Denise Stanley-Chard’s Post

Below is an excerpt from the doctoral dissertation (1989) City University, London. ‘English Gypsy singing’ of Denise Stanley, the CLOCK founder/director that focuses on a ‘community of practice’ creative-social learning activity and refers to this as a ‘situational context’ in both private and public domains. This perspective broke from the tradition of collectors focusing on the songs and the individual performances to explore the ‘situated learning context’ of the activity of singing in a community. Section 4.74 of the thesis states: ‘All three singing roles were evident in this context: Novice, Participating and Specialist. Pearly was the Novice, Fred and Minty were the Specialists and everyone else, the Participating Singers.‘ This situational context learning strategy is exactly the same model used by CLOCK in the Mayor of London’s Music Industry Skills Bootcamp over 35 years later. Private domain work that provides a safe space to explore/prepare with less pressure and learn and build capabilities to engage in the more public domain where work is evaluated by all stakeholders so increased pressure. This situational learning cycle continues to develop, deepen and broaden the capabilities of the individual and the engaging community in an increasing spiral of individual and community development.

I'm thrilled that educators from across the globe, including China, Argentina, the USA, Australia, Nepal, Italy, and Germany, are registered for tomorrow's virtual professional development session. MelodyStudio enables students to write original songs, regardless of their musical skill level or background. In our PDs, we learn how to spark students' interest, enhance learning, and assess their understanding creatively through the universal language of music and songwriting. Here are four reasons why integrating music and songwriting elevates education: -Engagement: Music uniquely captures and retains students' interest, fueling their creativity and deepening their connection to the learning material. -Learning Enhancement: Songwriting makes complex concepts memorable and engaging, enriching the students' academic experience. -Creative Assessment: Songwriting transcends traditional evaluation methods, offering innovative insights into students' understanding and abilities. -Social & Emotional Learning: Music nurtures crucial life skills, including self-awareness and empathy, essential for holistic student development. Upcoming sessions: April 13, 8 AM PDT / 11 AM EDT April 27, 11 AM PDT / 2 PM EDT May 4th, 8 AM PDT / 11 AM EDT (join our Star Wars-themed PD!) Register on our website or via the hyperlinks in the attached PDF.

📚🎶 Happy International Literacy Day! 🎶📚 Literacy is an integral part of the right to education and the foundation of lifelong learning. Music learning plays such an important role in literacy development, as shown here in our "Music Learning Helps - Literacy & Numeracy" poster set. https://loom.ly/fMoy7q4

Compulsory Inclusion of Art, Music and Literature in School Curriculum: A thought The love of literature, music, and art is crucial for the emotional, mental, and spiritual development of an individual. These creative forms allow individuals to express and nurture their inner emotions, fostering empathy and a deeper understanding of the human experience. Engaging with these mediums helps individuals connect to the joys, struggles, and emotions of others, broadening their sensibilities. In contrast, those who lack exposure to these creative expressions often view life in a rational or mechanical manner, limiting their ability to deeply connect with human emotions and experiences. Art, literature, and music provide a wider, more meaningful perspective on life, encouraging a more sensitive and empathetic approach to understanding others. In the context of a school curriculum, integrating art, music, and literature is essential for developing well-rounded, emotionally intelligent individuals. These subjects not only encourage creativity but also help students build empathy, emotional intelligence, and a broader perspective on life. Thus, their inclusion in the curriculum is vital for nurturing both intellectual and emotional growth.

Picture this: your child walks into a college admissions interview, not just with stellar grades but also with a story that sets them apart. They talk about how learning the piano taught them discipline, how performing in a band improved their teamwork, and how composing their own music sparked their creativity. Adding an hour of music to your child's daily routine can transform their college applications and their entire academic journey. Colleges today look for more than just academic excellence. They seek well-rounded individuals who bring something unique to the table. At Spardha, we’ve designed a "Certification Oriented Journey" specifically for students aiming for top-tier universities. Our programs offer certifications from prestigious institutions like Trinity, Rockschool, ABRSM, ISTD, and top academies in Hindustani and Carnatic Music. These certifications are not just paper achievements; they are stories of dedication, passion, and growth. In the last few years, we have created numerous success stories through our uniquely curated certification courses. Music education goes beyond enhancing college applications, however. It shapes unique personalities, developing emotional intelligence and boosting creativity. These qualities make students stand out during college and beyond, especially in a world where AI and automation increasingly dominate routine tasks. I invite all forward-thinking parents to explore our certification courses. Invest in your child’s all-round development from an early age, and when the time comes, they’ll have everything they need to secure a spot in the world’s top colleges and continue their journey of success. 👉 #SpardhaSchoolOfMusic #MusicEducation #PerformingArtsEducation #PersonalDevelopment #AllRoundDevelopment #HolisticDevelopment #SelfDiscovery #UnlockYourPotential #Creativity #CreativeThinking #CollegeAdmissions #HigherEducation #NonAcademicPortfolio #StudentSuccess #EmotionalIntelligence

