Session Five
Curriculum
Session: 5.1A
Title: Delving into drama assessment: Performance tasks in Australian states and territories
Presenter: Rachael Jacobs, Australian Catholic University
Suitability: All
Form: Paper
Description:
Rachael Jacobs’ PhD research allowed her to travel to different Australian states and territories, observing senior secondary Drama assessment in action. This study interviewed Drama teachers and students, asking them about their perceptions of performance assessment tasks; the processes they used to construct them; and their views on the ways that performances are marked and grades assigned. This project also has a particular focus on comparing the moderation procedures used in each state and territory. In this session Rachael will present the research to date, reporting on the teachers’ and students’ perceptions of assessment. Implications of this research on future developments in Drama will also be discussed. Those present at this session will be asked for their feedback on the research and the methods of assessing performances in the different states and territory will be discussed.
Biography:
Rachael Jacobs lectures in Creative Arts Education at the Australian Catholic University. She is a drama teacher and active performer specializing in dance and physical theatre. Rachael is currently writer her PhD thesis on the assessment of performances in Senior Secondary Drama. She also runs the dance company, Bollyfunk Dance.
Session: 5.1B
Title: Delve kinesthetically into Responding
Presenter: Melissa Rowse
Suitability: Middle & Senior Years
Form:Workshop
Description:
How do we engage students in the objective of Responding with as much passion as that of presenting and forming? This workshop will outline the approach taken in the Drama classroom after viewing a live production. Teachers will leave with a series of activities to use which will connect students kinesthetically to what they viewed; helping them analyse, evaluate and synthesise the dramatic action. This is a practical workshop aimed at high school teachers. Wear comfortable clothes and be ready to create, respond and share.
Biography:
Melissa Rowse has been teaching Drama in Queensland for 21 years. She has taught at Brackenridge and Mt Isa State High Schools and currently teaches at Ferny Grove State High School. Melissa has been a District Panellist for many years and for the past four years has been a member of State Panel.
Industry
Session: 5.2
Title: Genesis 2: A cinematic process drama
Presenter: Brad Jennings & Steven Maxwell, Markwell Presents Cinematic Theatre
Suitability: Middle & Senior Years
Form: Process Drama
Description:
This workshop is a practical demonstration of using cinematic elements to create a deeply engaging process drama. Participants will play a role in the science fiction context of the process including interacting in a forum and making decisions about the future of humanity. Participants will gain new ideas in structuring a play-building mechanism using cinematic elements to engage their students. The Conventions of Cinematic Theatre will also be discussed during the workshop with a Q&A on presenting live performance with visual integration.
Biography:
Markwell Presents is an independent company that specialise in the practice and education of Cinematic Theatre. Since 2002 they have written and produced 10 plays for, about and with young people, all featuring visual integration. They have also worked with La Boite Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre Company and Zen Zen Zo as visual designers, and have facilitated over 60 artist in residence programs in high schools.
Research
Session: 5.3A
Title: Myall Creek: Walking through a dark history
Presenter: Ms Linden Wilkinson, University of Sydney
Suitability: All
Form: Paper
Description:
This paper seeks to analyse a performance-creation experience based on the stories of profound grief, purpose and redemption uncovered in the investigation of the memorial to the Myall Creek massacre near Bingara, NSW. The committee members interviewed instigated the memorial which was first commemorated in 2000, and continue to share a significant educational vision for the site’s future. Part of this presentation will include film footage of a critical research day, when all participants – story tellers and Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal actors meet at Myall Creek to develop the initial verbatim play in a yarn-up or forum theatre setting. By examining the strengths and weakness of the play creation process, this paper hopes to encourage others to explore through performance the complexity of shared but unspoken histories using story-telling for content creation, script development to ensure transportability of the evolving content and the adaptation of drama conventions to instil respect in a cross-cultural setting.
Biography:
Theatre practitioner, drama teacher/lecturer, now MEd(Research), Linden Wilkinson is developing a new performance work for her PhD, which involves gathering stories from Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal committee members of the memorial to the Myall Creek massacre of 1838 & reinterpreting these stories in a cross-cultural setting with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal actors.
