Using a school based circus training program to

School of Health Sciences

ACHPER 2017

Using a school based circus training program to develop student and teacher skills.

Richard McGrath & Kristen Stevens

Welcome I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Ngunnawal people, the traditional owners and custodians of the land we are meeting on today. I acknowledge and respect their spiritual relationship with their country. I recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship with the land and acknowledge that they are of continuing importance to those people living today. I extend this respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in attendance today.

Naa marni (Hello all)

Acknowledgement This presentation is in relation to the ‘Cirkidz in Schools Project’ conducted in 2015 The project was initiated by Cirkidz and funded by the Australian Council for the Arts, Arts SA and SA Department for Education & Child Development. Research conducted by University of South Australia in collaboration with Cirkidz.

Background • Earlier years of child development – children learn and develop both soft and hard skills

A number of risk factors that can impact on child development & health • Obesity • Low levels of education and economic stability being associated to low socio-economic households. • Focus is on early intervention

Background Primary schools have often been settings where interventions are implemented tackling these issues.

• However, some issues have been identified: – school attendance and – levels of motivation and engagement of students

Both have been associated as significant issues impeding possible success of interventions.

Circus in School Project • The focus of Cirkidz in Schools Project was to enable primary school children an opportunity to be involved in a circus based training program as an alternative to mainstream competitive sport. • Aim was for two key outcomes from Cirkidz in Schools Project. – To provide an opportunity to influence student’s motivation and engagement to learning through their involvement in a circus skills training troupe. – Provide teachers with alternative teaching tools through the adoption of circus based techniques

Circus in School Project • Term 1: • All students aged 8-13yrs involved in a weekly 90min circus skills session • All school teachers involved in a circus skills training session • Group of 30 students selected as a ‘troupe’ • Selection process embedded with student curriculum involving producing different assignment pieces – – – –

A short story A picture A performance or multimedia recording Free choice

• Terms 2-4: • Troupe students involved in a weekly 90min circus skills session • Teachers involved in a circus skills training session as part of Professional Development.

Methodology • The research study adopted a mixed methods research approach – self-completed questionnaires and – focus groups/interviews.

• An experimental pre/post intervention design – incorporated into the study in relation to the motivation and engagement surveying of students. – Students involved in the study included those involved in the weekly circus training sessions (intervention group) and their peers not involved in the session (control group).

Survey instrument • The survey instrument used was the validated Motivation and Engagement Questionnaire (Martin 2003, 2009). • The survey tool measures students motivation and engagement to learning across a number of factors

• These factors have been termed as Boosters, Mufflers and Guzzlers.

Survey instrument • Boosters represent thoughts and behaviours that serve to boost levels of motivation and engagement. These include: – Self-confidence; being focused on learning; thinking school is important and trying hard.

• Mufflers represent thoughts and behaviours that serve to obstruct/impede these levels. These include: – Failure avoidance, anxiety and uncertainty control.

• Guzzlers represent thoughts and behaviours that work to cut/reduce levels of motivation and engagement. These include: – Disengagement and self-sabotage.

Survey instrument • Increases to student Boosters combined with decreases to Mufflers and Guzzlers can improve student’s levels of motivation and engagement. • When motivated and engaged, students’ have been shown: – – – –

To enjoy school more, Get better marks at school, Work more effectively and Understand more of their schoolwork (Martin 2008).

Data collection & Sample • Pre-intervention survey included a sample of 96 students, with the Post-intervention survey obtained a sample of 76 students. • Comparative statistical analysis was conducted on the survey data. • A focus group was conducted with students involved in the Cirkidz troupe (n=30), while interviews were conducted with teachers (n=4) and trainers (n=4). • Content analysis was conducted on the qualitative data.

Survey Results •

The mean scores for the intervention group improved across all Booster, Muffler & Guzzler factors following the intervention.

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Of particular note was the statistically significant increase of troupe students means Booster scores for Planning and Task Management compared to their peers (i.e. the non-troupe, control group students).

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Analysis identified a statistically significant difference between the beneficial decrease in a Guzzler factor (Disengagement) for students involved in the Cirkidz troupe compared to their peers.

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These findings indicate that involvement by students in the regular circus based skills training directly affected their levels of motivation and engagement to learning.

Qualitative Results • Qualitative data analysis indicated the Cirkidz in Schools did have an impact on students involved in the weekly circus based training sessions. • Students identified: – Having fun and being physically active as a positive aspect of the sessions, – Opportunity to learn new skills and perform for/with others.

• Trainers identified: – The development of teamwork, trust, and respect behaviours.

• Teachers indicated: –

Students appeared to develop improved confidence as well as the ability to work with others.

Qualitative Results • Teachers’ identified the teacher training sessions as ‘really good’ and ‘positive’. • The teachers training session provided an opportunity to gain an insight and understanding of ‘what techniques might be best used’ in relation to activities for their students in the classroom. • The sessions provided teachers with an awareness of the ‘concept of flow’

Qualitative Results • While teachers identified using some circus based techniques within their regular classes, this tended to be in an ‘ad hoc’ fashion. • Teachers – – Saw the potential of using circus based training skills as a teaching tool. – Viewed the use of circus training in the classroom as an opportunity to ‘break-up a session’ and as a ‘brain break’ for their students.

– The use of circus skills in the classroom as break-up elements ‘allowed students to refocus’ and were often used as encouragement and ‘a reward’ for the class.

Summary • Mean scores of troupe students increased and remained higher than non-troupe for all Booster factors across the two survey periods. • Beneficial decrease in all Muffler & Guzzler factors for students involved in the Cirkidz troupe. • Feedback from students, teachers and trainers indicated an improvement in student behaviour throughout the year • Teacher skills were developed through the adoption of circus skills as a teaching tool. • Overall the use of regular circus skills training appears to have a positive impact on students’ and teachers’ skill development.

Future Directions • Incorporate measures that capture data concerning student trust, empathy, teamwork and respect into the study • Obtain feedback from all students involved in the troupe selection process, and • Establish a longitudinal study working with the same school for a two or three year period to track: – Student progress/changes over time concerning the influence of circus based training on motivation and engagement to learning, – Teachers’ incorporation of circus based skills with curriculum activities

Hands on opportunity. ACHPER Conference Workshop #126 ‘It’s a circus out there: How can the AC:HPE support Primary classroom teachers? Presenters: Tracey Zilm & Joshua Hoare

Thank you for your time.