Tara, Year 13, explores whether the asylum would provide the best care for those with mental illnesses or whether it should be left in the past.
When someone says asylum in the context of psychology, what do you immediately think of? I can safely assume most readers are picturing haunted Victorian buildings, animalistic patients rocking in corners and scenes of general inhumanity and cruelty. However, asylum has another meaning in our culture. Asylum, when referring to refugees, can mean sanctuary, hope and care. Increasingly people are exploring this original concept of asylum, and whether we, in a time when mental illness is more prevalent than ever, can reclaim the asylum? Or is it, and institutional in general, confined to history?
In the last 40 years, there has been a shift towards, “care in the community” and deinstitutionalization, facilitated by the development of various new medications and therapies. This has undeniably led to significant improvements in many individual’s mental wellbeing, better protected their human rights and reduced stigmatisation.
However, it also has led to significant cuts in facilities for those unable to transition into society, with almost no long-term beds available in mental health hospitals or inpatient units. Whilst this has left some dependent on family and friends for support, many have ended up in prison or homeless, with a third of the homeless population estimated to be suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Some would, therefore, argue that a reinvention and rebranding of the asylum could provide long term care for severely and chronically ill patients, who even with intensive therapies and drugs, are unlikely to reintegrate back into society.
Designed in collaboration with patients and experts, these ‘asylums’ are not necessarily all intended to be large scale hospitals. The system is intended to be flexible, varied and voluntary where possible. By providing more community-based institutions, with as low a density of residents as possible, we can maximise privacy and trained staff can focus on each patient as individuals in a less punishing environment, removing many of the factors contributing to their distress, and overall improving their quality of life.
Arguably patients may become less isolated, as they are given a safe space to socialize and engage with people they can relate to and support. Unlike temporary units and mental health wards, these institutions would provide long term stability and respite, away from the continuous turbulence and disruption typical of hospitals.
Lastly many will benefit from the structure, intensive therapy and monitoring of medication provided by institutionalisation, which greatly reduces the likelihood of individuals harming themselves or relapsing. Some would argue the notion is too idealistic and that current models provide a utopian ideal of mental health care, and whilst seemingly unattainable it demonstrates to policymakers the importance and possibility of a change in direction.
This reinvention would require considerable time, money and commitment, especially as mental health care has been historically underfunded. However, in this ever-changing climate the asylum might seem like a taboo topic of the past, but if we can shift our focus, if we can overcome our assumptions and reclaim the asylum in both meaning and function, it could be a thing of the future.
Gemma Norford, Head of Junior Music, looks at the impact instrumental music teaching can have on developing skills and a positive musical identity across WHS.
Introduction
As a PGCE student, you are taught that peer-to-peer teaching is an effective way of deepening the understanding of the learner taking the role of teacher, whilst also helping the pupil who is still grappling with the concept. This year, Junior and Senior pupils have come together in a musical programme called the ‘Rare Instrument Scheme’ where Senior pupils have been spending time teaching instrumental skills to Year 5 girls.
Why Music?
Music, on top of being a highly academic subject in its own right, is creative, practical and has the ability to shape lives inside and outside school. Amateur music, whether singing, playing or composing can also open up many opportunities for those of a post-school age. At primary level, music is integral to how the girls learn; how much quicker can you memorise a song than a piece of prose? The process of ‘trial and error’ seen as important skills in numeracy and literacy are echoed in the music room as girls persevere to rehearse and perfect their part for a concert performance.
Working in such ensembles promotes teamwork, a skill also paramount on the sports field. Reading and understanding musical notation is like deciphering complex equations in maths or algorithms in ICT. Norlund (2006), in a paper entitled Finding a systemized approach to Music Inclusion, states that when it comes to ‘standard’ classroom inclusion methods, ‘music classes are inherently different in that few general education classrooms demand as much group cooperation and interaction, and they require rapid acquisition of many academic skills…[while] performing complex psychomotor tasks.[1]
Why a Rare Instrument Scheme?
