TAI reflection end term 3

Audition piece - below is the yr 9 task which I use for individual assessment. It teaches many skills to do with interpreting text and, with the advent, of individual devices, all students can do the lead up tasks. Many don't learn lines [no independent work] and refuse to share it publically, whether that is perform in front of peers/teacher or share on their blog].

Originally I did this in year 10 and required students to perform in front of their peers. Depending on year 10 programme I still do it with them  with a stronger text [tailored to the individual]. In yr 10 Drama/Music this year we have had the mojority of students performing at the end of term in front of their peers. Several opted out of Music solo to do a group Drama assessment and some music soloists refused to perform [even bunked school]. Next term we plan to do Music/Drama audition task complete with letter/CV but performance will be submitted on film.





DISCUSSION with colleagues:
Their[another school] Internal English and External English sound as though they are pretty much the same as our FULL and VOCATIONAL English, ie;  same courses but FULL has chance to do exams. I have left most of my 11VOC class in the optional external- they and I felt they could do it, really though they will only turn up if desperate for credits and Scott is worried they will make the stats look bad.  We possibly give vocational some extra opportunities with Unit Standards added in. ENTERPRISE English only does Communication Skills Unit Standards - that is probably what kids call the "dumb" class. The Unit Standards are easy, yet some struggle. A high degree of accuracy in grammar, spelling, layout is required in Unit standards but no imagination or critical thinking. Most US are pre NCEA and are and are functional, workplace tasks. Crucially they are NOT literacy [rightly so]. I wonder if these US will survive the review  in 2019, many are expiring already.

We could change our labels but a significant number of students rely on the Unit standards. Many of those students however are disengaged, all the pushing to do the work comes from the teacher. I had 1 student complain that the US task I set was not relevant [it was a letter applying for an actual advertised job suitable for a school leaver]. They are into blaming, "teacher never helps me" and are fearful, "I can't do that", "I don't do work at home". "I don't read books", "I don't like this film".

A few students,  eg:the SPEC programme  students, benefit from the skills taught and evaluated in Communication Skills Unit Standards. 

At the heart of this issue is LITERACY- Level 6 of the curriculum /NCEA Level 1- and some of our students are functioning at Level 3 or 4. Drama [all standards are Literacy at Level 1] and I can get participating students, even the SPEC ones, through Level 1 but Level 2 & 3 require more critical understanding of harder texts. 

Oral Language- I would like to give 11to give 11Voc students the chance to do a speech but I have run out of time this year, having focused [hard] on writing skills. If we were not resitting tasks they failed/didn't bother about in term 1 & 2..? Most students have very poor public speaking skills. Great that more students are speaking at assembly but they are the more confident, participating students. Pasifika students often have the skills but even they succumb to the "I am afraid to perform in front of my peers" culture.In Performing Arts Katie and I have a key part of our TAI in Year 10 encouraging supportive feedback and a culture of performance.

walk the talk

https://au.educationhq.com/news/41377/the-pisa-fallacy-in-singapore-insights-from-the-nie/#

The PISA Fallacy

Before over 1500 delegates, Director General of the Ministry of Education, Mr Wong Siew Hoong, projected graphs depicting Singapore’s stellar PISA results. He then juxtaposed these to OECD data on student wellbeing, and also of innovation in the economy, revealing Singapore in the lowest quartile. His conclusion was stark: “we’ve been winning the wrong race”. ...standardised test drilling and a culture of compliance..: “we’re building compliant students just as the jobs that value compliance are beginning to disappear”.

Start/Keep:
Asking students to create authentic products
Aligning learning clearly to assessment criteria
Rewarding initiative and originality
Teaching Creativity

Just doing proposal for ipad use in the ARTS- how it would connect our programmes across the curriculum and authentic learning opportunities.
Teacher Only Day - looking at the Arts kete and expanding the Project Based Learning groups from yr 10 into yr 9.

Conferences 2017

CTU Women's Conference
Drama NZ  in Dunedin

Slideshow

Mindlab

Session 1: the unknown future; "singularity U"; black swan metaphor:

The black swan theory or theory of black swan events is a metaphor that describes an event that comes as a surprise, has a major effect, and is often inappropriately rationalized after the fact with the benefit of hindsight.

Change is speeding up; how do we help our students prepare for the future world of work.
Contacts
Herbert-  herbert@themindlab.com
0800 6463522
postgrad@themindlab.com
Setting up a separate blog for the course is recommended so I will do that.

How will technology help education?

