Applications
Thread
Constructivism
in Action: Motif Writing and K-12 Teacher Preparation
By Mila Parrish
Posted on November 29, 2005
[The following is reprinted from “Seeing, Doing and Writing Movement,”
Proceedings of the Motus Humanus Advanced Seminar in conjunction with Motif
Symposium II, July 15-18, 2004, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville,
Edwardsville, Illinois. Jimmyle Listenbee, editor.]
Abstract
Over the past 10 years as a CMA and dance educator, Motif has provided my
university, secondary, and primary school students with educationally enriching
experiences: they benefit from both the plastic nature of the symbols and
the immeasurable possibilities for creative stimulus. In “Constructivism
in Action: Motif Writing and K-12 Teacher Preparation” I will present
current research conducted at Arizona State University demonstrating the influence
of Motif Writing in teacher preparation and curriculum development. Clear
and concise representations have been organized to show the ideas in action.
The presentation will include a synopsis of the development of the research
and curricular method, an overview of the contents, physical exploration using
the approach and research reports from pre-service teachers using Motif.
Outline for Presentation
-
Introduction to learning fostered through Motif Writing. A brief history
of the development of this curriculum model.
-
Demonstration of two research application projects (1) Inner Worlds: Sculpting
your breath; (2) Construction: lines and spheres as community. Attendees
will experience the teaching model and briefly experience the progression
of ideas.
-
Documentation of students' creative process using the model through video,
written and visual art.
-
Summary of the effectiveness of this method with particular reference to
student and teacher roles in the learning process.
-
Discussion of how to integrate Motif Writing in a variety of classroom settings;
University, K-12, and dance studio.
-
Other curriculum ideas, and a resource packet will be provided to all attendees.
Summary of Discussion
Language, whether symbolic, physical, or written, is designed to communicate.
When written, language is a vehicle to transmit and receive ideas, information,
and knowledge across space and time. Motif Writing is a vocabulary of tangible
symbols to document any style or form of dance, thus offering users a versatile
mode for communicating their ideas.
Motif gives teachers a language they can use to create, communicate, and document
their thoughts and ideas through dance. These actions and ideas are conveyed
through a selected symbolic vocabulary, and authorship (choreography) is achieved
by converting movement ideas to symbols and writing them on paper or by translating
actions from a score (notation on paper) and creating a movement representation.
Motif provides a mental exchange between concept and creation.
Motif provides a way to communicate basic movement concepts. In teaching, Motif
can help the educator organize and structure lessons. Preston-Dunlop (1966)
states that Motif Writing “clarifies [the teachers’] point of view
on movement education and helps them to see how they might aid their students
more than they have been doing, and how their range of teaching methods might
be enlarged” (p. 19). When using Motif Writing, students grasp ownership
of the tools of dance and, therefore, are less dependent on teacher supervision
and direction. Venable (1994) concurs by stating that as educators become more
articulate, “Our students get clearer and seem to have more resources independent
of the teacher. The ability to symbolize movement ideas seems to help support
this independence and to challenge new explorations, new combinations”
(p. 2).
In addition to teacher education, preparation, and organization of lessons,
Motif Writing displays the components of dance composition, which can be sequenced,
revised, analyzed, and documented. Consequently, a teacher can ask her students
to create a dance score in one lesson and revise and complete it in future lessons.
A person can see the effectiveness of Motif Writing by integrating the raw materials
of movement, the physical experience, the visual symbols, and the act of writing
scores. As a language of symbols that students of any age can use to organize,
read, share, and remember, Motif Writing unites expression of the body with
a modality for communication and creation.
When Motif Writing is used as a tool for movement analysis and dance composition,
the notation presents a language, which we can use to articulate concisely,
the basis of movement. As Betty Redfern (1978) states, Motif Writing can be
used “Not only as a tool for recording any form of dance, but as a means
too of learning to think in terms of movement and thus to compose dances other
than by improvisation or spontaneous response to stimulus” (p. 10). By
the incorporation of Motif Writing with the creative process, Copeland and Cohen
(1983) suggest that the “advent of a usable choreographic notation would
encourage the development of an art of greater subtlety, complexity and originality”
(p. 26).
Initial research shows that Motif Writing is valuable in the field of teacher
preparation. It is proposed that learning and using dance notation can increase
teacher competencies in dance. Good teaching requires an understanding of analysis
of movement. By transcribing movement into notation, reading notation, and creating
movement, a teacher will be better able to analyze and instruct movement material.
It is believed that Motif Writing can have a strong impact in the field of dance
education in curricula development and pre-service and in-service teacher training.
References
Copeland, R. and Cohen M. (Eds.) (1983). What is dance? New York: Oxford
University
Press.
Dunlop, V. P. (1966). Thoughts on teaching with Motif Writing. Movement and
Dance Magazine of the Laban Guild, 42, 13-19.
Redfern, B. (1978). The child as creator, performer, spectator. Paper
presented at the International Conference of Dance and the Child, at the University
of Alberta, Alberta, Canada.
Venable, L. (1994). What Why Motif Unpublished Manuscript.
Venable, L. (1995). Interview with author, New York.
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