BETT SHOW 2003 from the 8 to the 11 of January at London's
Olympia. BETT is the annual international event that encourages
and extends
effective use of ICT in education.
The Fourth International Drama in Education Research Institute
will be hosted by University College Northampton’s School
of Cultural Studies. It follows the previous Institutes in
providing a forum in which the growing international community
of drama-education
researchers can develop their thinking and research practice.
The Institute invites delegates to:
- develop a deeper understanding and experience of one research
approach through observation and analysis
- examine the research processes and analyses of other research
approaches
- hear keynote presentations
- witness ‘Research Conversations’ between featured
research partnerships
- present papers
- enjoy a Stratford-Upon-Avon experience
The booking form is now live.
Although the Curriculum Online site has still not officially
launched the government has made available £30 million through local
education authorities (LEAs) for schools to purchase certain ICT
products. This is part of the government’s Curriculum
Online project, a new gateway to educational resources. Curriculum
Online is designed to help teachers find the materials they need
quickly and easily. The £30 million is for schools to buy
certified Curriculum Online products using e-Learning Credits.
If you haven’t heard yet about funding via e-Learning
Credits, contact your LEA.
Is there something you’ve long wanted to research but didn’t
have the resources to? Would you like the opportunity to do research
and share your findings, encouraging effective practice within
your school and across the wider school community? The DfES are
offering around 1000 teachers up to £2,500 to undertake
supported school focussed research. Further information on
Best Practice
Research Scholarships (BPRS) and copies of previous research
reports can be found on the website.
The application period is from 6 January 2003 to 28 February
2003, with your research taking place from September 2003 for
one academic
year. You can pre-order an application pack from the BPRS helpline
now on 0161 491 8452. From December 2002 you can order packs
from DfES Publications or access the BPRS
website.
DfES/0757/2002
Alternatively would you like £500 towards professional development?
Professional bursaries are available for teachers who entered
their fourth or fifth year of teaching on or after 1 September
2001.
Creative Partnerships was launched on Wednesday 18 September
2002. This is a pioneering £40 million initiative,
which claims to be the most important cultural and creative
programme
in a generation.
It will give thousands of school children in deprived areas
throughout England the opportunity to develop creativity
in learning and
participate in cultural activities. Based at the Arts Council
of England, Creative
Partnerships will develop long-term partnerships between
schools and cultural and creative organisations including
architects,
theatre companies, museums, cinemas, historic buildings,
dance studios,
recording studios, orchestras, web-site designers and many
others.
7. INSIGHTS - CONNECTING AND CHALLENGING ARTS EDUCATORS
A national conference for education staff in arts organisations
27 - 28 February 03 at Warwick Arts Centre in Coventry
organised by the Arts Council of England and supported by Arts
Industry magazine)
Insights is a two-day conference aimed at education staff
in arts organisations of all disciplines. Whether you work
for
an organisation
that produces or presents dance, theatre, music, visual art,
new media, film or cross-arts practice, this is the conference
for
you.
Come and be challenged and inspired
The conference will explore:
What education staff do
Why education staff do it
How education staff do it
How education staff can do it better
Insights will encourage you to share practice across artforms
and disciplines and build new networks for future support
and exhange
of ideas.
Day 1 (11-6pm) - Feeling My Way - Film by Jonathan Hodgson,
responses to film - developing education projects, and overview
of education
within organisations, discussions on building an infrastructure
followed by conference dinner.
Day 2 (9.30 -4.30pm) Case studies, keynote speeches, where
next? and debate with live performances by members of Ensemble
Bash.
This conference is heavily subsidised by the Arts Council
of England, costs including accommodation: £65 ( organisations with fewer
than 5 F/T staff), £95 (5-10 F/T staff) or £125
(more than 10 F/T staff)
For further information contact
, Education Officer,
Arts Council of England:
Tel: 020 7973 6551 Fax: 020 7973 6833
New funding priorities from January 2003 designed to support
arts activities in Pupil Referral Units and in-school Learning
Support
Units. Support will be offered in the following categories:
Training: to help teachers in PRUs/LSUs to initiate arts
projects or residencies,or initiatives that help artists
/ companies develope
of better understanding of the culture and needs of PRUs
/ LSUs
Networks: Opportunities for teachers interested in promoting
arts activities and to develop networks to share practice,
plan joint
initiatives etc.
