Jessica Hartley

Abstract

Is it ever ethically appropriate to place a child at risk? In my work as a pedagogue and trapeze teacher I am in constant practical dialogue with this question. This thesis considers the problems arising in our increasingly dichotomised schooling between the ‘fluid’ needs of a creative future discussed by Bauman (2003) and the business, target-driven, rational approach which perpetuates cycles of vulnerability in young people and fear amongst educators and parents (Furedi 2004).

My work addresses these concerns through a practical exploration of guiding students through risk-taking practices, namely those of static trapeze training and clown training. This research demonstrates the crucial role of the teacher/guide in allowing the students’ to explore life and death through risk.

Profile

Jessica is a highly experienced secondary school teacher and has worked as a consultant for GCSE examinations as well as a Head of Department in a number of comprehensive school settings. Jessica is currently a part-time lecturer in physical theatre at Portsmouth University.

Alongside this she is a trapeze artist and circus director; she has worked with a wide variety of companies including The Circus Space, Tara Arts, John Wright, David Glass, Angela De Castro and Forced Entertainment.

She was a finalist for the Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust Award on four occasions between 2003 and 2009. She is in receipt of the Elsee Fogarty Studentship for her studies at Central.