people. You are able to analyse trends evolving and emerging from the exchange of information. There are various web based tools for collaboration like Instant messaging, Group E-mail, Wikis, Document sharing and online survey. I believe people in your Community of Practice are more likely to know about your specific field of professional practice and able to further you in that field, unless “everyone is after the same thing which can lead to people becoming secretive and not sharing what they know” (Ross Dunning). I think you find this with a lot of people who are trying to gain the same employment as you. You often have to negotiate trade and barter with information in order to gain information. You often find that people who do not pose you as a direct competition to you in your Communities of Practice will often give you information more freely.
Professional networking is the creation and cultivation of business friendships and acquaintances. (Cisco Press. Jul 21, 2006). It is also making contact with other people and their skills, abilities and interests. There are various purposes of networks, some are to gain information, develop careers, and make connections to achieve goals. My current professional networks include school friends, agency, work colleagues, friends of friends (Associates), teachers, NUS and Equity Union and family relations. These current networks shape the individual I am today, provide information and a strong support system which enhances my professional practice. By providing thoughts, ideas and solutions they in turn are available to reciprocate. Economic factors may play a role in the ability to network. A strong tool for networking is the web. It allows us to virtually access people from the confines of behind a computer.
The various tools that I have used for networking are:
Introductions to people
Meetings
Phone calls
Email and group Email
Business cards
Attending events
Joining unions
Discussing with friends
Going to class
Check blogs and social network web sites frequently
Attending auditions and castings.
My first job at age 16 was working as a student teacher at CSDF in Hackney. I was an ex student of the school and was now attending The Urdang Academy in Covent Garden. Prior to receiving the job, the owner of CSDF who was also student alumni called the Academy requesting three to four students to fill the vacancies of student teacher posts. My then teacher and the owner CSDF realised that I had trained in both establishments and thought I would be an ideal candidate and asset for the job. Since then, when I receive theatre jobs I put in my biography that I was trained at the CSDF which in turn promotes the school. I am also able to contact the school for job references. On reflection, the CSDF have been one of the biggest nodes for me.
I think the more active you are at networking the more you increase your scope. I am interested in the six degrees of separation theory, “the theory that anyone on earth can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries” (Wikipedia). If this theory is correct we are in very close proximity of all the people that can help us to reach out future goals.
To develop my ideal network I could keep in touch and make more of an effort to maintain communication increasing the probability of me staying in the loop. Make more friends, voluntary work and meet new people would also increase my network scope. I am increasingly finding it a necessity to use my blackberry hand held device which is allowing me to maintain communication in “real time” with people. It offers me a free instant messenger to maintain cost effective communication but does not currently offer a free video calling feature like Apple’s face time or Skype, which has become a very large tool for networking. I have devised a process of networking which I will try an implement into my everyday life and see what the out come is.
Establishing a purpose and intent. Identify who can help me achieve my goals.
How can I then be an asset and what do I have to offer. What is the best way of me making initial contact. Make contact and maintain necessary contact.
This weekend I attended “PanJazz”. I thought it was a good idea to write about this arts event as I knew it would have a lot of activity and this is also the field that I hope to advance into. By being in the position of a consumer I hope will aid me to identify what was successful and what was missing from the management of this event.
The evening consisted of three segments:
Pre-Event Reception - A Taste of the Caribbean - A chance to sample Caribbean food, art and craft, literature, music, merchandise and travel information. (6-8pm)
Show- Pan Jazz Folklore- A show which explores the various mythical characters originating from West African and French Creole heritage. The steel pan is at the centre of the evening's performances as the music introduces the various characters through dance and movement bringing these mythical stories to life. Costume design by Brian MacFarlane. (8-10pm)
The VIP After Party-After Party- with the cast of the show in the White Room at the Troxy. Complete with complimentary music and Nouvelle Caribbean style Canapés prepared by French Caribbean Chef Joys. Music supplied by London DJs. (10-1am)
Venue: Troxy
Date: Saturday 6th November
Initial reflection: I had to be encouraged at first to attend this event. I had a long week and was not overly in the mood to socialise. I think my mood was due to the drop in climate temperature and exhaustion. I then remembered that I had a reflective writing task to complete and this event would be an ideal situation.
A list of things that came to mind about the day.