Dissemination: help with the documentation and dissemination
of effective practice through a variety of formats
Evaluation: Help with commissioning of evaluation studies
by research consultants or educational establishments
For further information contact Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation,
98 Portland Place, London W1B 1ET. Tel: 020 7636 5313
or see the Website.
If, like me, you are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of education
initiatives then this will be a welcome site. It offers a
summary on all the 'Area Based Initiatives' (e.g The Children's
Fund,
Early Excellence Centres, Creative Partnerships, Youth Inclusion
Programme
etc). This is very useful for keeping up-to-date on a wide
variety of government schemes.
This (long) URL will perform a search for all Area Based Initiatives
The second
edition of 'Drama in Schools' is in draft now. Final publication
has been delayed until April 2003 (at the latest).
Mark Howell-Meri has asked Marigold Ashwell if she'd want
to have a local Surrey launch of the second edition next May.
She said
this would be interesting. He is going to ask the
local authority inspector to invite Heads of English to
attend together
with Heads
of Drama. He wonders whether other Drama teachers would
want to contact their local authority representatives to
invite
Marigold to have similar 'launches' in their own local
authorities. What
do colleagues think about this relaunch?
1. NATD
CONFERENCE
NATD conference will take place between July 5th-7th 2003.
More in formation soon.
2. IDIERI CONFERENCE
The Fourth International Drama in Education Research Institute
will be hosted by University College Northampton’s School
of Cultural Studies. It follows the previous Institutes in
providing a forum
in which the growing international community of drama-education
researchers can develop their thinking and research practice.
The Institute invites delegates to:
* develop a deeper understanding and experience of one research
approach through observation and analysis
* examine the research processes and analyses of other research
approaches
* hear keynote presentations
* witness ‘Research Conversations’ between featured
research partnerships
* present papers
* enjoy a Stratford-Upon-Avon experiencePlease send no more
than one side of A4 providing a title and abstract by
1 January 2003 to:
Dr Judith Ackroyd
Conference Director
University College Northampton
Avenue Campus
St George's Avenue
Northampton NN2 6JD
< mailto:
>
3. INSPIRING TOMORROW'S AUDIENCES (ITA) CONFERENCE
London, Monday 20 January 2003
Standard fee: £95; early booking fee: £75
arts4schools is hosting a major one day conference exploring the
future of arts education and stimulating practical ideas for
anyone charged with inspiring tomorrow's audiences.
Bringing together schools and arts organisations this event will
provide a unique opportunity to reach across boundaries, think
creatively about how to produce exciting multimedia arts education
projects
and network with a wide variety of similar minded individuals
and organisations. Topics will also include developing an arts
focused
ICT strategy and funding initiatives available.
Speakers/facilitators in clude:
Baroness Blackstone, Minister of State for the Arts
Lord David Puttnam, Chair GTC, 2000 - 2002
Patrick Spottiswoode, Director, Globe Education
Jonathan Drori, Director, Culture Online
Mo Laycock, Head, Firth Park School
Peter Jenkinson, Director, Creative Partnerships
Russell Prue, Curriculum Online
Royal Shakespeare Company
Theatre Museum
Polka Theatre
London Sinfonietta
Who should attend?
Schools:
Head teachers
ICT co- ordinators
Primary co-ordinators for English, Drama, Dance and Music
Secondary subject teachers for English, Drama, Dance and Music
Arts organisations:
Senior management
Marketing staff
Education staff
Others:
Policy makers
Advisers
Consultants
LEAsarts4schools
inspiring tomorrow's audiences
PO Box 20076, London, NW2 1ZQ
Tel: 020 8201 9124
4. THE DRAMA BOOK
KS3 Drama Book & Videos: Hannah
Includes the full text of four original plays: Mama Yankee’s
Life Machine, Hey there boy with the be-bop glasses, Helmet, and
Hannah and Hanna. It introduces key dramatic techniques and concepts
through accessible and exciting activities, all of which support
pupils’ appreciation of the plays as performance
pieces.