The Rare Instrument Scheme was designed with the aim of introducing ‘rarer’ orchestral instruments to Junior pupils through a year of small group tuition. As these instruments are often harder to come by both in schools and within the wider musical community, ensemble opportunities earlier on in their musical career would increase. This would, by default, promote a more positive musical identity within a larger amount of girls and encourage them to continue their instrumental studies.
Musical Identity
Fig 1: Brofenbrenner’s Ecological Model (1979)
Music psychologists such as Meill (2002) suggest that a child’s development of musical identity is a mixture of ‘biological predispositions towards musicality’, and significant social influences encountered in daily life. These influences form an ‘integral part of those identities rather than merely providing the framework or context within which they develop’[2].
The idea of musical identity, though still a comparatively modern concept and one too big to unravel in this article, is a thoroughly fascinating arm of psychology. The term identity, in the psychological sense, is tightly caught up within the idea of the ‘self’ as well as within a wider ‘cultural’ sphere, which can be commonly linked to inclusion. Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model (figure 1) supports Meill’s idea that teachers have a strong part to play in the development of a child’s musical identity. What is even more important is that Bronfenbrenner (1979) and theorists such as McLaren & Hawe, 2005; Richard et al., 2011, ‘describe these levels as interactional rather than hierarchical’.[3] Thus the impact the senior girls as ‘teachers’, have within the Rare Instrument Scheme is playing a pivotal part on the development of the junior girls’ musical identity.
[1] Gfeller, 1989 in M. Norland, ‘Finding a systemized approach to Music Inclusion’, General Music Today, 19(3), p14
[2] D. Meill in (ed.), R. A. R. MacDonald, D. J. Hargreaves, and D. Meil Musical Identities, 2nd edn. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002 p7.
[3] Crooke, A H D, (2015) https://voices.no/index.php/voices/article/view/829/685 (accessed January 2017).
Musical identity at a crucial age
Lamont (2002) argues that, when discussing identity, ‘two important topics need to be considered…first, self-understanding, or how we understand and define ourselves as individuals; and secondly, self-other understanding, or how we understand, define and relate to others.’[1] Lamont highlights this ability to differentiate between the two occurs around the age of 7; it is only once this idea of ‘differentiated identity’[2] is reached, that a child can truly begin to develop their own musical identity. The idea of children progressing through different psychological ‘levels’ is also one referred to in the work of Piaget.[3]
More worryingly, a study undertaken by O’Neill, which included 172 children (ages 6-11 years), concluded that children were much more likely “…to endorse an incremental (flexible) view about athletic ability than about musical and intellectual abilities. Also, children who had never played an instrument before were far more likely to endorse an entity (fixed) view of musical ability than children who were already involved in, or about to begin, instrumental training. These self–theories have important implications for the ways in which individuals make self-evaluations about their own and others’ ability.”[4]
Although O’Neill’s research fails to differentiate specific opinions of the participants based on their exact age, this is a salient point as children are applying their self-other understanding quickly which puts some at risk of identifying as a ‘non-musician’ as they are not a ‘trained musician’[5]. This can also link to concerns around the question of inclusion and social mobility.
WHS’s Rare Instrument Scheme, however, is happening towards the beginning of this crucial time. By ensuring each girl gets the opportunity to play an instrument, any pre-constructed ‘fixed’ views linking musical identity to instrumental playing can begin to be broken down as this is something entirely inclusive. Indeed, if the child walks away from this scheme identifying as either a ‘playing musician’ or ‘trained musician’ over a ‘non-musician’, the scheme has been a success.
Some of the most accomplished musicians have had successful careers as ‘playing musicians’ who are not necessarily classically trained. The positive outcomes of the Rare Instrument Scheme are already evident from both Juniors and Seniors. The Senior pupils have built incredible relationships with the Junior girls who show great respect to them. The comment from a number of Junior pupils that they would have much rather had another viola lesson than go to the House Christmas party really said it all: this scheme is promoting great enjoyment as well as musical skills and positive musical identities.