Queues
Punctuality
Cold
Organisation
Warmth
Large venue
Interesting layout
Lack of staff communication
Good costuming
Enjoyable show
After Party
Nice venue
Well catered
Taxi home
Evaluation: I felt the content and idea of this arts event was fantastic. My mood was jovial; I think this was because It was nice being entertained as opposed to being the entertainer. It was not a high pressurised situation for me as I was the consumer (critic). The use of the steel pan (in the show) which is more commonly associated with the genre of calypso music was a refreshing change to hear in the style of jazz. I think having dancers in the cast was essential to the production as this brought another element to the show. The dancers enhanced the musicians who otherwise would have remained somewhat stagnant on stage and less aesthetically pleasing to me. 3 Canal the recording artists from Trinidad & Tobago performed a Jazz rendition of some of their hit songs which I am very familiar with. Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliam provided a professional commentary which enriched the show.
If producing any event of this nature I would put contingency plans in place so the event would start promptly on time as advertised. Guests who were punctual became very irritable and began to voice their frustrations. Overall I thought the events of the day proceeded without any other incidents. It was a great opportunity for me to network and see friends that I had not seen for many years.
What if? : I would have loved more stalls selling arts and crafts, books and food at “A Taste of the Caribbean”, as the Caribbean is so rich in culture and culinary cuisine with influence from Africa, India, Spain and France. I thought the stalls could have depicted this better. Would this have attracted a much diverse and wider base crowd for future events? I would have like to see more dancers and a bigger cast on stage as I think the impact would have been greater. Also the lighting could have been more inventive. I would have also tried to invite heads of local government and celebrities as I think a great marketing opportunity was lost. I wonder what would have happened if they had the three events on three separate days? I was happy to learn that I have a friend who works behind the scenes with the company and will try and get her perspectives from behind the scenes.
Another view: I was fortunate enough to attend the event with a friend who is not in the performance arts field. Her initial thought was that the event was going to be a live poetry reading with music and not something that is more reminiscent to a musical theatre show. Overall she enjoyed the show and would return to a similar event by the same company.
A list of things that came to mind about the day (from friend).
Dislike waiting outside
Craft stalls were poor and substandard
Not enough items on sale
Wider range of books needed
More choice of food needed in “taste of the Caribbean” section
Overpriced craft store and product quality doesn’t reflect prices
Appropriate costuming
Stage scenery and props blocked musicians and performers
Able to understand colloquial dialect being from the Caribbean but needs to be modified for a much wider audience
Themes: The performers made their way through the isle during the show, which created a more interactive form of theatre. The concept of having an option to obtain a theatre, play or concert ticket that entitles the bearer to an all-inclusive on site pre meal, beverages and after show party is clever. Then the opportunity to mingle and converse with cast and creatives about the show is something that I really think could have great sales potential. I think there is a big niche in the market for this type of event.
What I would do differently: If I was running the event I would make sure all event staff and personnel were pre briefed as some were unable to communicate seating location to the public. They seemed to be unaware of the ticketing procedure of the night and it could have prevented a lot of unnecessary confusion. While in the audience sitting in the balcony I observed one of the cast members walking out into the foyer in full costume. I think when performers “break character” it detracts and diminishes the illusion of “make believe” theatre. At the after party although food was good, I would make sure all catering staff knew what they were serving before it left the kitchen, as not knowing was a potential health risk to anyone who had any food allergies or special dietary requirements.
I was so glad that I decided to go to the event. The date worked out very conveniently as it was a weekend. After going to this event, I would definitely go to any other similar events that this company decided to produce.
I like boxes and lists. I think I work well with structure in front of me. I find it easier to process my thoughts on paper first and then arrange them into a more cohesive format. I found by writing a short list of things that came to my mind about the day that I was able to look back and elaborate on the points of the event. By having them in order of occurrence I was metaphorically speaking able to connect the dots and use it to build a picture of the events of the day and remember how each led into each other (similar to writing in a short hand format). I noticed that even though I had found the event successful I was still very critical about it. I tried to counteract anything that could be deemed as negative by giving my opinion and positive constructive solutions.
