EDUCATION HEAD VIEW
comment
Dramatic consideration
Edward Halse, Headmaster of Warwick School, explains why involving pupils in drama should be an essential component of any school curriculum
I
have long taken the position that drama education in school is crucial to the development of all pupils. I support its position in the curriculum passionately. Far from representing a rarefied and minority specialism, the many skills it develops are universal, essentially human and required
in a modern, broad and balanced academic curriculum. We have all seen how the confidence and self-worth of a young person
can grow when challenged to perform before an audience, but when students work together in drama they are developing in other ways. For example, problem-solving, leadership, creativity, negotiation and presentation skills. In effect, they learn to sell their ideas to others, sensitive to the demands of the task and context. In a working world in which so many gain employment in small organisations of fewer than 10 employees, these transferable skills can be vital for success. At Warwick, one of the most distinctive and
Drama on display at Warwick School
popular schemes taught at Key Stage 3 explores the impact of a major crisis on a community. Te students play the inhabitants of a tightly- knit rural community, coping with a major change or challenge to their lives. Tey are presented by such things as the development of a new motorway or the building of an open prison – ‘crises’ designed to disrupt their world. Te characters’ reactions are always different, some protest, others concur, many develop the capacity to alter views, accommodating new ideas and possibilities. All engage fully with the reality being presented. Good drama education reminds increasingly self-conscious teenagers that it’s fun and exciting to stand in someone else’s shoes and take part in experiences that are remembered as if they had been real. To provide all these developmental experiences sufficient time has to be
part in productions. Being in a play requires real commitment – not simply in attending rehearsals, but in joining together to work as a creative team to hit the deadline of production. Such events are not just about performing. We operate a sort of apprenticeship model through which students are trained in technical, design and stage management skills supporting each production. By the time the production opens, the students themselves are running it completely. Many direct plays as part of our annual Student Drama Festival, and some even take their work independently to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. What better example can a parent look for that their child is developing a deep, personal commitment to a project than when they self- produce a successful public performance? A strong drama department extends
“Good drama education reminds increasingly
self-conscious teenagers that it’s fun and exciting to stand in someone else’s shoes”
provided in the curriculum throughout the school. All boys at Warwick study drama in Years 7 and 8 (70 minutes per week) and about half the year group choose it as an option in Year 9. A thriving GCSE group feeds into AS and A2, which is taught in conjunction with King’s High – our sister school here in Warwick. Alongside this, we offer LAMDA graded exams in drama to another 25 students each year. Tis range of qualifications, supported by an abundance of extracurricular clubs and productions, provides a sustained and clear path for students to follow. Each year, as with so many schools, hundreds of Warwick pupils take
WWW.FIRSTELEVENMAGAZINE.CO.UK
even further though. In 2007, one of our productions was selected for the National Student Drama Festival and I travelled to Scarborough to see one of the performances. Although the event is dominated by universities, it was wonderful to see how unified and supportive the cast and company had become when away from the familiar and friendly environment of the school. Te group came away with two major awards and provided some of the festival’s most popular moments. Te experience will remain with the whole group always and is one of the school’s proudest achievements. Tese days, opportunities to tour a play are common, offering a cultural exchange and new audience challenges to the performer. We recently welcomed a Canadian school performing a classical comedy and the
students enjoyed practical workshops with our visitors. Our drama department even hope to tour Canada next Easter. To conclude, having expounded on the huge wealth of learning and
skills developed through drama, it is worth returning to my opening point that drama is crucially important for itself. We need a thriving modern theatre as much as we need art, literature and music. Young people’s theatre has incredible power and honesty and, when well taught by creative, passionate and expert teachers, it provides unforgettable experiences for both participants and audiences. When choosing a school, parents should always look carefully at the arts provision – does a school recognise the value of drama as much as it should? %
SUMMER 2010 FIRST ELEVEN 21
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84