Learning for all
The involvement of the five Senior pupils has been a joy to see this year. They have been spending their two hours of enrichment a week with the Year 5 pupils and have put in an inordinate amount of effort to be the best they can be. The progress that I have seen in both groups over the course of just over a term has been truly enriching. One Senior pupil commented that it is great being able to learn to teach as she is thinking of going into it professionally following her degree. The skills the Senior pupils are developing are numerous. They are learning how to plan for a lesson; how to adapt their plan as they go depending on their audience; how to break down musical concepts in a way younger children can access thus deepening their own knowledge; how to both extend and support those who need it and how to deal with groups of young children. In a sense, they have also rediscovered their own passion for music through the excitement and enthusiasm of the Juniors as the younger girls explore their instruments for the first time. The Seniors are learning all this in a completely safe environment that allows them to take risks as they experiment with different approaches and tasks in order to develop these skills – something not always available to PGCE students at 21 or above.
The Seniors take a practical approach to leading viola lessons. They allow the younger girls lots of time to practise small chunks of music thus promoting the idea of being a ‘playing musician’ and allow the girls ownership of their learning. Junior pupils have relished this ‘freedom’ and are always keen to try the next bit! Having up to five Seniors and myself in the room may be a squeeze at times, but it ensures each Junior girl receives a large amount of one-to-one support. In about five weeks the Juniors were all able to play Twinkle Twinkle on their viola, including harmony lines for some as an extension, and the finger pattern for three major scales. Having been introduced to teaching through large group instrumental teaching (then call the ‘Wider Opportunities’ scheme) myself, I have been very impressed with the progress the Junior pupils have made. Yes, our classes are, purposefully, 12 and under rather than 30, but Twinkle Twinkle was not attempted for at least two terms in the scheme I was ‘brought up’ in – this is credit to both Junior and Senior girls at WHS. Response from the Senior girls’ parents has also been very supportive. One parent mentioned that her daughter came back into school one day following an appointment especially to do the Rare Instrument Scheme as she didn’t want to miss it.
Final thoughts
The positive effects of this enrichment scheme are numerous. For Seniors, it is the opportunity to teach, deepen their own knowledge, build skills sought after by universities and refine and affirm their own musical identity. For Juniors it is helping them construct a more positive musical identity, having contact with older girls who hold a positive musical identity and being given access to an instrument, which may open the door to musical opportunities sooner than they think as a ‘playing musician’ or ‘trained musician’. Although the academic research behind such concepts as musical identity and teaching as a way of deepening one’s own learning is necessary to support a scheme like this, I would argue they are not, in themselves, sufficient to justify the benefits of this project. It is the comments, enthusiasm and the music from the girls, both Senior and Junior, which really yield the true power of this enrichment scheme.
[1] Lamont, A., ‘Musical Identities and the School Environment’, in (ed.) D. Meill et al, Musical Identities, 2nd edn. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002, p41.
[3] Gray, C. and S. MacBlain, Learning Theories in Childhood. London, Sage Publications, 2015
[4] O’Neill, S. ‘The self-identity of Young Musicians, in (ed.) Meill et al. Musical Identities, 2nd edn. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002, p83
[5] D. Meill in (ed.), R. A. R. MacDonald, D. J. Hargreaves, and D. Meil Musical Identities, 2nd edn. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002
Reference List:
Crooke, A H D, (2015) https://voices.no/index.php/voices/article/view/829/685 (accessed January 2017).
Gray, C. and S. MacBlain, Learning Theories in Childhood. London, Sage Publications, 2015
Lamont, A., Musical Identities and the School Environment, in R. A. R. MacDonald, D. J. Hargreaves, and D. Meill (ed.), Musical Identities, 2nd edn. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002
Meill, D., Musical Identities. in R. A. R. MacDonald, D. J. Hargreaves, and D. Meill (ed.), Musical Identities, 2nd edn. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002
Norlund, M., ‘Finding a systemized approach to Music Inclusion’, General Music Today, 19(3), pp13-16. (2006)
O’Neill, S. The self-identity of Young Musicians, in R. A. R. MacDonald, D. J. Hargreaves, and D. Meill (ed.), Musical Identities, 2nd edn. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002
My inspirational sportswoman is Katelyn Ohashi, the UCLA gymnast whose floor routine to Michael Jackson recently went viral with a perfect score of 10.0! (Would thoroughly recommend a watch – it has had over 34 million views 😊)
What I love about Katelyn is that her enthusiasm and joy for her sport shines through during her routine; she genuinely looks like she’s having the best time ever. She seems to effortlessly perform extremely difficult flips, splits and tricks whilst having fun with her teammates and dancing to music.
