New Zealand Drama Education Tour 2013
(3 Aug – 13 Aug)
Visit Schedule
Day 1 School Visit (I) - Elim Christian College
Elim Christian College is a vibrant learning community impacting the whole person and providing seamless, quality education based on a Christian world-view and sound Christian principles. The college was a decile 9, state-integrated area school with total roll of 592 comprising 550 domestic students, 42 internationals, a teaching staff of 40 supported by administration and part-time personnel. Elim Christian College actively pursues a strong focus on high expectations for student achievement and character development. The college environment is well-disciplined, safe and caring. Strategic vision and planning has produced influential direction, superb facilities and the school’s rapidly growing reputation for being a quality educational institution.
Implementation:
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Year 9 – compulsory
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Year 10 –optional. It is one of the options under ‘Arts’ stream. In each term, students are required to choose two subjects from Art, Design Art, Drama, Graphics and Music.
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NECA Levels 1-3 – not offered, due to limited resources
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Drama is integrated into other subjects like English, Social Studies
Length of lesson
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Year 9: 3 lessons per week.
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Year 10: 4 lessons per week.
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40 – 50 minutes per lesson. Double lessons are only available for scripted drama work and clowning, because the students need more time to make their masks.
Class size
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Varies from classes to classes. There are 20 students in the clowning class, while the other classes may have as many as 32 students
Assessment(Year 9 drama)
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At the end of the year, the students work in groups and are required to complete a task. Self-assessment and peer assessment are available.
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Throughout the term, the students are required to write their reflection on their drama journal, e.g. suggest how to modify a scene. They stick the course outline on the front page of the journal so that they know what to learn and how well they have learnt. The teacher will read through their work and give comments.
Extended Activity
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Drama Club – 60 members at present. They run a performance every year. It is an integration of drama, dance and music. The school may also ask them to present a drama piece for promotion purpose.
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The school also receives a grant from the government to hire a drama-dance teacher to conduct workshops at lunch time.
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Due to limited budget, there is no elaborate costume, backdrop etc. Certain amount of income is generated from ticket sale, in the hope of making a break-even.
Human Resource
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1 Full time drama teacher + 1 English teacher
Lesson observation
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Work in small group. Present a TV interview on a beach scene.
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Individual work. In 5 minutes, answer some questions for reflection:
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What has worked well so far in terms of creating a believable scene?
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What is one change we would / could make to make the scene more believable, e.g. voice, facial expression
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Theatre game: clapping game - whole group work on focus.
Day 1 School Visit (II) - Mount Albert Grammar School
Mount Albert Grammar School "(M.A.G.S)" is a semi co-educational state secondary school in Central Auckland. It teaches from year 9 to year 13. Mount Albert Grammar is one of the largest secondary schools in the country and one of the most multi-cultural schools in New Zealand. From year 9 to year 13, there is a wide range of individual subjects available, all of which fit into their respective departments: Agriculture & Horticulture Science, Art, Commerce, Dance and Drama, English, ESOL, Languages, Mathematics, Music, PE, Science, Social Science and Technology.
Implementation
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Offer at all levels, from Level 9 to NECA Level 3
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Level 9: students are selected for the course
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Level 10: students may start from this level. Must make application.
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NECA Level 1: students must have completed Level 10 and attained ‘Achieved’ grade. Subjected to the approval by the Head of the Drama Department. Otherwise they must make their application and attend a selection interview by the Drama Department.
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The curriculum includes a wide spectrum of performing art form and elements like Peking opera. Maori culture and plays from Tonga are also included.
Length of lesson
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5 lesson per week. Each lesson lasts for 1 hour.
Class size
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Level 10: 26 students
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NECA Level 2: 12 students
Assessment
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NECA Levels 1 -3: 3 internal + 2 external (performances will be video-taped and sent to Wellington for moderation.)
Extended Activity
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NECA Level 3: an open performance, as part of assessment
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Theatre Sports
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Inter-school competition: 5 schools meet at Mt Albert Grammar School from 7 pm to 9 pm
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Shakespeare competition: lasts for three days. Takes place in Wellington. Winner of this competition will be awarded with a study trip to the Globe Theater, U.K.
Human Resources
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1 full-time drama teacher (PhD in inter-cultural drama)+ 1 full-time English teacher
Day 2 School Visit - Pakuranga College
Pakuranga College is acknowledged as being one of the leading schools in the country in its progressive use of technology in learning. The school has a reputation for presenting performances of a very high standard. A Dance Studio and Drama Centre cater for students interested in these areas. Art, music and drama have a strong following at Pakuranga College. The school has a reputation for presenting performances of a very high standard. Cultural events and performances are also an integral part of school activities.
Implementation
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Years 9 and 10: Students can choose two subjects from the Arts Faculty for half a year, and another two from the same faculty for another half year.
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NECA Levels 1 and 2: open to all. No prerequisite is required. Students having no drama background can also sign up for Year 10 and NECA Levels 1 and 2 drama classes.
Length of lesson
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NECA Levels 1 – 3: 5 lessons per week (ie. Students have drama lesson every day).
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For NECA Level 3 students, they have only 4 weeks of class in Term 4. For the rest of that term, they have to prepare for the external examinations.
Class size
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Varies from 15 – 30.
Assessment
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NECA Level 3 students who participate in the school production are required to complete a portfolio. They need to explain what and why certain drama elements are used. Analysis on acting skills is included.
