03.12.07
WEEK 1 – DRAMA AND PLAY
There were quite poignant differences between the teaching styles of Chris and Derek. Chris was able to drive the drama (without students knowing) which allowed the story or theme to keep on track within realistic confines. Derek’s class, on the other hand, were not led by him therefore the drama drifted into “magical solutions†rather than the students analysing and debating the complex issues that were put forward to them.
I guess one of the real positives of Chris’ class is that everyone was able to establish some kind of emotional connection to the situation. Whether the situation affects your character 1st hand is irrelevant. It’s whether you’re presented with people it does effect and whether you can directly become apart of that shift in emotion.
After taking part inexactly the same activity as Chris’ class, I think it gives you an added level of complexity to the drama. After being told to choose absolutely anyone in the workplace scenario, I chose to play an office worker, mainly dealing in customer service and sales. My main motive for choosing this character was that it’s a job description that I’m somewhat familiar with from experience. I then realised that by choosing a character in the administration position, it allowed me to take a different slant on the situation. I was not directly in the warehouse, nor did I have any personal contact with the underlying problems. Having a slight distance from the problem, I was able to steer the situation in slightly different directions to the other role players in the class. I was able to shift blame, claim it’s not my responsibility, play devils advocate, or be the voice of a third party customer.
I feel that in these role playing situations it is far more beneficial to have people forming both sides of the argument, regardless of who may be morally right or wrong. Therefore the likelihood of cognitive reorganisation or moral and educational discussions and debates are enhanced.
If everyone in the class all agrees, or are in the same position, I think the activity is more likely going to move along the same path as Derek’s class. His class resulted in all students taking the role of the ‘solution maker’ rather than exploring the different people affected by the situation and the moral dilemma’s effecting them.
Moving on………..
Knowledge Based
- The severity of Chemicals in the sea
- The effects chemicals have on the muscles
- The warehouse disposals were going directly into the sea
Skills Based
- The different workers that make up the Fertilizing company
- The hierarchy of employers
- Who does what jobs
- Comparisons between them and the muscle farmers
- Changing of roles / ideas / protocol over a large period of time
Cognitive development
- Who is to blame
- Do you speak out about the problem
- An issue for one can be a gain for another
- Losing your job compared with someone else losing their job
I would have to say that most of these learning outcomes were incidentals to the students. Had they have made a prediction after the first scenario was given, I don’t think the list would be quite as comprehensive. I also say this from my experiences in the situation. During the activity I tend to get so caught up in ‘acting the part’ that I often forget what underlying learning is happening. It’s only really on reflection that these outcomes become apparent. I guess this is the reason for the teacher stopping the role play every so often to discuss what has happened and reflect on where the drama is going.
Imaginative Play
There has been so much research into the benefits of imaginative and developmental play, but the thing I find most interesting is that it is one of those activities where children are learning so much without even realising. And I think this might even be a hurdle that a lot of adults and teachers need to overcome. The positive effects it can have on a child’s learning are endless.
According to Bruce (1991) there are four main types of play – constructive play, role governed play, functional play and socio dramatic play. Each have their own benefits and can grow and achieve according to a child’s maturity level (Kitson, Spiby, 1997). Even in adult life, games with rules and socio dramatic play is still poignant. I guess one of the real joys for me in drama and theatre, is the chance to take on a different role or character and experience life as someone other than yourself. Just as kids play dress ups, I too put on a costume and play the role.
A lot of my childhood memories are centred round games with rules, rather than functional or constructive play. Maybe I just can’t remember back that far. But I guess I do remember the positive effects it had on me through achievement, social interaction, confidence and self esteem.
Sara Smilansky has an impressive list of the benefits socio dramatic play has on students, which I can see a relationship to one of the activities we did in class. When we came up with our own imaginative play situations, (ie. Doctors and Nurses) the structure of the activity, along with the materials and dramatic situations all encouraged and displayed several, if not all, the benefits on Smilansky’s list.
Group Work
As a teacher I think there is great skill in determining when students should be working in groups and how the groups are established. Great benefit can come from students of different abilities working together and collaborating ideas. In these situations, students can be teaching one another as well as themselves. Likewise, grouping students according to ability is also beneficial in their quest for growth and the way they are pushed to reach their own potential.
Establishing a need for both is essential in allowing different students to grow from groups collaborations. As a student myself, I am perhaps not as responsive to group work as what I should be. I do understand its benefits from a teaching perspective, however as a student I think I need to be more open to the idea and fully embrace it’s positive elements and enjoyment.
That gives me something to work on in the next couple of weeks!