Katelyn was once destined for the Olympics and had even beaten Simone Biles in 2013, when she got injured and reached had physical and mental breaking point. She was consistently body shamed and had lost her love for the sport at Elite level.
Therefore, what I find most inspiring about Katelyn Ohashi is that she managed to find her passion again, and is now completely re-defining gymnastics from being a sport of discipline and neatness, to one in which mesmerising choreography and enjoyment are the most important elements!
Good morning everyone, I hope you all had a lovely weekend.
I’m sure many of you will be feeling happy after England’s successful start in the six nations and apologises for any Irish or French supporters.
Wimbledon’s rowing squad performed exceptionally well at the South England rowing relay champions. We won a gold in the U14s and silver in the U12s individuals. The year 7 and 8 are South of England rowing Champions and Helena, our in-house world recorder holder won gold. These are some fantastic results girls and you should be really proud of your work over the weekend!
The U11 gym team came 4th in the London Regional Floor and Vault competition and the U11 C&D team are GDST netball champions!
Finally, Ellie Watt, in Yr11, was at the National Water Polo camp over the weekend and has now been selected as one of the top 25 girls in England at Under 17s. She will have the possibility to be selected for the European Championships in 2020 so well done Ellie.rI hope you all have a lovely week and a restful half term!
Wayne Eaves, teacher of Geography and advocate of coaching, looks at the importance of recognising the significant value of the quieter learner and the opportunities they offer to the wider classroom. In a world of constant stimulation and talk, where verbal contribution is too often used as a means of assessing pupil progress, it is vital that teachers reflect on their own classroom practice and ensure that ‘quiet’ is a positive and valued attribute.
The Power of Introversion
Much debate among educationalists followed the publication of Susan Cain’s book ‘Quiet-The Power of Introversion in a World That Can’t Stop Talking’ and her call to move away from the cultural bias towards extroverts in schools by creating introvert-friendly learning environments and recognising the ‘invisible’ student. Counter arguments, championed by Jessica Lahey in Atlantic magazine, maintained that to achieve success in today’s world, it is imperative that students are coerced through grades, based on verbal participation and teacher expectations, to take an active and vocal part in class.
Western culture certainly appears to present and value extroversion as an asset while disparaging introversion as an affliction or flaw. However, in other cultures silence is a sign of deep respect and is more highly valued than talk/discussion. The stereotypical description of the extrovert as Act-Think-Act, and the introvert as Think-Act-Think is rarely helpful since in reality (especially the classroom) a whole spectrum of introversion and extroversion exists. The aim must surely be to incorporate and celebrate the approaches of all learners.
To me, Lahey’s advocacy for grading classroom participation ignores the ‘value of quiet’ and the myriad of other ways that students take part in lessons. These might include the silent assent they give to ideas in their body language and eye contact or the way they make thoughtful and insightful notes for a future essay. The absence of talk must not be assumed to indicate an absence of engagement with learning nor undervalue the student’s role in the classroom.
“The absence of talk must not be assumed to indicate an absence of engagement with learning”
The modern classroom with its focus on active and collaborative learning, exciting technology, group work and discussion can all too often ignore the needs of the quiet learner and indeed actively hinder their learning. As Cain points out, the extrovert draws energy from social interaction while the introvert draws energy from internal reflection and quiet time and may easily become drained by non-stop interaction with others.
The Inclusive Classroom
How can the classroom teacher adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all their learners? A variety of strategies can help the confidence of all students:
Offer the discussion questions in advance by pre-circulating the issues that you plan to talk about in the next lesson.
Ensure that sufficient waiting or thinking time is always given before an answer is expected, giving both the reflective student and the ‘instant responder’ time to think their answers through.
