Drama
Australia National Conference 2003
Volume 1 Number 21
Hi Folks,
Started classes in Research Preparation: Methods of Research this weekend. As a recent message from the website suggested, I need to get out more. It looks like it might be interesting - although statistical analysis is not my favourite pastime. I picked up a new guitar and amp as well so I'll soon be looking for someone to give me some pointers on making some musical headway. My sax playing is still coming along. Along with the Research Methods course I've also started Drama and Group Work - in this unit I'll be analysing the data collected on the recently closed Digital Drama survey. I hope to have the major overview completed in the next six weeks and would like to contact some of the participants to review the paper I create. SO if you get an email from me about this and you have the time and interest to make some comments it would really be appreciated. Once the paper is graded by my supervisor I'll make it available via the Resources page of the Drama Education site.
Speaking of finished assignments - today I received a great program of work from Tracy Veale-Chan, a Drama Education student at Murdoch University. It is about the significance of story-telling in other cultures and is already in place on the Lessons page of the site. Thanks very much Tracy - you will be in the running to get one of the two books I'm giving away this month - as is anyone else who cares to contribute a new resource for the site.
LESSON/ACTIVITY IDEA
This is a simple game that can be used for a variety of purposes in Drama classes. I use it in warm-ups and focussing activities; to explore ways of shifting focus; to understand misdirection; to fill in a few minutes before the bell. You choose your reason.
Materials: A ball or beanbag.. actually anything that can be held easily in one hand - a baton for example and a group of willing students.
Set up
Select one student to be "it". Then ask all the other students to stand in a very tight circle around "it". Ask students in circle to put their hands behind them and be ready to grasp the ball if it is given to them.
Getting started
Explain to the students that the ball will be given to one of them and that they are to pass it around the circle without being detected by "it" in the middle. It must pass all the way around the circle and each person must take possession at some point. If/when the ball gets back to the starting point that person is to shout "Stop the Clock!"
Rules
The ball must complete a full circuit of the group - it may pass either clockwise or anticlockwise. There is no stipulation that it can't be passed backwards to avoid detection but the game is only finished if it makes a full circuit in one direction.
"It" may have up to three attempts to identify who has the ball. If "it" guesses correctly then the person holding the bal becomes the new "it".
The group may or may not use any distractions at the discretion of the teacher.
Variations
The ball must follow a different route.
The ball must do a higher number of circuits.
There may be more than one "it" in the circle.
There can be saboteurs incorporated who are trying to betray the group without being caught themselves.
RECOMMENDED WEBSITES
prepared by Dianne Pizarro and Ruth Buchanan - a project of the Department of Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, Commonwealth Government of Australia
A list of improv games provided by an Australian Online gaming community
Here you will find tons of stuff related to improvisation theatre. Look for improv games, handles, concentration exercises, drama techniques, character exercises, warm-ups, long form Improv formats, improvised show formats, tips for improv workshops and much more.
PROFESSIONAL NEWS
13th - 17th April 2004
University of Canterbury
This innovative, international Conference sets out to provide an important forum for drama educators, researchers and practitioners to come together and consider drama practice in relation to recent brain research and thinking for learning. This Conference will be of interest to not only drama educators but to all educators with an interest in actively developing a pedagogical and aesthetic understanding of drama.
KEYNOTES
Guy Claxton - Visiting Professor of Learning Science at the University of Bristol Graduate School of Education. UK's leading expert on "Learning to
Learn".
Mathilda Marie Joubert - Research Officer to the National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education (NACCCE).
Jonothan Neelands - Senior lecturer in Drama and Theatre Education in the Institute of Education at the University of Warwick.
John Norman - freelance consultant and specialist in new approaches to learning. Director of TLC Consultancy.
WORKSHOP LEADERS
Jude Ackroyd - Lecturer in the Performance Studies division of the School of Cultural Studies at University College of Northampton.
Patrice Baldwin - Adviser for the Promotion of the Arts In Schools (Norfolk LEA) and Visiting Fellow of the University of East Anglia.
Steve Bowkett - Writer of the"Story Maker Project" , educational consultant and qualified hypnotherapist.
Moyra Boland - Lecturer at University of Glasgow's Faculty of Education. Adviser for BBC Scotland's Board for Children's' Broadcasting.
David Booth - Professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.
Pam Bowell - Principal Lecturer in Drama Education in the School of Education, Kingston University.
Bryan Heap - Staff Tutor in Drama, Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica.
John Hucker - Director of "Simple Solutions for Education" and Advanced Skills Teacher for Drama.
Rob John - Scriptwriter and theatre director. Vice Principal (FE College)
John Norman - see above.
Improvisation
Starters : A Collection of 900 Improvisation Situations for the Theater