 "schools around the world are using new software to “personalise” learning." - biggest grumble from my NCEA English class is that teachers don't help them personally enough [not about English after a term with a teacher intern and me giving feedback on their google doc! The non-grumblers get on with using resource provide on the site and, like grammerly, available to everyone. Some have "learned helplessness", however no teacher has the time available for one-to-one help.
I think "Brain gym" does work - because moving and getting air into your lungs helps energise you; "muscle memory' certainly helps in Drama,Music, Dance and, I daresay, PE where just working with your brain will not create a fluid performance.

Pop Up Globe

Popup Globe

Visited the Pop-up Globe to see a performance of Henry V in Elizabethan style. Very enjoyable and interesting. Especially noted the skillful interaction with the audience at all levels, eg: Henry greeting "followers" in the pit; envoys entering through audience; archers taking their positions in the tiered seating; using the stage space including perching on seating booths, sitting on steps/front edge. Turning to different areas, making eye-contact; keeping movement fluid. Great fight sequences.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11810521

Creativity

https://globaldigitalcitizen.org/improving-creativity-infographic
9 Simple ways to improve creativity - useful in the Drama devising process.

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/03/01/nurturing-the-next-van-gogh-start-with-small-steps/
Kaufman and Beghetto suggest teachers should meet unexpectedness with curiosity. Rather than shutting down a potentially creative solution to a problem, explore and evaluate it. What seems like a tangent could actually help other students think about the problem in a different way.

"That's interesting, how would that work?"
How can I ask better questions? I wonder how that would link with your theme? How does that reveal more about your role? What would you be feeling if you were in the audience? 
http://childhood101.com/2010/08/asking-questions-which-encourage-creative-thinking/

“Can you see the rainbow in the sky?” versus “I wonder how does the rainbow get into the sky?”

“What is this part of the elephant called? (pointing to trunk)” versus “What would you do if you had a trunk?”

“Can you see it’s raining?” versus “How does the rain get into the sky?”

“What colour is this?” versus “What does this colour make you think of?”

“What type of dinosaur is this?” versus “Do dinosaurs have friends?”

“Can you see the bird flying in the sky?” versus “What would happen if you could fly?”

“Where do fish live?” versus “What do you think would be most exciting about living underwater?”

“What will we do tomorrow?” versus “How do you think tomorrow gets here, to where we are?”

“What is that noise?” versus “What would that noise look like if we tried to draw it?”

Flexible Learning Spaces

9/05/17 This week I have done a quick, post it note, gathering of student voice about an out door learning space by the Whare toi Whakaari. They are very keen and have ideas about recycling. I am reminded that the area is in the big new landscaping plan and I will check that out. It would be good to get it done sooner if possible.

Be the change you want to see- morning 3/5
Learning discussion - Tuesday



Reflecting on our new collaborative flexible learning spaces

Pros
Cons

I feel... "you must miss your Drama Room"

Actions - why new names? Buy in and push back. Pinterest shared folder. Constructed environment. How to use flexible spaces.

Next steps-Terraces/Patios 

A relaxing place for studying or discussions outdoors.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-flexible-learning-spaces-support-student-anne-shaw

"21st century students learn through independent study, collaborating and teaching each other, authentic experiments, conducting research, designing projects, developing products, creating products (evidence of their learning), reading, writing and analyzing, applying mathematical and scientific knowledge and concepts, having discussions with other students as well as adults (teachers, mentors, experts), asking questions and finding answers. 21st century students organize their own schedules, track their own learning and assess their own learning."

DramaNZ Conference

My Presentation:
https://docs.google.com/a/hornby.school.nz/presentation/d/1hQ1ImTPN90sigqIiHh7gPgpRu9sYlTICUh1lEwemKak/edit?usp=sharing

"Where the Wild Things Are” Joanne Clark

I will share the process of devising a performance with a group of year 7 & 8 students. The context is a group of 20 students who have selected Physical Theatre as an option in a connected curriculum arts project. It is a diverse group in terms of literacy with a number of priority learners. We used "Where the Wild Things Are" as a context. [still in progress as I write but, whatever the outcome, the journey has been wonderful]

Joanne Clark has taught through drama in a variety of contexts over 30 years. Currently she teaches in a high school which has been extended to include year 7 & 8. She studied Speech & Drama doing Trinity College qualifications and has an MA in English from the University of Canterbury. Joanne is interested in students learning and developing literacy, creativity and empathy through a Drama context.

Abstracts & Bios

Some of the sessions

Innovative Curriculum

School wide Cross-curricular planning – Merrin Diack: Rolleston College

Putting on a show -using Broadway Jnr in your school – Emma Bishop

(Primary & Middle School)

This workshop will explore ways approach creating quality Musical Theatre productions in schools. Emma will cover basic skills for teaching singing, choreography and directing from page to stage.