It includes active and practical approaches to exploring
the theme, character, structure, all of which are suitable
for
an English classroom.
There are opportunities for discussion work, critical writing,
improvisation and script writing; also interpretation through
directing, set design
and thinking about staging a production. It offers ideal
preparation for studying contemporary plays for GCSE English
Literature
and for GCSE Drama.
Texts are appropriate for GSCE Drama. They have been written
in collaboration with the playwrights and with practising
Drama teachers and PGCE
tutors.
The Hannah and Hanna Video (90 minutes) £19.95
Full performance of the play and interviews with the writer/director
John Retallack and the actors from the original stage performance,
Alyson Coote and Celia Meiras.
Contact:
Michael Simons <mailto:
> The English and Media Centre
18 Compton Terrace London N1 2UN
Tel:020 7359 8080
Fax: 0207 354 0133
5. DRAMA IN EDUCATION SITE
I have rewritten my Drama in Education site and removed the frames.
It should now be easier to navigate and bookmark. I will
be uploading the new site during the second week in November. Please check
out the redesign and let me have your comments.
OCTOBER 2002
1. DRAMA IN SCHOOLS REDRAFT
2. INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
1. DRAMA IN SCHOOLS REDRAFT
The Arts Council have now established two teams to work on the
redraft. They plan to go on-line with it in February. Marigold Ashwell
and Ken Gouge (two of the original authors) head the writing team
and QCA, DfES, OFSTED and National Drama form an "Advisory Team".
Mark Howell-Meri
believes this is excellent news as the second edition (unlike
the first) will have the authoritative QCA stamp
of approval. It
will include Levels of Attainment in Drama and a revised Programme
of Study with improved language (first suggested by e-mails
posted on Drama_UK.) What do you think?
Part of the
reason Mark continued to press on with it was because
he counted the e-mails he received on this from Drama_UK and
the great majority clearly felt confident about the
idea. This straw poll was very helpful in encouraging him to
continue.
If you have any comments on the above please send them to:
2. INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
As the terms picks up pace why not plan your next visit to a Drama
Conference.
AITA/IATA OFFICIAL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS:
JULY 13th - 19th, 2003
AITA/IATA 2003 World Theatre Congress & Festival will be held
in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The deadline for expressions of
interest is June 30th, 2002. Final deadline for entries is September
30th, 2002. For further information please contact:
Eva Moore by phone: (1) 902 425 4225 or by fax: (1) 902 425 0989;
E-mail:
.
Website: http://www.festival2003.ca.
AITA/IATA AFFILIATE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS:
AUGUST 1st - 9th, 2003
The International Theatre Festival ESTIVADES CIFTA will be
organised in Marche-en Famenne, Belgium. For further information
please contact:
Guy Villers, rue du Calvaire 160, B-4000 Liége, Belgium. Phone & fax:
(32) 4 252 03 32; E-mail:
.
Website: http://www.msm.ulg.ac.be/Estivades.
AITA/IATA ASSOCIATE FESTIVALS with international participation:
APRIL 2003
A FESTIVAL/CONFERENCE/SEMINAR
ON SENIOR CITIZENS' THEATRE will be organised
in Herning Højskole, Denmark. For further information
please contact:
Jakob Oschlag at
.
JANUARY- FEBRUARY 2003
THE FIRST
INTERNATIONAL MIME FESTIVAL will be organised in New Delhi,
India. For further information please contact:
Indian Mime Theatre, 20/6 Seal Lane, Kolkata 700 015, West
Bengal, India; E-mail:
.
Website: http://www.mimeindia.com.
NOVEMBER 14th- 19th, 2003
The 7th International
Children's Theatre Ferstival will be organised in New Delhi,
India. For further information
please
contact:
NIPA, c/o B.M.D.Agrawal, 69, DDA Flats, Gulmohar Enclave,
New Delhi - 110049, India. Phone: (91) 11 6512817. Fax:
(91) 11 6515002. E-mail:
AUGUST 1st -3rd, 2003
The 8th NATIONAL
CHILDREN'S THEATRE FESTIVAL will be organised in Hwange, Zimbabwe.