In my childhood I discovered that I had a love for dance and wanted to pursue it as a career. I decided to attend a secondary school that offered Dance as a GCSE subject and Performing Arts. I found that I was exceling in dance based subjects, but being pigeonholed in the genre by the institute where I studied. This for me was a challenge because I also loved to sing and act as well. I learnt that musical theatre would allow me to combine my love of dance with song and drama.
After a few years working in the industry I have built up a resume which consisted mostly of dance based jobs. I think my agent found it easier to market me in this genre as well. This is slightly frustrating as when auditioning for roles I have been told on more than one occasion that my resume reflected a lot of dance, bearing in mind it may be a vocal role that I am being considered for. I should probably not interpret this as a negative statement; as the person could possible mean that I am multifaceted. Due to events like this I am constantly trying to evolve and make steps to change how I would like the world to view me. I have added a formal email address that does not consists of any words pertaining dance. A theme I have noticed that seems to emerge is that I don’t like to be type casted, I like to define myself.
From my experiences, as a motivational tool when teaching performing arts I constantly make students aware that in life the more skills they procure, the more they increase their potential for choice when seeking employment.
I am really interested in the ability of how people reinvent themselves to compete in the current economic climate. One of the people that I have always admired is Oprah Winfrey, an “American television host, actress, producer, and philanthropist” (Wikipedia). Oprah Winfrey is historically the first woman to own and produce her own talk show. She has used her influence to help others and used her skill of presenting as a stepping stone to enhance the rest of her career. She has channelled her challenges into interpersonal skills enabling her to connect and empathise with her guests and the public. I have researched how she uses her skills to create opportunity; I hope to also create many opportunities for myself to advance my professional practice. I have watched Oprah Winfrey present her day time television talk show and interview guests for many years. She also co-stared in the film The Color Purple as Sofia directed by Steven Spielberg and later became a producer when the film was adapted into a Broadway musical. I was fortunate enough to see the end product of the show on Broadway where she codirected the original cast and on US tour in Boston.
I also admire Sir Alan Sugar’s entrepreneurialism. He like myself was born and grew up in Hackney east London. I regularly watch a show that he stars in called “The Apprentice” where he demonstrates his ability to reflect from Concrete Experience and pinpoint contestant’s strengths and weaknesses. He also discusses how he would act in a high pressurised business situation.
My ideal job is an arts managerial post on a creative team as my experiences have given me an insight into various arts posts, allowing me to have a deeper understanding of what it takes to achieve tasks. I would like to work in settings such as festivals, arts organisations, projects and events. I hope reading how these people achieved their goals will bring me closer to a better understanding of how to achieving mine. I have a reading list with authors who address the subject of management and arts management, some with modern progressive views and some with a more traditional outlook. These will hopefully aid me to craft my style.
I will be making inquiries into:
·How to be a good leader?
·How to work with a team?
·How to manage a team?
·How to bring the best out of other individuals?
·How to achieve productivity?
·What are my personal management strengths and weaknesses?
I found the Reflective practices reader compiled by Adesola Akinlye very thought provoking. It has made me consciously aware of the benefits of reflection and the people around me who use it as a tool for progression. A day after President Barack Obama’s democratic party suffered a large loss in the November 2010 mid-term elections, he held a press conference and said “I'm doing a whole lot of reflecting”… I thought to myself “so am I”.
Reflection is a process of reviewing an experience of practice in order to describe, analyse, evaluate and so inform learning about practice (Reid, 1993 p.305). A Chinese proverb that I thought encompasses the idea of reflection states “to know the road ahead, ask those coming back”, meaning that one can gain information by drawing from a past experience or event and learn from it as in reflection. I believe reflection consists of two parts “doing and reviewing”, the practical and theoretical. The benefits of reflection allow us to assess an experience, turn the acquired information into knowledge and create possible theories to learn, change or replicate the outcome. In order to learn “One must understand what is being defined in order that one judge for oneself the accuracy…. Moreover, the definition itself must be understood” (McFee, 1992).
Like playing with a jigsaw, you experimentally discover which pieces fit and which pieces are missing. I think it can be useful to have clear objectives when reflecting. (Dewey, 1933) described reflective thought as “active persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusion to which it tends”. He believed that education was an experimental action involving “continual reorganization, reconstruction and transformation” (Dewey 1916).