The Great Education Illusion: Why More of the Same isn't Enough! ________________________________________________________ Picture this: a world where every student learns the same way, at the same pace. Sounds like a bad sci-fi movie, right? Unfortunately, it's been the script for traditional education for far too long. Enter OneLern, stage left, with a plot twist so bold it might just cause a riot in the faculty lounge. We're not here to add another verse to the age-old education song. We're here to change the music entirely. With teaching strategies as diverse as our students, we recognize that Johnny doesn't learn like Jane, and pretending otherwise is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole – pointless and frustrating for everyone involved. Our lesson plans? They're versatile Swiss Army knives of education, equipping teachers with invaluable thinking tools. They serve to crystallize comprehensive ideas and envision the classroom experience. Within this dynamic, the teacher facilitates, guiding students to actively participate in the construction of knowledge. Let's start teaching for the real world, where diversity isn't just acknowledged; it's celebrated. Join us in making education not only better, but right.

This has been doing the rounds for a few weeks now - being considered a 'sad state of affairs'. And Pennay got lots right, none the least being the power of the 'machine' than can be The Arts. Arts teachers are increasingly equipped to speak the language of creative process, embodied creativity, and creative and critical thinking that underpin the national curriculum and the education not only of tomorrow's artists but of all students as collaborative creative problem-solvers. Opportunities for professional dialogue and shared modeling of the pedagogies that develop creative potential need to take centre-stage in PL in The Arts. Less a fight for the survival of the Learning Area, than a positive reminder of the need to focus on the purpose of education.

Ignite a Love of Lifelong Learning, Enhancing Primary School Student Engagement and Growth Picture sparking a passion for learning that stays with your students for life—ABC of Opera workshops do just that, making every lesson an adventure in discovery This is exactly the environment ABC of Opera workshops create, blending classical music with hands-on storytelling to bring history and the arts alive. At a recent Powys workshop, a teacher commented how, “Mark’s energy and passion captivated both the students and staff, creating a buzzing atmosphere. His unique approach inspired us as educators, making the session seamless, inclusive, and engaging throughout.” When students are actively involved and inspired like this, they engage more deeply with academic content, transforming that excitement into long-term growth and a lifelong love for learning. Educators find that ABC of Opera workshops enrich their curriculum, creating an energised classroom where students thrive. Imagine watching even the quietest students step up with confidence, connecting what they learn to a larger story. How could bringing an immersive, creative learning environment like this impact your primary school students’ engagement and academic journey? #LifelongLearning #CreativeEducation #StudentEngagement #EmpoweredTeachers

💷 💹 Arts, production and presentation is the most cost-effective investment and potentially the best circular-economy generator. With the exception of the luxury-popular entertainment, the majority of the creative industries maximise leadership and speciality skill-sets at a very affordable rate (often at starting salaries for positions of equivalent training years). 🎨 Artists and creatives spend all their income on materials, other talent, offices, studios, and services. They combine co-producing resources to generate better products. They help to generate subsidiary businesses (retail, F&B, marketing, hospitality, travel). 🏨 🛍 🛎 The small amount of investment will go back into immediate circulation of the economy. And sustaining an area's cultural infrastructure is cheaper than 6 years investment + 2 large boosts of regeneration effort. So even if you don't know HOW or WHY it is important - accept the evidence of sustained cultural infrastructure keeps places active and interesting and the best #bangforthebuck. #arts #investment #circulareconomy #pennywisepoundfoolish #longterm #wealth #sustainability #cheapinvestment #lucrativeresults #culture #culturalplacemaking #london #uk Arts Council England Arts Professional #letscreate

Cajani summed it up when he wrote about the influence on curricula by political parties and observed that “political bias is a constant threat”. (Cajani, 2009) Over thirty years ago, Michael Apple put the ‘why’ and ‘what’ of how we teach into perspective for me; “Education is deeply implicated in the politics of culture. The curriculum is never simply a neutral assemblage of knowledge, somehow appearing in the texts and classrooms of a nation. It is always…someone’s selection, some group’s vision of legitimate knowledge. It is produced out of the cultural, political, and economic conflicts, tensions, and compromises that organize and disorganize a people…the decision to define some groups’ knowledge as the most legitimate, as official knowledge, while other groups’ knowledge hardly sees the light of day, says something extremely important about who has power in society.” (Apple, 1992) Why would a political party with a certain set of values, priorities and dogma, want to stifle the creative arts for young people in the country? I wonder if there is a correlation between those involved in creative arts and a completely different set of values and priorities? This ‘truth’ does not sit well with me but it is where we are and I can only hope that eventually we will be able to do the right things for the right educational reasons, not questionable political ones.