Learner Centered Learning in Circus = LCL
INTRO
The educational circus in the field of work with young people is growing throughout Europe and in the past the member countries merged into EYCO have done a lot to professionalise the sector, creating Circus Adult Training (CATE) and inviting trainers and administrative staff to master classes in the professionalization process (PEYC). This very strong partnership also launched a training project for assistant trainers (ASK) in July 2018.
During all these projects it became clear that we face the same goals. One of the most important, which unites the 11 countries involved in the projects is to improve the training system of the trainers, to improve the pedagogical education of the trainers. With LCL, realized with the support of the EU Erasmus + program (project code 2018-2-DE04-KA205-016780), we want to find out how learning should be organized in the best way in the educational circus as part of non-formal education.
PRESENTATION
LCL includes methods of teaching that shifts the focus of instruction from the teacher to the student, focusing on skills and practices that enable lifelong learning and independent problem solving.
The European LCL project assumes that circus promotes empowerment, participation and active citizenshipand wants to analyse “The role of the trainer in the use of circus as a means of working with youthin different countries in Europe”. As part of the project, there have been exchanges, which aimed to explore the potential of experiential learning methodologies in developing technical progression in circus disciplines, without losing the approach centred on the growth of the participants.
OBJECTIVES
Participants have explored the followings:
1. LCL as a method for empowerment in technical circus skills
2. Sharing good practices and methodologies
3. Developing his/her own teaching methodology
4. Using LCL in multidisciplinary practices
5. Self-evaluatingandrationalising his/herown circus pedagogy
PROGRAMME
The LCL Exchanges took place over 5 days each. They encouraged participants to:
• Present and use the LCL methodology
• Share and reflect on good circus teaching practices
• Before and after: get inspired by materialson the methodology shared before the exchange; and after the exchange collect feedback and reflections.
Target Group: Entry conditions for participants
The exchanges were aimed at people fitting the following criteria:
• Experienced Circus teachers, with multidisciplinary competencies
• An interest in LCL idea and methods
• An interest in exchanging good practice and developing his/her own methods of teaching
• Ability to share the outcome contents in his/her national context
• Ability to communicate in English and over 18
TRAINING MODULES SCHEDULE
• 13-17 September 2019 – Gschwend – Germany
• 9-13 March 2020 – Toulouse – France
Circus Education through LCL Methodology
by Tommaso Negri and Andrea Martinez Calzado
the handbook
During and after the exchanges the experts have produced a “report/handbook” covering the reflections, activities and methods, which came out of the exchanges. The results of this process has been disseminated through multiplier events in different countries. An important role has been also played by participants tio the activities who shared the outcomes locally and nationally on their return.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 4
What is this Handbook? 5
Who is it For? 5
Who Are We (EYCO)? 6
How was this Handbook Developed? 6
The Format of this Handbook 7
PART 1
CONTEXT 8
CHAPTER 1.1:
LEARNER-CENTERED EDUCATION
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 9
John Dewey (1859-1952) 9
Maria Montessori (1870-1952) 9
Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) 10
Jean Piaget (1896-1980) 10
Carl Rogers (1902-1987) 11
Paulo Freire (1921-1997) 11
David Kolb (1939-present day) 11
CHAPTER 1.2
FROM CONSTRUCTIVISM
TO ACTIVE LEARNING 13
CHAPTER 1.3:
THE “LCL PROJECT” 14
What is EYCO? 14
What is the LCL Project? 14
What was the Process? 14
Timeline 14
Trans-narional meetings 14
The Exchanges 15
PART 2
THE FIVE LCL POINTS 16
CHAPTER 2.1
THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER 20
2.1.1: Learning styles 21
2.1.2: Leading styles 23
2.1.3: Here and Now 26
2.1.4: Let’s Check 27
CHAPTER 2.2
THE BALANCE OF POWER 28
2.2.1: Active and Directive Pedagogy 29
2.2.2: Leadership Models 32
2.2.3: Balancing Circus 34
2.2.4: Let’s Check 35
CHAPTER 2.3
THE FUNCTION OF CONTENT 36
2.3.1: Competencies and Skills 36
2.3.2: Flow Model 37
2.3.3: Obliquity 38
2.3.4: Creativity and Games 39
2.3.5: Competition 41
2.3.6: Let’s Check 42
CHAPTER 2.4
RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEARNING 43
2.4.1: The Zone of Proximal Development 44
2.4.2: Peer Education 46
2.4.3: Experiential Learning Cycle 48
2.4.4: The Culture of Self Discipline and LCL 50
2.4.5: Let’s Check 51
CHAPTER 2.5
ASSESSMENT 52
2.5.1: The Different Purposes of Assessment 53
2.5.2: Formative Assessment Cycle 54
2.5.3: Active Reviewing, Peer Evaluation and Feedback 56
2.5.4: Praise 59
2.5.5: Fixed and Growth Mindset 60
2.5.4: Let’s Check 63
PART 3
CONCLUSION 64
Author’s Note 67
PART 4
TOOLKIT 68
1. Games 70
2. Skill specific exercises 76
3. Experimenting with teaching styles 84
4. Key competences 87
5. Working Group 90
PART 5
REFERENCES 94
Bibliography 96
Sitography 97
PART 6
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 98
supported by
PARTNERS
BAG-Zirkuspädagogik – Germany (Leader)
Suomen Nuorisosirkusliitto – Finland
Estonian Contemporary Circus Development Centre – Estonia
Fundacja Miasto Projekt – Poland
Vlaams centrum voor circuskunsten vzw – Belgium
Giocolieri e Dintorni / Circosfera – Italy
Circomundo – Netherlands
Federacion Española de Escuelas de Circo Socio Educativo – Spain
Fédération Française des Ecoles de Cirque – France
UK Youth Circus Network – United Kingdom
Slovensko zdruzenje za cirkusko pedagogiko – Cirkokrog Slovenia