There are various tools for reflection. The tools that I tend to use are journal writing for educational purposes (Reflective Observation), verbally expressing out loud thoughts (Abstract Conceptualisation) about learnt information to family and friends as it helps me to process information gaining clarity. Audio or visual recording enabling me to repeatedly look back at my performance based work. Using the mirrors in a dance studio to analyse myself and make the necessary changes while dancing to improve on the quality of movement (Active experimentation, reflection-in-action). I have observed that employers tend to ask for references and resumes from potential employees so they can build a profile on the candidate and know whether they are suitable for the job or role, this is common form of reflection.
Schön (1987) proposes two types of reflection, reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action. To differentiate the two concepts, reflection-in-action is reflection during an experience and reflecting-on-action is post reflection, looking back on the experience. Coming primarily from a dance background I work better with the “hands-on” approach of reflection-in-action. I find it easier to scrutinise movement “on the go” as I do or watch it, as opposed to waiting until the end and processing all the information in its entirety. Waiting until the end would increase the potential of me forgetting what I had to change. Sometimes when trying to process information in-action you are not fully able to conclude or evaluate what is missing until the end, this is where reflection-on action can prove to be productive. Reflecting-on-action is useful because I think you are able to judge the subject as a whole in its totality. However the disadvantage is that it may be harder to inject active change, resulting in one having to restart the action from the beginning which can prove to be time consuming.
Kottcamp thought reflection-in-action was “more difficult to achieve because the actor must simultaneously attend to performing the action and observe and analyze his or her action, as if from an external perspective.” (Kottcamp, R. B. (1990). Means for facilitating reflection. Education and Urban Society, 22, 182-203.) This opinion has had a positive effect on me, it makes me aware that the ability to multi task has almost become “second nature” to me. He also highlights the fact that with reflection-on-action it is not “imperative for immediate action”.
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David Kolb an American educational theorist believed that there were four stage of learning which he represented by a cycle. Each point is on-going leading to the next. The four stages are Concrete Experience (feeling and doing), Reflective Observation (watching and reviewing), Abstract conceptualisation (thinking and concluding) and Active Experimentation (trying out and doing).
Each person would have a unique starting point on the cycle which represents their individual style of learning. I began to ponder upon which route I thought most represented my learning patterns. I believe I watch, conclude, try out and have the concrete experience. By pinpointing my starting point I realise the reason I start by Reflective Observation is that I think there is less risk involved by “looking before you leap”. It makes me uncomfortable to start off with Active experimentation, but I now feel by not pushing myself to do so I could be putting a limit on my learning as I have pre empted what I would like to discover.
I am very interested in Howard Gardner's multiple intelligence theories which stem from psychology, as I too believe that people learn in numerous ways e.g. sight, sounds, touch and taste. I think Intelligence Quotient should not just be assessed on how much information an individual can retain through textbook information. In my view, I am able to give an intelligent critique of a dance piece based on the quantity of dance pieces I have performed in and have viewed. Should I be thought of as more or less intelligent as someone who can build a television? Gardner suggested a Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic learning Style (VAK). As a learner he also thought that there are multiple “lenses”, multiple ways to look at things (Gardner, 2005). From my experience when viewing magazines, visual intelligence is more than just an 'Eidetic memory' style, it is the understanding of shapes, sizes and dimension and not the retaining of textbook information. When retaining a song, Auditory intelligence is not just remembering the verbal content but also tonal quality.
Having carried out my own reflection I have noticed that if my energy level drops when teaching a dance class, it affects the amount of energy my students put into their dance movements. I then am reminded that when I was learning how to dance that the teachers who inspired me the most and kept me engaged were the ones that were not lacklustre and monotonous in tonal quality. I hope to review this more in-depth by logging more observations in my reflective journal and use it as a tool of progression for me and others.
References:
Dewey, J. How We Think: A Restatement of the Relation of Reflective Thinking to the Educative Process. San Francisco: New Lexington Press, 1933.
Kottcamp, R. B. (1990). Means for facilitating reflection. Education and Urban Society, 22, 182-203.
Moon, J. Reflection in Learning and Professional Development.London: Kogan Page, 1999a. Moon, J. Learning Journals: A Handbook for Academics, Students and Professional Development. London: Kogan Page, 1999b
Schon, D. A. The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. New York: Basic Books, 1983.
Schon, D. A. Educating the Reflective Practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1987.
