Drama for Creativity and Learning
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Winter2005 cover_May05 cover 21/05/2013 12:59 Page 1 The Journal of National Drama Volume 13 No 1 Winter 2005 DONE FORUMrama MANY VOICES Drama for creativity and learning The cocoa smell programme Drama and language teaching Learning through theatre texts The Short Electra Of Mice and Men Winter2005 cover_May05 cover 21/05/2013 12:59 Page 2 Cover design Neil Baird. Original photograph Steven Beaumont. Drama Magazine is the journal of National Drama The Journal of National Drama Volume 13 No 1 Winter 2005 DONE FORUMrama MANY VOICES Drama one forum many voices Drama enables Drama educators and practitioners nationally and internationally to share theory and practice, debate key issues, publish research, engage in critical analysis and express personal opinions Drama is committed to the promotion, support and development of new writers Drama for creativity and learning Drama The cocoa smell programme is an equal opportunities publication Drama and language teaching Learning through theatre texts in line with National Drama policy The Short Electra Of Mice and Men Editor Marie Jeanne McNaughton Design and production Dokumenta 0845 458 0058 Editorial Board Ruth Barr, John Coventon, Kate Fleming, Chris Lawrence and Jan Macdonald. Editorial Marie Jeanne McNaughton University of Strathclyde Faculty of Education, Southbrae Drive, Glasgow, G13 1PP United Kingdom. Telephone: 0141 950 3743 EMail: [email protected] Advertising contact Christine Cutting, ND Administrator The Drama Magazine website contains news EMail: [email protected] items, publications, reviews and resources. You can access the pages for free, download information, make comments, and link to other related internet sites. The views expressed in Drama are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent ND policy. © all material in Drama may be photocopied for personal, www.dramamagazine.co.uk education and training purposes. Please credit Drama. Published in Spring and Autumn each year. The National Drama website is at See inside back cover for detailed information about copy dates, www.nationaldrama.co.uk writing for Drama and advertising. ISSN 0967-4454 Drama_Jan06_layout1 21/05/2013 13:01 Page 1 Winter 2005 Editorial Welcome to the latest edition of Drama. Two themes run through this issue: creativity and the European InsideDrama perspective. Within education there is a real and increasing interest in creativity and how it relates to processes in learning. Independent and government backed research has recommended that the curricu- lum should enable children to be open-minded and flexible and to think creatively and critically. At the same time, we are being encouraged to look beyond our own borders and to share educa- tional ideas and principles with our European neighbours. Drama can play a crucial role in both of these areas. In November 2005 in Norwich, Patrice Baldwin, the chair of National Drama, launched a major school-based drama research project, entitled 24 Drama for Learning and Creativity (D4LC), with a one-day conference. More than sixty teachers from Norfolk County Council attended the day. 2 Interview Joe Winston’s inspirational keynote speech, which set the tone for the Helen Nicholson talks to Joe Winston conference, is reproduced in full, here. It was good to see so many teach- ers from the primary, secondary and special education sectors being so 5 Creativity and Learning in Drama keen to be involved in using drama as part of their on-going classroom Joe Winston’s keynote speech to the ‘Drama for work. A montage of conference images appears on pages 24 and 25. Learning and Creativity’ Conference In Killing Two Birds with One Stone, Dorothy Heathcote describes a one-day workshop in which she helped teachers to consider learning 13 The Cocoa Smell Programme through texts: in this case, Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It is always a pleasure Drama and Social Exclusion in Primary Schools and a privilege to be able to publish for Drama readers the work of Persephone Sextou someone who has provided, over many years, concrete examples of how 19 Drama in Language Teaching a creative teacher can inspire and encourage creative responses in her Alicja Galaska and Anna Musielak from the students. In A Short Electra, John Doona writes of an interesting and FUTURE language centre in Poland exciting education initiative, a key aspect of which is to allow the young people involved to work with creative professionals. These can provide 24 Drama for Learning and Creativity positive, real-life role models for the young people with whom they Workshops from the conference . are working. Readers might find it interesting to look at Drama from the perspec- 26 C’est la Vie