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Public performance: worksheets are given out.
Extended Activity
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Theatre Sports as ECA.
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School Production: inter-disciplinary work in Arts Faculty. Funded by the school while tickets are sold to the public.
Human Resources
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2 full-time teachers + 1 part-time teacher.
Lesson observation
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Lesson 1:Explore Loban’s idea on physical movement (Year 10)
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Warm up: skipping
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Improvisation – ‘space jump’ exercise: in groups of 4, the space changes whenever one actor enters the acting area – looks for imagination, spontaneity, action and reaction.
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Individual work: research on Loban’s idea on physical movement
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Lesson 2: Drama rehearsal (Level 1)
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Group work on blocking. Ms Hartley reminded her students of the theatre setting. The audience’s sightline must not be blocked.
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Presentation: feedback from teacher and the students.
Day 3 School Visit - Auckland University – Critical Research Unit in Applied Theatre
The University of Auckland is the largest university in the country, and was ranked 82nd worldwide in the 2011 QS World University Rankings. Established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand, the university is made up of eight faculties over six campuses. The Critical Research Unit in Applied Theatre (CRUAT) was established in February 2011 in the School of Critical Studies in Education. Its purpose is to serve as an international focus for research in applied theatre.
Applied theatre is generally accepted as an umbrella term that embraces a wide range of theatre practice including theatre in education, theatre for development, youth theatre, theatre of disability, museum theatre, reminiscence theatre and prison theatre. These practices share an intentionality to provoke or shape social change. Applied theatre replaces the tired mainstream divide between actor and spectator. The onus of a participatory theatre is in creating actors not for the stage but actors for, on and with the world. Much applied theatre continues to derive its aesthetic from forms of theatre and performance that challenge or subvert political and social hegemonies.
Unit Director: Associate Professor Peter O'Connor
Associate Professor O’Connor is an internationally recognised expert in applied theatre. His research has focused primarily on using applied theatre as a public education medium to address major social issues including public health, gender equity in schools and the development of inclusive, empathetic and critical school cultures.
Qualifications: BA DipTchg DipRSA (Drama) PhD
Areas of Expertise: Applied theatre,arts based research, Public education, critical pedagogy
Responsibilities: Chair, CRSTIE Research Committee Director, Critical Research Unit in Applied Theatre
http://www.education.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/peter-oconnor
Lesson observation
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Process drama lessons by Stephen Dallow
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Refer to the handouts given.
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Peter O’Connor’s words on drama education
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The power of drama lies on:
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making meaning out of the imaginary world
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gaining control and power of the world we are living in
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Healing the community, bringing people together and making changes
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Drama education, thus, works for training actors for the world, not for the stage. It changes power relations in the classroom as teachers are no longer the single source of knowledge.
Day 4 - Drama Workshop
Peter O’Connor is the founding Co-Director of Applied Theatre Consultants Ltd. ATCO has many projects for applied theatre and theatre in education. They have worked with a number of government and education agencies developing programmes such as:
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Gotcha (covering biosecurity issues)
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Open the Loop (youth resiliency)
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The Lost Bag
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Headspin
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and many more...
Stephen Dallow is the National Programmes Manager for Applied Theatre Consultants Ltd. Stephen’s role is to develop, implement and manage our programmes throughout New Zealand. He has been a drama teacher for the past 20 years. In his spare time Stephen manages a community based drama school, Kids 4 Drama. He has also worked with Waitakere City Council in the area of Community Development.
Day 4 - Sharing
總結老師分享，如下：
多元化的交流團，行程充實有意義
老師們透過交流團，與同團老師互相認識，分享個人的教學經驗。本團有老師是初學戲劇，均從交流團中見識到戲劇教育的功能的特色。是次交流團到紐西蘭的大、中、小學參觀，行程多元及豐富。除了與當地大學教授對話和交流、探訪中小學的戲劇課堂外，老師們亦參與了由應用劇場顧問公司（Applied Theatre Consultants Ltd.)舉辦的戲劇工作坊，並觀摩學校與劇團合作的舞台演出。從各種活動中了解到紐西蘭的戲劇教育的發展和現況。
當地老師用心教學，感動人心
在工作坊和觀課中，本團老師能認識到當地的戲劇老師，交流兩地的戲劇教育。本團老師都大讚當地的戲劇老師有理想，教學態度認真、有心、開放，給予學生空間。當地老師的那份教學熱誠，更為本團的老師帶來了不少反思和鼓勵。有老師分享到自己日常的教學已經很累，開始沒有心思去設計戲劇課堂，但見紐西蘭的老師仍孜孜不倦，花足心力去教，真的為老師們帶來很大激勵。
了解紐西蘭的戲劇教育課程，從中借鏡
老師們在幾天的交流中接收到很多資訊，了解到當地的教育架構和課程內容。他們都反映紐西蘭的戲劇教育課程完備，資源充裕，課上有很多地方值得香港老師參考的。在幾天的觀課和工作坊中，老師感受到紐西蘭戲劇的特色，就是讓學生自由學習，供學生舒適輕鬆的學習環境，教室佈置都很好，讓大家一齊投入到戲劇當中，造就學生發揮創意。有老師更反思到戲劇工作坊可以不刻意搞，開放課室讓參觀者一起參與便是工作坊。
