Articles & Papers: Dance Education

Nicoll, J and Oreck, B. (2012). Sharing the Unknown: Developing Autonomy in Artistic Creation. A paper delivered at the Close Encounters: Dance Didactics in the Contemporary World Conference, Stockholm, Oct 30, 2012

As teachers of the arts we are committed to nurturing the creative potential of all of our students. We value process and want to inspire young artists to find their own way and their unique voices. But do we? Internalized models of teaching, and the external pressures in the settings in which we teach, can lead us away from those central values and toward a more teacher-centered, outcome-directed approach.Learner autonomy in the arts—qualities of which include confidence in navigating the unknown; the ability to look at one’s work more deeply; and the capacity to independently sustain one’s artistic creation—has become an overarching goal for us. This paper examines how we use observation and reflection in dance classes, how we hear students’ questions, how we support and mentor artists in their own discovery process, and how and when we provide our expertise. We seek a model in which artist and teacher engage in a mutual artistic process that pushes both to see new potentials and make personal discoveries. Our title—Sharing the Unknown—reflects our belief that where our teaching meets our students’ artistry, we must share and embrace the unknown. Both teacher and student enter a process that changes how we see and how we work.

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Oreck, B. (2006). Artistic choices: A study of teachers who use the arts in the classroom. International Journal of Education & the Arts, 7(8).

ABSTRACT: In recent years the arts have been introduced into many pre-service and in-service professional development programs for general education teachers. At the same time, pressure for immediate test-score improvement and standardization of curriculum has limited the creativity and autonomy of teachers. This study, the qualitative part of a mixed-methods investigation of teachers across the U.S., involved six New York City elementary school teachers who found ways to use the arts in their classrooms on a regular basis despite the pressures they faced. The study investigated the personal characteristics and the factors that supported or constrained arts use in teaching. The results suggest that general creative and artistic attitudes rather than specific skills as a maker of art are key to arts use. A willingness to push boundaries and take risks defined this group of teachers. They recognized obstacles and challenges to arts use, but made choices that helped them maintain a sense of independence and creativity in teaching. The strongest motivation to use the arts use was their awareness of the diversity of learning styles and needs among their students. The teachers articulated a variety of ways in which arts-based professional development experiences encouraged them to bring their creativity into the classroom, expand their teaching repertoire, and find effective ways to incorporate the arts in the academic curriculum. [ Download PDF ]

Oreck, B. (2005). A powerful conversation: Teachers and artists collaborate in performance-based assessment. Teaching Artist Journal, 3 (4), 220-227.

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Oreck, B. (2004). The Artistic and Professional Development of Teachers: A study of teachers' attitudes toward and use of the arts in teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 55 (1), 55-69.

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Oreck, B. (2001). The arts in teaching: An investigation of factors influencing teachers' use of the arts in the classroom (Doctoral dissertation, University of Connecticut, 2000). ProQuest cat. #9999695.
Oreck, B and McAndrews, D. "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below":The challenge of assessing student learning in the Shakespeare classroom. A paper presented at the American Education Research Association Annual Meeting March 25, 2008, New York City.

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Oreck, B., & Piirto, J. (2004). Through the eyes of an artist: A study of teaching artists engaged in educational assessment. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Education Research Association, San Diego.Oreck, B and McAndrews, D. "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below":The challenge of assessing student learning in the Shakespeare classroom. A paper presented at the American Education Research Association Annual Meeting March 25, 2008, New York City.

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Baum, S., Owen, S., & Oreck, B. (1997). Transferring individual self-regulation processes from arts to academics, Arts Education Policy Review, 98 (4), 32-39.

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Oreck, B., Baum, S. & McCartney, H. (1999). Artistic talent development for urban youth: The promise and the challenge. Champions of Change: The impact of the arts on learning. The Arts Education Partnership, Washington, D.C.1999.

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Oreck, B., Baum, S. & McCartney, H. (2000). Artistic talent development for urban youth: The promise and the challenge. Research Monograph for the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.

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