Study Break One - Week Five 2006

Study Break One

'Experiencing the environment is, of course, a process that continues throughout life; it is the very stuff of life. It is a process that is shaped by culture, influenced by language, impacted by beliefs, affected by values, and moderated by the distinctive features of what part of ourselves we sometimes describe as our individuality'  [1]

 Wednesday, 22 March 2006

Well I’m off on my school experience, and feel it is still important to say some quick things. Firstly, I just turned thirty today (Woo Hoo) and I feel I’m having my mid-life crisis (D’oh). Not to do with my age, more so to do with my school experience as it is so difficult. Student resources and assistance is so poor, and the standard of the student’s ability is shocking me. The new outcomes approach to learning is great, however basic writing and reading activities are the last things that students wish to complete. These activities are vital, but how do you convince them it’s in their best interest? I feel at this moment in time I will either burn myself out trying to convince them to do such activities or just let them work on the physical activities. Working to the students needs is great, but what if the students need more?

 I guess I’m saying that I wish I had been pushed to do reading and writing activities at school when I was younger, however it always seemed like a chore. My writing and reading skills would be far more superior than they are today. Although it has taken me three hard years of university to finally be good at this, with a better start in high school, just think where I could be now! I guess, when it comes down to it, all activities must contain aspects vital for students to meet hidden curriculum aspects. That is to say, if I can create an activity that encourages self-motivation, written work should follow to ‘ride the wave’ of enthusiasm.

 For one particular class this week, I set up an approach based upon outcome three, Arts Response. As it was a level two lesson, the class pedagogy was based on a ‘structured’ lesson; I used hand-outs and ‘walked through’ the information. They were, however, more interested in their physical project, and as a result became easily bored. The theory aspect of the lesson was vital, but the students were too interested in anything else! Fun lessons work, but if you can’t keep their focus you will get nowhere. With this in mind, I feel it is important to look through my objectives. I love to look at ways I can improve my approaches to my studies, especially since I’m currently on school experience.

 Integrating Drama and the Outcomes and Standards Framework 

 On that note, I received the role of Bluey the fly. Once again, I’ve never received a role that I auditioned for, however, I’ve never been able to predict where I’m needed in a production. It looks like a great role, and at this moment in time (based on a initial analysis of the character), I plan Bluey to be either a strong Paul Hogan stereotypical Australian or a neurotic, annoying (yet firm) John Howard style character. I know it sounds weird, however it may be a combination of both… only time will tell.

I hope you'll have fun with Bluey

Jenny de Reuck

'Crikey!'

 Sunday, 26 March 2006

 Just a quick note about the Sunday session that happened at Lauren’s house this evening. Although it was a low turn out, the read through was invaluable. Having an opportunity, if only briefly, to read through some of the script was great, as it allowed me to get an idea of further character development. As a result, I have already changed my base characterisations to a mix of Steve Irwin and Bob Hawke. Bluey seems to have aspects of a neurotic style, however these characteristics border very closely to last year’s character Katzenellenbogen. I will need to tread carefully.

The meeting was very successful for a number of reasons. Such a showing of students out of the regular workshop setting demonstrates true commitment to the production. In the case of the Outcomes Based learning approach, such a demonstration of commitment is useful in the creation of self-motivated learners. We also had the luxury of Melissa at the session. She individually assisted us all in realising a variety of different aspects, and possible approaches for our characters. Teacher assistance and guidance is vital for successful outcome achievement. This becomes especially significant when lower levels within the framework specifically outline the need, for example, to make art work ‘within the structure of given tasks’ (Curriculum Council, 2005:22). In this instance, the student’s positive achievements are reliant on the support and scaffolding of the teacher’s pedagogy.

Week Five

'Teaching that does not promote learning makes as much sense as selling that does not promote buying’ [1]

 Wednesday, 29 March 2006

I’m still on my school experience prac, however the second week is working out to be more positive than the first. At the beginning of this week, I suggested to my cooperating teacher that our approach was not working. As part of the assessment aspect of my prac, I was required to teach while the cooperating teacher supervised my classes. At the beginning of this week, however, I had already been assessed, and the supervision continued. As the teacher knew what I was capable of doing, I suggested we should ‘team teach’ for the rest of the week. In response, the teacher proposed splitting each class into two groups; I took one group for practical work, and the other was taken for one-on-one time with their regular teacher. The results were great, and vital in continuing to critically discuss positive pedagogies within the classroom.

 I am quite aware that such a situation, like ‘team teaching’, would possibly never occur like this again, however it creates a number of important approaches to look at. Firstly, I feel it is important to discuss myself as the student in this example. Although I was not being assessed using the levels of the Outcomes and Standards Framework, such an instance highlights many positive aspects of the new curriculum. Secondly as a teacher, such an example helps to underline the importance, and need, for a variety of pedagogies.

