Negotiated Research Project

Proposal

Thomas Peck
883492

Working Title
Creative

Academic
A critical exploration of the performing arts in education and how it influences
childrens identity.

Argument
Performing arts in education influences childrens construction of identity.

Rationale

For this project I am proposing to explore the notion of performing

arts in early development and education which has been defined to
have enormous value in their own right as unique and deeply
engaging expressions of our individuality making it an important
component of any curriculum (Roy, Baker and Hamilton, 2012:
pg53), and how it therefore enhances childrens construction of
identity.

I chose to explore this area because I have a keen interest in the

benefits that are associated with the performing arts. Also, because

Negotiated Research Project

Proposal

Thomas Peck
883492

being a teacher myself means I play a vital role in the development

of children as both performers and people,
Teachers play an important role in shaping student achievement
(Quintana and McKown, 2008: pg389 )Research into this area can
therefore benefit me in my personal and professional development.

Within the initial research there was particular importance on how

children are forced to become a person through social pressures and
the constructed notion of how society insists we should be, Singh
argues every culture has its modeling pattern which decided what
kind of personality pattern it wants in its members and then sets up
norms of approved behaviors (Singh, 1998: pg3). However, through
further exploration I aim to discover how the performing arts allow a
child to construct their own identity through the medium of
performance and how the inclusion of the performing arts within
education offers children a stage to explore a diverse range of
cultures and lifestyles. I aim to discover wether the lack of
pereforming arts in education has a detrimental effect on
childrenwhich without, many children wouldnt have the
opportunity to experience. This exploration affects the social,
intellectual and personal development of children.

Through research I also discovered that the performing arts have a

unique curriculum position for the ways in which they stimulate and

Negotiated Research Project

Proposal

Thomas Peck
883492

enable learning, congnitive and academic development (Roy, Baker

and Hamilton, 2012: pg53). They can also provide children with a
wealth of important personal and social benefits, pursuing an art
forms encourages self-discilpine, diligence, self-expression,
calmness and fulfillment (Bajaj and Vohra, 2013: pg9). Benefits
such as these help children to shape their identity into becoming
confident and positive people resulting in lasting effects on their
personal and academic development throughout education.

By investigating the construction of identity I found that Identity is

an ongoing and performative process in which individuals draw on
diverse resources to construct selves (Watson, 2006, pg509). This
quote supports my argument as it suggests that when a child can;
one minute learn Shakespeare the next a rap; Play both male and
female, heterosexual or homosexual characters; learn about slavery,
third worlds issues and the 18th centaury French revolution through
the medium of performance, it allows the child to use these diverse
resources in order to construct themselves. Therefore becoming
different, more versatile people as a result.

Through researching Erving Goffman and The presentation of self in

every day life, I discovered

Negotiated Research Project

Proposal

Thomas Peck
883492

In order to develop my argument I am also going to research

multiculturalism and how through the exploration and involvement
of culture, a child can construct their identity to become more
diverse and open to equality through the medium of performance.

Research Questions
1. How does performing arts in education influence childrens identity?
2. How do children construct their identity?
3. What impact does performing arts have on children?

Mode of Project

Explain why I are writing, benefits of writing

What can you achieve by writing that I cant achieve through performance.. fact that I
may be able to make the writing creative, be bale to go into depth into the notion of
the conctruction of identity, construct and identity through the writing BENEFITS

Bibliography
[What texts will you be using? How are they relevant to your argument?]