TASK 4c: Developing my Questions

I decided to take my questions to a head of department at one of the establishments I teach at. It was a useful excersise to discuss my questions for development. Some very intersting factors came up, but the way I asked the questions seemed to be a running theme to the development. It was realised that being clear and concise was essential and by broadening my questions from just drama to the arts, I might open up my inquiry to a larger market.

Does being a good actor necessarily mean you are a good drama teacher?

This is me trying to explore any connections between practitioner and teacher, is there a connection to being a good actor and a teacher?  It was discussed that performer rather than just actor could broaden the perspective of the answer. I also discovered the need for questions to be more opened ended. It was then an idea of putting questions into catergory might give them a sense of focus and clarity.  Ways of getting people to support their answers could be, why is this? What made you come to this? How? Then an issue of does this make one side stronger if you use a statement, thus becoming bias? Is bias such a bad thing?

Developed version:
Is there a connection between being a practitioner and a teacher and are the skills transferable? 
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Are you respected more in your profession as a tutor if you have been an experienced practitioner in your field?

In developing this question, an idea of making a statement arrose and then asking if the statement is true or false, or how they felt about it. This gave a freedom of opion to the concept of asking questions.

Developed version:
Experienced practitioners are more respected as Tutors. Is this statement true or false and how do you feel about this statement?
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Does having a degree in your subject but no experience make you a valuable enough teacher in that subject? Or does having practitioner experience but not a degree make a better teacher?

Again the suggestion of needing to be clear and giving an element of choice was esentially missing here.

Developed version:
If you were to employ a teacher, one candidate has a degree and the other has over 10 years practitioner experience, which of the two would be more appealing to you and why? 
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Is being a practitioner and a tutor of what you practice part of the same work? Does it come under the umbrella of one whole practice or is it separate?

Playing with ideas... Is you the dancer and you the teacher under one umbrella? You the performer and you the teacher, does this come under the same practice or is it separate? However not everyone I will talk to would have performed, some just teach, but I still want their opinions.  

Developed version:
Should people who teach and perform separate their practice or see it as one whole?
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Does there have to be a shift in concept of expertise when you are teaching to when you are performing?

This was too complicated and needed a lot of explaining. Again the need to be clear is pointed out. The word practice was also discussed. Do people in the outside world associate with the word practice? Is work or art better?

Developed version:
Does there have to be a change in the concept of ones work/art when teaching? 
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Are practitioners that do have a degree more knowledgeable?

This could be answered with a mere yes or no. In an attempt to collect more detail could the following be useful.... 
Would you consider? How would you argue? Could you have a statement at the start that says feel free to elaborate as much as possible.

Developed version:
Some practitioners have  a degree. Are they more knowledgeable? How would you argue this?
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Do performers teach because they want to or is it the next best thing?

A need to elaborate on what I'm looking for is needed here. The words passion or love could be used to be clearer.  

Developed version:
Do performers teach because they want to share a passion for their subject or is it just the next best thing?
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What makes a good drama teacher?

This question should not be specific to drama,  opening it up to arts teachers might give the answer more success. A need to develop the idea of teaching art and academis subjects arrose as interesting. For example science and arts, is there a difference inntecahing approach?  Is one more of a passive way of learning and the other more active? The difference in opion should be explored.

Developed version:
What are the differences in teaching an arts subject and teaching an academic subject? 

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What's the difference between an instructor and a tutor?

I realised through reflecting with my fellow practitioner that this isn't a very good question. What I was trying to achieve is to find out what my communities idea of the definition of 'instructor', 'tutor' and 'teacher' is. 

Developed version;
Instructor, Tutor, or Teacher. What do you call yourself and what is the difference between them?
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Does QTS make you a better teacher? 

What is QTS? This should be made clearer to those who don't work in an educational environment

Developed version:
Does QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) make you a better teacher?

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The following questions were received with no issue and had a good reaction:

Why do people decide to teach what they know?

What's the difference between your art as a product and as a process? Is this idea linked to teaching?

What do secondary students want from drama? Is this different from professional students?

What's the difference between Drama and the Theatre Arts?

Are teachers failed artist or 'has beens'?