The deadline for submitting
international
applications:
October 30th, 2002. For more information please contact:
ZATCYP, Assitej Zimbabwe,
P.O. Box CY2712, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe. Phone:
(263) 4 614 577; Fax:
(263) 4 614 200; E-mail:
.
MAY 22nd - 25th, 2003
"
Europäische Amateurtheatertage" will be organised in
Rudolstadt, Germany. Theatre groups from the Federal
Republic of Germany and
all Europe are invited.
For further information please contact:
Tanja Eberhardt, Bund Deutscher Amateurtheater
e.V., Streinheimer Strasse 7/1, D-89518 Heidenheim,
Germany. Phone: (49) 73
21 946 99 01; Fax: (49) 73 21 4 83 41;
E-mail:
. Website: http://www.bdat.info.
MARCH 3rd - 9th, 2003
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL "Youth on Stage" will
be organised on the occasion of the 25th JONNA's anniversary
in Leuven, Belgium.
Groupes of young people, 15-18 years old, are invited.
Different workshop will also be offered. For more information
please
contact:
Vzw JONNA, Aarschotsesteenweg
155, 3012 Wilsele, Belgium. Phone: (32) 16
44 80 19; Fax: (32) 16 44 78 20; e-mail:
.
NOVEMBER 18th - 23rd, 2002
5th CARIBBEAN SECONDARY SCHOOLS DRAMA FESTIVAL will
be organised in Antigua. Further information from:
Eustace Simon by e-mail:
.
NOVEMBER 14th - 19th, 2002
INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL on the life and teachings
of Lord Buddha will be organised in New Delhi, India.
Invited are children
groups (8 -14 years old). Application materials should
be submitted
through National Centres to: NIPA, c/o B.M.D.Agrawal,
69, DDA Flats, Gulmohar Enclave, New Delhi - 110049,
India.
Phone: (91) 11 6512817.
Fax: (91) 11 6515002. E-mail:
. Deadline
for applications: February 28th, 2002.
NOVEMBER 5th - 9th, 2002
INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL will take place in
Dortmund, Germany. Five groups are invited to show
their performances
and to establish
an interchange about circumstances and intentions
of their work. If you're interested in visiting the
festival
as
a guest, please
contact:
Mr. Frank Heuel, Güntherstr. 65, D-44143
Dortmund, Germany; Phone: (49) 231 55 75
21 15; Fax: (49)
231 55 75 21 29; E-mail:
.
OCTOBER 2002
THE 80th Scenic Harvest festival will be organised
in Martin, Slovak Republic. For further information
please
contact:
AITA/IATA Slovak Centre, Nam S.N.P. 12, Bratislava
812 34, Slovakia; Tel.:
(421) 2 59 214 110; Fax: (421) 2 592 141 02; E-mail:
.
OTHERS: conferences, seminars, workshops..
JULY 2nd - 8th 2004
The 5th IDEA WORLD CONGRESS - 2004 will take place
in Ottawa, Canada. For further information please
contact:
Congress Director Wayne Fairhead,
.
JUNE 2003
A Stanislavsky Seminar will be organised by the Russian
National Centre in the Moscow Region.
The theme is "The Stanislavsky
System Today - Practical Training for Actors and Directors of Amateur
Theatre". The working languages
will be Russian, English, French and
German.
For further
information
please turn to: Russian
AITA/IATA
Centre, Ms Alla Zorina, Strastnoy Boulevard
10, RUS-103 031 Moscow, Russia; Phone:
(7) 095 200
07 02; Fax:
(7) 095 200 07 02, (7) 095
230 22 58; E-mail:
.
APRIL 11th - 16th, 2003
DRAMA IN EDUCATION CONGRESS will take place in Burg
Schlaining, Austria. For more information please
contact:
Ö
sterreichischer Bundesverband für Schulspiel, Jugendspiel
und Amateurtheater, c/o Mag. Josef
Hollos, Walfischgasse 14/14, 1010
Wien, Austria. Phone/Fax: (43) 1
513 7120. E-mail:
.
JANUARY 3rd - 11th, 2003
A workshop " The Actor in the Organic Construction of his Action",
directed by Diego Cazabat with
Periplo Theatrical Company's working team's assistance will
take
place in
Buenos Aires, Argentina. Deadline
for registration: November 10th,
2002. For further information please contact:
Martin Ortiz, E-mail: . Telefax: (54) 11 4581 0710.