Session: 5.3B
Title: Twilight Role: Revisited
Presenter: Dr Tiina Moore, La Trobe University
Suitability: All
Form: Paper
Description:
This paper outlines Tiina’s research findings conducted in both specialist drama and community settings at Eltham College using Mantle of the Expert approaches. Heathcote’s notion of ‘twilight role’ emerged as a key finding in the research study, which investigated the relationship between teacher interventions and student autonomy. This elusive concept gained greater clarity over a brief but significant conversation about ‘twilight role’ that Tina had with Dorothy a few years ago where she outlined its functions in the liminal space between the teacher/instructor and the teacher-in-role. Tiina argues that twilight (sometimes called ‘shadow’) role deserves further consideration for drama educators and in the broader sphere of teacher education. The paper will be supported by slides of the ‘storied’ curriculum where many roles have been tried and tested.
Biography
Tiina Moore has worked as a drama specialist across all levels in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. She co-founded an interdisciplinary ‘storied’ curriculum called the History Centre, a community teaching and learning setting. After her PhD at the University of Melbourne, Tiina joined the Faculty of Education at La Trobe University.
Asian Perspectives
Session: 5.4
Title: The Treasure of Oracy – Maximizing spoken language learning in the classroom
Presenter: Professor John O’Toole, University of Melbourne & Dr Madonna Stinson, Griffith University
Suitability: Primary & Middle Years
Form: Workshop
Description:
This practical workshop is aimed mainly at middle and upper primary teachers, and is suitable for either beginning or experienced teachers. It demonstrates how teaching through drama can maximize the opportunities for spoken language practice and understanding in the classroom, and for focusing that practice on the full range of functions, registers and genres of spoken language.
We will use a unit of work, based on the pre-text of a recent news item of current interest, which we have recently devised and implemented in a Brisbane middle primary classroom. We will demonstrate how to plan and teach through drama pedagogy content in History and Geography, also involving understanding cultural diversity. We demonstrate manageable, safe and exciting drama strategies and techniques which naturally encourage students to practise productive and challenging oral language in the classroom. We will also demonstrate how to analyse the language which is occurring in the classroom.
Biography
John O’Toole and Madonna Stinson have between them worked for over seventy years in drama education, in Australia and internationally, and both written numerous books on drama and how to teach it. Both have been members of Drama Australia and Drama Queensland virtually from their foundation. See university websites for our projects etc.
Indigenous Perspectives
Session: 5.5
Title: The Comic Collaborator’s Toolkit: A practical exploration of an Indigenous/ non-Indigenous comic collaboration
Presenter: Bridget Boyle, Robert Kronk & Mark Sheppard, DeBASE Productions
Suitability: All
Form: Workshop
Description:
In this highly practical workshop, participants will be introduced to key principles in creating a collaborative work with Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists. Throughout, we will unpack the process used to create ‘Chasing the Lollyman’, deBASE’s critically acclaimed one-man comedy that celebrates urban Indigenous identity. Presented by key deBASE artists Robert Kronk and Bridget Boyle with Mark Sheppard, star and co-creator of ‘Chasing the Lollyman’, the workshop will provide an insight into the deBASE aesthetic: audience-centred and highly comic.
Workshop outcomes include:
- deeper understanding and practical ideas for working with the issues of cross-cultural collaboration
- exercises in various comic forms, including clown and stand-up comedy
- exercises for playbuilding.
The workshop is ideal for teachers at every level, but will be most helpful for those working in: Indigenous theatre, comedy and clown, playbuilding and one-person shows.
Biography:
DeBASE productions has been creating brilliant new comedies for the last 14 years. Recent works include the critically acclaimed ‘Chasing the Lollyman’, which will tour Australia in 2012 and ‘Popping Lead Balloons’ which toured Queensland and Victoria in 2011.
Teaching and Learning: Primary Years
Session: 5.6
Title: Refugee Stories: Dive to a different level
Presenter: Lizette Stevenson, Meridan State College & Claire McSwain, Mooloolaba State Primary School
Suitability: Primary & Middle Years
Form: Workshop
Description:
This highly practical workshop will include discussion, group devising and sharing as participants delve deeply into the real lives of young refugees and their stories. The group will be led through a range of dramatic devices and strategies, culminating in a non-naturalistic performance.
This workshop is aimed at both beginning and experienced teachers of Years 6-9, both boys and girls.
“The Scattered Lives of Refugees” has strong curriculum links to English, SOSE/History, Civics and Citizenship and The Arts: Drama, Visual Arts and Media Arts.
Participants will leave with a copy of the unit of work and links to the resources that support it.
