Theory and Practice in Fostering Children’s Creativity Through Creative Dance Based on a Brain-Compatible Dance Education Model
摘要
Creative dance is a unique dance pedagogy approach that promotes children’s creativity in movement expression through the process of making dance. In this process, the teacher plays the role of facilitator to guide the children in unleashing their creativity in movement. However, Asian preschool teachers, especially those who use a teacher-centred approach, face problems in designing or teaching dance lessons that lead to creativity. Researchers found that Malaysian preschool teachers lacked the ability to employ the concept of creative dance in their teaching practice, interaction skills with children, and ideas in giving instructions that leads to creativity. In this chapter, the definition of creativity is discussed and five key concepts of creativity are identified: (a) Creativity is not an innate characteristic, but an ability that can be developed through education; (b) The environment is essential in promoting creative acts; (c) Disequilibrium promotes creative acts; (d) The evaluation of creativity is based on the process, and the “perceptible product” (in physical, mental or emotional form); (e) The determination of creativity is specific to the children’s social context. In addressing these key concepts, therefore, this chapter proposes a conceptual framework that applies the Brain-Compatible Dance Education model by Anne Green Gilbert to foster creativity. This model is applicable in three ways to teachers without dance training. First, the four essential elements of a conceptual lesson plan (namely, braindance, dance concept, movement skills, and thematic concept), can be easily understood and adopted by teachers. Second, the model proposes ten principles to ensure the lesson design and teaching are always engaged with all parts of the brain. By applying these principles, teachers can lead children to create movement through the integration of dance concepts and thematic concepts. Teachers can include local contextual elements in the lesson by using those elements as the thematic concepts. Third, the model encourages teachers to alternate teacher-directed and child-centred approaches. This alternation provides novice teachers flexibility to switch approaches progressively. The chapter also demonstrates how this conceptual framework can be transformed into practice through examples of lesson plans and practical guidelines. This chapter extends Gilbert’s ideas by proposing a conceptual framework of the model and highlights two areas of the model, thematic concepts and the developing skills activity, where Asian preschool teachers can incorporate local cultural elements.