Drama topics - complex issues

Jen112233 · Jul 19, 2012

Me please missjtbrown@hotmail.co.uk

walshj77 · Jul 20, 2012

worksleepwork said:

I disagree absolutely with an entirely skills based curriculum for Drama. That would be like an English teacher teaching nothing but grammar and vocabulary and never linking them to writing or interpreting literature. Skills and content should be developed in tandem, just as in English. It has always seemed bizarre to me that Drama feels the need to justify itself as a subject by focusing on skills, whereas English (never doubted as a 'proper' subject) has no problem with teaching lessons which focus entirely on exploring content, themes and characters (I also teach English).
IMHO the best drama comes about when students have something to say (content) and the means to say it effectively (skills).
I absolutely agree with the poster above who said that teaching through story is the most effective way of teaching, and in my experience produces the best results. Lessons on 'knife crime' are tedious and superficial, a class creating Brechtian style pieces exploring the horrific stabbing of a boy from a nearby school and making their own links to attitudes of the police; passers by; other teenagers: amazing. Drama comes out of a human need to tell and hear stories which explore the human condition.
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Just to add my two pennies. I absolutely agree with this. All our SoW are taught through a narrative. Hwever, we are looking at year 9 schemes at the moment. Going to try out a mask SoW next year and see how that pans out. Trestle all the way! Any ideas for that?

resources4drama · Jul 20, 2012

walshj77 said:

Going to try out a mask SoW next year and see how that pans out. Trestle all the way! Any ideas for that?
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Masks are great, but can be very expensive. This is why I wrote some mask schemes of work and supply the inexpensive masks to go with them (three schemes for Yrs 7 / 8 / 9 - same masks for all of them).
Also made a video about how to use (any type of mask) effectively.
All here.
Mask work allows for physicality which frees up a lot of children and extends their range considerably.

Drama topics - complex issues

Jen112233

walshj77

resources4drama

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