Think-Pair-Share – gives the quiet learner the chance to reflect on their answer, discuss it with one peer which may well then encourage them to share with the rest of the class.
Ensure that every lesson contains some time for deep thinking and quiet study. It has been noted that in US schools where verbal confidence is valued at least as highly as quiet work that achievement in many schools is falling behind their international peers. A short session of silent, meaningful work, also allows the extroverts in a class to develop and hone new and valuable skills.
Social media, used well by the teacher can give the quieter learner a boost. A discussion blog allows them to become involved in the conversation and get their ideas validated by others, thus building confidence.
Be creative with the classroom, if space allows have both group work zones and individual desks. At break time designate a semi-quiet space for the quiet learners where they can recharge after time spent with lots of other people.
Figure 1: ‘How to care for Introverts/Extroverts’– The Introvert’s Dilemma (blog)
Although quieter students may need some adjustments to be made in the learning environment, the benefits that they contribute to the classroom are considerable. They naturally bring an element of mindfulness to a lesson and, given the opportunity, present new ideas and perspectives which enrich the learning and experience of others. It is their fellow students and their teachers’ duty to listen to them. When she was asked what inspired her to write her book Cain likened introverts today to women at the dawn of the feminist movement—second-class citizens with gigantic amounts of untapped talent. As her book concludes, ‘our culture rightly admires risk-takers but in today’s world we need the heed-takers more than ever’.
Further reading
Cain, S. Quiet : The Power of Introversion in a World That Can’t Stop Talking’. Crown Publishing Group, 2012
Cain, S. The Power of Introverts, podcast, TED talks Feb 2012
Anya, Year 13, explores what characterises nihilism and investigates the worth of nihilism; it is hopeless or actually positive?
Nihilism, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is the rejection of all religious and moral principles in the belief that life is meaningless, which, strictly speaking, does sound quite despairing. Yet, however hopeless the Oxford Dictionary would have us think it is, nihilism can allow (perhaps surprisingly) room for personal, moral and spiritual growth.
Nihilism undoubtedly stems from pessimism. Indeed, Nietzsche, the German philosopher and scholar who is often associated with it, called nihilism “the most extreme form of pessimism”.
The path to becoming a nihilist starts with weariness and a loss of faith in social, legal and cultural values widely held in our society. When people begin to feel alienated from their values and do not replace their value system with any other known system, such as a new religion or political philosophy, they become nihilists. They are disappointed with the egoistic nature of ‘truth’ and ‘morality’ but at the same time recognise that those things are necessary.
Often, free will seems contradictory: we depend on a value system that doesn’t exist and have depended on previous value systems which we have seen crumble. Each time we encounter a new system we conform to those values, we feel bound by them and those of us who rebel, i.e. criminals, are cast out from society. If none of these systems ever even existed, as the nihilist claims, we are just going around in a cycle of limiting our life choices for no reason. Basic values such as getting an education or a good job are placed in a sphere far beyond what is reachable.
The nihilist realises that every time someone begins to talk about “the real world” they are merely talking about a fictitious world because, from a nihilist perspective, every category used to measure and qualify our world is fake. In summary, the beginning of a nihilist lifestyle sounds a lot like the act of giving up and becoming a recluse, not to mention very dejected.
However, Nietzsche claims that nihilism is a necessary step in the transition to a devaluation of all values one holds. He outlines two distinct forms of the philosophy: passive and active.
Passive nihilism is characterised by a weak will. This is the kind of nihilism commonly made reference to in popular culture, which brings about little more than mental exhaustion and no change. A passive nihilist would see the emptiness of general external values (such as various social constructs) and project that onto individual internal beliefs (such as what you feel is good and bad), which results in a loss of personal authority. This type of nihilism can truly be called hopeless. Passive nihilism plagues the mind, often resulting in the person attempting to remove all responsibility from themselves, as the mind seeks to hold onto something that isn’t arbitrary, which can lead to one searching for hollow escapes such as excessive drinking, meaningless relationships and general “self-narcotisation”. Yet any attempts to escape nihilism without actually re-evaluating one’s own values only makes it worse.