Emma Bishop is the current President of Drama NZ as well as being the National Co-ordinator for The Amici Trust’s Junior Theatre New Zealand. Emma’s passion for musical theatre steams back to her childhood, with onstage experience both in community & professional theatre as well as in schools co-curricular programmes for the last 15years. Emma has been recognised with 27 nominations and 7 personal awards from ‘ITicket Showdown’ the Auckland Secondary Schools Production Competition including Best Director

Keynotes
Friday- History of Theatre In Dunedin: wonderful panel of storytellers[ bagpimes, addressing the Haggis; performance- Queen E II confronts her cousin Mary, Queen of Scotts
to add pictures etc
Saturday - Unitech creative industries director
Sunday - Miranda Harcourt - acting coach

Adding to my Te Reo skills

learning vocabulary

6 hours at some fun sessions with Matua Corey and a group of adults eager to learn a few more skills. Several people supporting their own tamariki's enthusiasm for learning Maori.

Adding skills in Te Reo

I think the best part was talking to people from Maori whanau about their family experiences with the language.

TAI 2017

Reading Staff Meeting 11/9

"Good teaching and good decisions are based on high-quality information, not on taken-for-granted assumptions about the causes of children’s reading failure or the worth of new curriculum resources. The quality of information improves when everyone is open to the possibility that what they had previously taken for granted may not stand up to scrutiny. Teachers who are skilled in processes of inquiry can detect weaknesses in their own thinking about practice and help others to do the same." (page 6)
Reading for HOD meeting 28/2

Data collection - use multilevel assessments to collect student data
10Drama -data

• ethnicity
• attendance
• task completion - formative and summative each project 1. Comic routine [set up a chart- share with students - done]
• yr 8& 9 - record on task/completion per lesson in plan book

Term 1: Comic Roles

Rehearse independently to reach the success criteria

• term 1 worked with a checklist of criteria: only  group A followed criteria and groups B & C groups followed some criteria and rehearsed to performance level; group D [all boy/pacifica group improvised in rehearsal and kept changing their piece not developing their ideas.
• only group A continued working as a pair other groups merged, which gave them more confidence and groups B & C developed their work but individuals didn’t meet all the assessment criteria

what worked - checklist was good, all shared a performance with a wider audience

next unit {Musicals}- combined with 10 music, group size firmly limited to 4 maximum; will give checklist again but with set check points to encourge focus and accountability.

New spaces encouraging collaboration with 10Music - who drift to join us and 2 have actively asked to participate in Drama, next term we will work together on the Musicals.

Personalised learning

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/02/16/personalized-learning-action/2/

http://esheninger.blogspot.co.nz/2017/02/a-pedagogical-shift-needed-for-digital.html

Te reo homework

using GOOGLE effectively

November Learning
see also Cyber safety resources [workshops for students 1-2 March]

TAI 2017

TAI 2017
see Arts shared google doc.

Developing flexible learning area for performing arts.

High expectations demonstrated in differentiated learning activities.
Project based learning
This is positive propaganda but short on specific catagories.

2017 TAI

How to get students to rehearse independently and bring their project [performance] to completion.
1. Success criteria- broken down per lesson
2. checklist
3. Reflection and evidence on blogs

Creative Excellence

Creativity at HHS

The Maker Movement- A portal of possibility: article filed PDF in DOCS  folder PD resources

• can do attitudes
• messy, collaborative
• more affordable technologies, eg:3-D printers

Most important is the "maker-mindset"; not following step by step instruction but creating using your ideas.[a compass not a map} Has applications to performing art technology, eg: the make-up standard we did in 2016.

Challenges: cost of make-up materials; messiness

Opportunities: self-management of mess; space in dressing room back stage- needs a table and mirrors; seats at correct height ;[later - when new staff facilities built- the shower room could be used too]. 

An Innovative Spin

• focus on setting up environments where constant innovation can occur
• start with relationships of understanding and respect
• trust people and processes
• need clear processes so people feel safe to risk innovations
• collective responsibility for agreed norms [it is the way we do things here]

Perspectives - Dr Linda Bendikson article: high expectations means providing differentiation, choice and high level work for students.

focus-process-results-will-follow-nathan-barber
"What makes this philosophy perhaps both counterintuitive and ironic is this: athletes and teams perform best when their coaches focus on the process and train to mastery, not when their coaches train them to perform. This approach holds huge potential for transforming classrooms."
http://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-press/20161228/281818578493390
Originality cannot be copied