Biography:
Lizette Stevenson and Claire McSwain are both experienced educators of over 30 years, and have displayed leadership through presenting professional development in and through the Arts. Both have attained a Masters in Drama Education.
Teaching and Learning: Middle Years
Session: 5.7
Title: That’s funny: Teaching comedy for middle school students and team teaching strategies for middle school drama
Presenter: Alastair Tomkins & Alyce O’Neill, Sheldon College
Suitability: Middle Years
Form: Workshop
Description:
This workshop will explore the serious business of teaching comedy to middle school students. Using a wide range of theory and practical examples, the underlying mechanics of joke-making will be explored. Scaffolded examples of comedy sketches will be provided and strategies to empower middle school students to devise their own work. Tips for trouble-shooting in the devising/rehearsal process, and ideas for presenting and responding will also be provided. Team teaching including professional artists will also be discussed. Be prepared to have a laugh as you find out some of the secrets of comedy writing and performance.
Biography:
Alastair Tomkins has been active on the stand-up comedy circuit for over 10 years and was a finalist in JJJ Raw Comedy. He regularly performs in improvised comedy shows at the Sit Down Comedy Club. Alastair’s sketch comedy writing has been performed by Queensland Theatre Company and for corporate performances and themed events.
Alyce O’Neill is currently the Drama Coordinator at Sheldon College where she teaches in the Junior, Middle and Senior Colleges. Alyce is currently studying her Masters of Education at QUT and is researching the benefits of creative-centred learning.
Teaching and Learning: Middle & Senior Years
Session: 5.8
Title: Delving into history: Teaching Gothic theatre
Presenter: Dr Stephen Carleton, University of Queensland
Suitability: Middle & Senior Years
Form: Workshop
Description:
This is a practical workshop that will enable beginner and established teachers to build Australian Gothic theatre modules for senior students. Using my play ‘Constance Drinkwater and the Final Days of Somerset’ as a practical example, I will provide participants with an important historical and critical background in the European Gothic in order to build an arsenal of key terms, concepts, characters, locations and themes that teachers can scaffold their teaching with. We will apply this Gothic arsenal to an Australian context in order to provide teachers with the confidence and the critical and practical infrastructure needed to teach this exciting ‘boom’ topic. We’ll be delving into history’s ghosts to look at the ways in which this most deeply regional of theatre form is currently enjoying a twenty-first century resurgence in the Australian North.
Biography:
Stephen Carleton is a Brisbane-based practitioner. His most recent play, ‘1975’ was shortlisted for the 2010 Patrick White Playwrights’ Award and was profiled at the 2011 Australian Playwrights’ festival. He is the winner of the 2004/5 Patrick White Playwrights’ Award with his play ‘Constance Drinkwater and the Final Days of Somerset’, which was also shortlisted for the Queensland Premier’s Award (QTC) and an AWGIE
Stephen is the Convenor of Drama at the University of Queensland, where he convenes courses in Australian theatre studies, contemporary performance, Dramaturgy and Playwriting.
Teaching and Learning: Senior Years
Session: 5.9
Title: Delving into playbuilding: Exploring the notions of ‘artistry’ in drama teaching practice
Presenter: Dr Christine Hatton, University of Newcastle & Dr Sarah Lovesy, University of Wollongong
Suitability: Middle & Senior Years
Form: Workshop
Description:
This workshop will celebrate the creativity and artistry of good drama teaching. It will examine how teachers make strong curriculum decisions in their planning and teaching to ensure that students devise innovative dramas. Effective playbuilding practice involves students working creatively with the aesthetic of the art form, however without an artistically robust creative process, students can struggle to move beyond the mundane and the formulaic when it comes to playbuilding original works, which then limits their achievement in drama assessments and examinations. In this workshop we will delve into the pedagogy of playbuilding and explore how teachers work artistically with starting points and structural elements to shape students’ work into dynamic pieces of art. A number of different starting points and approaches will be addressed in this workshop giving teachers ideas for teaching as well as food for thought as they reflect on their own artistic practice in the classroom.
Biography:
Christine Hatton is a lecturer in Drama education at the University of Newcastle. She has a keen interest in playbuilding and the way drama contributes to students’ lives.
Sarah Lovesy is a lecturer in Drama education at the University of Wollongong. She is interested in the groups’ imaginative capacities within playbuilding.