On the other hand, active nihilism is characterised by a strong will. This constructive nihilism goes beyond simple judgement and moves on to action, specifically, the destruction of the remaining, meaningless status quo and the rebuilding of values and ethics through thought and reason. The will is made stronger still by forcing the recognition that practically all our value systems are in fact devoid of meaning, whilst at the same time having the power to accept that this meaninglessness serves a purpose, as ironic and oxymoronic as that may seem. Nietzsche claims that this form of thought is “a divine way of thinking”. An active nihilist will recognise the necessity of the lies and oversimplifications of life and begin to value the irrationality of how we live, as these are the conditions which must exist in order for people to truly have the ability to think for themselves.
It is important to note that nihilism does not replace values, at least according to Nietzsche, but rather makes room for those values to be broken away and reconstructed. Nietzsche stressed that nihilism is merely a means to an end, and not an end in itself. In this way, it becomes a form of existential nihilism, a contradictory principle in which we accept that values are meaningless and fake whilst building new ones for ourselves. Active nihilism opens doors to revaluating and more importantly, constructing new values for ourselves. In this way, we achieve a sense of freedom as well as infinitely greater insight into ourselves and the people around us.
Thus, nihilism is not inherently hopeless, instead, it can be said to create hope, as it pushes us to change, ask questions and find answers for ourselves. Active nihilism is certainly necessary for any kind of social, political or religious revolution. To paraphrase Sartre, if our life is the only thing we get to experience, then it’s the only thing that matters. If the universe has no principles then the only principles relevant are the ones we decide on. If the universe has no purpose, then we get to dictate what its purpose is. So, whilst a loss of faith may lead to nihilism, nihilism leads to new hope.
You are warmly encouraged to enter a poster competition to win some amazing prizes and certificates from the Microbiology in Schools Association and sponsored by the National farmers Union. Please come to see Dr Risso after school on Thursday 7th or Friday 8th Feb in Bio 1 if you are interested in entering for more details. We had some awesome entries last year!
Hello all! I love doing gymnastics and have been doing it since I was 11. Although I started relatively late for the sport, I love being able to flip upside down and push myself to try exciting new skills which are sometimes completely out of my comfort zone!
I would like to encourage people to try new and sometimes scary things, as well as finding fun in the sport whatever level you’re at; whether that’s dancing crazily in your room or trying to master a flick!
I have been playing hockey for school and club for over 10 years now and it is has been a passion on mine since day 1. It is a competitive and enjoyable sport than is very social and has allowed me to make a variety of new friends in my year and between years. Hockey is a sport that I am definitely excited to continue with after I leave school.
As a mentor, I encourage all girls to get involved with hockey as it is a very social and inclusive sport that allows you to meet many new people. I also hope to inspire and share with knowledge with girls in younger years and urge them to continue sport throughout their school life at Wimbledon High and beyond.
I started rowing a year and a half ago with Wimbledon High School full time. I did a four day learn to row course in 2016 but at the time I was very into football so did not continue but then did a few sessions with school and fell in love with the sport. I am currently trying out for the U18 GB rowing squad as I want to see how far I can go in the discipline!
Rowing is not always an easy sport as it is so gruelling but I still love it because as it is one of the few sports where you are getting a constant score back. If you join rowing you get to do a variety of different types of exercises including circuits, weights and ergs (my least favourite!) and it is all worth it when you get to go on the water!
I think any type of sport has amazing benefits not just physically but mentally and I would strongly recommend people trying to continue doing exercise throughout their life and definitely trying to keep it up through life at Wimbledon High as we are so lucky to have so many options.
When someone says asylum in the context of psychology, what do you immediately think of? I can safely assume most readers are picturing haunted Victorian buildings, animalistic patients rocking in corners and scenes of general inhumanity and cruelty. However, asylum has another meaning in our culture. Asylum, when referring to refugees, can mean sanctuary, hope and care. Increasingly people are exploring this original concept of asylum, and whether we, in a time when mental illness is more prevalent than ever, can reclaim the asylum? Or is it, and institutional in general, confined to history?