 If I was a student being assessed by the new outcomes based system, in this example, the approaches of my cooperating teacher underlined a need to change the assessment to meet the needs of the student. A teacher is required to have a huge amount of flexibility with their assessments, and in this example, my cooperating teacher agreed there was a need to change the parameters. The way a student approaches an assignment or project may vary, however it is their subsequent outcome that is vital. A student’s method of approach is (seemingly) irrelevant to the process, however it is vital for the individual student personally. We should be designing ‘educational programs not merely to improve schools, but also to improve the ways in which students think’ (Eisner, 2002:13). The skills that students will learn from trial and error will be invaluable to creating multi-skilled individuals, as well as teaching them that there is not only one way to find a solution.

 Although the utopian situation of two teachers working together is not always going to happen, a very flexible pedagogy must therefore be the most important aspect of teaching. You must be able to change the way you approach the students, and the information you are transferring. Especially with the Arts outcomes, students must be given projects that are relevant to them. As you are dealing with an environment that demands students be creative, ‘all good work in the arts requires subtle and sophisticated forms of thinking’ (Eisner, 2002:37).  To engage students with concepts is important, however, to make the project have some connection to their reality is vital.

 In the teaching environment that I am in at the moment, my cooperating teacher has created a student-centred approach for my learning. This prac has a number of set expectations, however my teacher has allowed us to effectively negotiate an approach to achieving these outcomes. ‘In the arts, students need support, materials with which to work, and then they need to be let alone to explore on their own’ (Eisner, 2002:46). As with my current school experience, ‘work in the arts also invites the development of a disposition to tolerate ambiguity, to explore what is uncertain, to exercise judgement free from prescriptive rules and procedures’ (Eisner, 2002:10). It is vital to give students the support that they need, but ultimately, to allow them to meet their outcomes through their own processes.

 ‘Learning what the outcomes of curriculum and teaching have been for a student requires a form of open-ended clinical assessment that enables what is personal as well as what is common to come forward. Outcomes are what actually occur as a result of intervention, not necessarily what are intended to occur’ (Eisner, 2002:70).

The new outcomes based approach stresses a need to not only teach the students new skills, but also use these skills to successfully approach or research their own projects. Having the skills is one thing, but using them is another. Perhaps the biggest short fall with university is its ability to not perform what it preaches. Education units at Murdoch discuss the need to create a variety of pedagogies and assessments for interacting with students, however only offer limited approaches to relay this information. Lectures are common in universities, however they offer no forum for discussion or flexibility in the way the information is delivered. Furthermore, assessments like exams do not offer ‘real world’ situations. No one should ever be in a position to create a written paper in a limited time and without resources unless they were particularly lazy. That’s not to say that I hate exams.

This is perhaps an important aspect of teaching, a true appreciation of all aspects of the process. Although I am not a fan of exams, they offer an excellent way to demonstrate retention of current information. This also underlines the belief that if a teacher shows disrespect for a type of assignment, students will not believe that it is worthwhile either. A variety of approaches ARE essential for developing positive student outcomes, and for stimulating a variety of skills. ‘A school system designed with an overriding commitment to efficiency may produce outcomes that have little enduring quality’ (Eisner, 2002:xii) Performance components offer an alternative, and fairer, way to be assessed than just written tests, however variety is essential. School experience is one great example; rather than just reading about it in a textbook, physically teaching helps create a balance of written and performance orientated assessments.

View Andrew's 'Integrating Drama and the Outcomes and Standards Framework' journal entries...

Week One - Week Two     Week Three - Week Four      Study Break One - Week Five

Week Six - Week Seven     Study Break Two - Week Eight     Week Nine - Week Ten

 Week Eleven - Week Twelve     Week Thirteen   Week Fourteen     Kids Reviews    Lesson Plans and References

..or view other journals...     Integrating Drama and the Outcomes and Standards Framework (2006)

Semiotics and Performance: The role of the Actor (2005)     Performing Shakespeare in the Classroom (2005)

Drama and The Curriculum (Summer, 2005)     Children's Theatre (2004)     Acting (2004)

... or view...     Photo Gallery and Lesson Plans

...or view other individual lesson plans, draft checklists or completed activities...

Family Photos - Lesson Plan     Picture Story - Lesson Plan     Arts Response Draft Checklists

Warming Up - Lesson Plan     Defining Drama - Lesson Plan    Arts Ideas Draft Checklists

Poetic Performance - Lesson Plan     Seasonal Grouping - Lesson Plan     Arts Skills and Processes Draft Checklists    

Prop Me Up - Lesson Plan     Commedia dell 'Arte - Lesson Plan     Arts in Society Draft Checklists    

Snottygobbles Retell One     Snottygobbles Retell Two     Snottygobbles Retell Three     Snottygobbles Retell Four

Go to Children's Theatre:     My Journal     History      Notice Board     Your Work

Contact Andrew @ thechaseison@optusnet.com.au