tive of other Europeans. In our Summer 2004 issue, Steven Clark, Using Drama to enhance confidence in language Advisory Teacher in Drama at the Rectorat de Rouen issued an invitation learning. Alison Warren to teachers to take part in a drama-based French school exchange. Ali Warren and her year 10 students took up the offer and in C’est La Vie, she 29 Killing two birds with one stone describes their very successful trip. If the article inspires you to join them Dorothy Heathcote considers learning through on their next visit, Ali would be more than delighted to hear from you. theatre texts The article by Anna Musielak and Alicja Galask from the Education Centre FUTURE in Poland emphasises the links between drama and 36 The Short Electra language learning. They explain some of the techniques they employ in John Doona and the Tameside Arts Education their work and provide us with the recipe for the perfect language lesson Initiative project which includes ‘drama – as much as possible’. Finally, in her article The Cocoa Smell Programme, Persephone Sextou 41 Of Mice and Men from Greece, describes and analyses how drama was a powerful tool for Theatre review and workshop notes of Martin helping children from a variety of ethnic backgrounds to explore their McNaughton’s production Ruth Barr social values and attitudes in a creative way. So in the end, we come back to the beginning. 45 Book reviews Marie Jeanne McNaughton Winter 2005 Drama Magazine 1 Drama_Jan06_layout1 21/05/2013 13:01 Page 2 Helen Nicholson and Joe Winston discuss life, drama and everything Helen: So, Joe, how did you become also had a huge interest in dance teacher at Bristol University in 1980 interested in drama education? and the performing arts in general. I was taught by David Hornbrook. In Devon we had an excellent dance David was a very good practitioner, Joe: Drama was always something I advisor from whom I learned a great and also far more eclectic as a loved as a child but I hardly ever had deal. My son is now a professional teacher than some people might a chance to do any at school. I dancer and I continue to be interest- imagine, and through his courses I couldn’t specialise in it at A Level ed in physical approaches to drama was introduced to the work of drama but at university I was very active in work and in fostering links between educationalists such as Slade, Way, drama societies. Before my initial dance, drama and music in my own Heathcote and Bolton. I think I’ve teacher training I was lucky to have practice. spent a lot of my career trying to find some experience in a progressive ways to integrate student-centred London school where improvisatory Helen: It is interesting how many and subject-centred approaches to drama had a very high profile and I changes there have been in drama drama to get over the divisions I’d was bowled over by the quality of education. I was always really inter- experienced as a child, and these work the children produced and the ested in drama when I was at school, thinkers all helped me to begin that sheer exuberance of their involve- although I think I would be pretty journey. ment. I then trained as a primary horrified now by the kind of things I teacher and soon moved to Devon, was asked to do. I enjoyed every- What do you think has changed most in where there was a very active associ- thing to do with drama – I cringe, drama education since you started ation for primary and secondary but in the sixties in my primary teaching? teachers interested in drama and a school we did music and movement very strong advisory team. This was in our vests and pants and I even Joe: Well, first and foremost, I think in the early 1980s. I was quickly liked that. There was a huge differ- that drama in schools has grown and introduced to the work of Dorothy ence between this kind of ‘free’ self- there is a wealth of excellent practice Heathcote, Gavin Bolton and Cecily expression and the rather more out there. And it is more eclectic, I O’Neill and, well, I never looked constrained ‘speech and drama’ I was feel. There might still be disagree- back! I also loved working on per- also offered later, but in those days ments about curricula, about priori- formances with children and became there was not much in between pro- ties, about the political role of drama one of the directors of Exeter Youth gressive and traditional approaches in schools but the principles of par- Theatre. I ought to mention that I to learning. When I trained as a ticipatory pedagogy, of using drama 2 Drama Magazine Winter 2005 Drama_Jan06_layout1 21/05/2013 13:01 Page 3 Interview as a powerful means for exploring others, towards their environment – they might become. Drama in this values, something that we have and an ability to see the world from sense can be liberating.