NOVEMBER 8th - 12th, 2002
IONESCO SYMPOSIUM and a WORKSHOP will be organised
in Antwerp, Belgium by OPENDOEK, the Flemish Amateur
Theatre
Association.
To illustrate
the workshop and the symposium, 4 international amateur
theatre groups will be invited to present a Ionesco
performance. For further information
please contact :
Rob Van Genechten, Arenbergstraat 17, 2000 Antwerp,
Belgium. Phone: (32) 3 222 40 90; Fax: (32) 3 233
81 33; E-mail:
.
OCTOBER 11th - 13th, 2002
The Educational Theatre Association Annual Convention
will be organised in Portland, Oregon, USA. Contact:
Tracy Macmorine, Educational Theatre Association,
2343 Auburn Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA; Tel:
1 513
421 3900, Fax:
(1) 513 421
7077; E-mail:
.
SEPTEMBER 1st, 2002 - JUNE 20th, 2003
In co-operation with the Theatre Department of the
University of Klaipeda and the Lithuanian Amateur
Theatre Association,
NEATA offers an International Amateur Theatre Directors
Course. Teachers
of the
Course will be the Professors of the Theatre Department,
which has been educating professional directors for
the Lithuanian amateur
theatre since 1975. Teaching language: English. Deadline
for
registration: May 20th, 2002. For further information
please contact:
Mrs. Danute Vaigauskaite, Donelaicio 4, LT-5800,
Klaipeda, Lithuania; Tel/Fax:
(370) 632 11 42; Mobile: (370)
98 49 766; E-mail:
. Website:
http://www.neata.dk.
Friday 6 and Saturday 7 September 2002 will see the International Conference
on British Drama in the 1990s at the University of the West of
England in Bristol.
Spread The Word In Association With The Post Office Theatre And
The Lyric Hammersmith present Playing Up Developing writing for
the stage with a writer, director and actors. This extended workshop
over five weeks gives you a fantastic opportunity to develop your
stage writing with actors and a director as well as a writer, and
a chance to see your work staged in a rehearsed reading at the
Lyric Studio Hammersmith. Learning about the requirements of the
stage and hearing your text spoken by a
professional actor, you will be able to gauge the strengths and weaknesses
of your writing.
Weeks 1 & 2 Working with the writer: developing the script
Week 3 Meeting the director: the demands of the stage
Week 4 Introducing the actors: seeing the work performed
Week 5 On stage: rehearsal and show
This workshop is suitable for writers who already have some playwriting
experience and are looking to develop their work in a professional
context. There will also be an opportunity to see and discuss
Courttia Newland's play Mother's Day at the Lyric Studio.
Tutors: Courttia Newland, Riggs O'Hara and actors from The
Post Office Theatre Courttia Newland was born and still lives
in West London. He is the author of three novels, the most recent
of which is Snakeskin, published in Spring 2002. His short Stories
have appeared in several anthologies. He is the co-editor of IC3:
The Penguin Book of New Black Writing in Britain. Courttia has
also had three of his plays staged including the acclaimed The
Far Side. His new play Mother's Day will premier at the Lyric Studio Hammersmith
this autumn.
Riggs O'Hara
is Artistic Director of the Post Office Theatre which was founded
in 1995 and opened with a monologue written by
Courttia Newland and performed by Carol Moses. Since that
first collaboration he has directed Estate Of Mind, an adaptation
of Woman Of Troy by Euripides for the Edinburgh festival, and
The Far Side at the Tricycle Theatre. This autumn they are presenting
their latest play Mother's Day at the Lyric Studio Hammersmith.
Saturdays September 21, 28 and October 5, 12 11am - 5pm
Venue: The Post Office Theatre, 20/22 Hewer Street, London
W10 and Monday 21 October 3pm - 10.30pm
Venue: Lyric Studio Hammersmith, King Street, London W6
Cost: £80/£40 concessions
Please note:
The rehearsed reading of scripts resulting from the workshop
will be open to the public, is free of charge, and
will take place on Monday 21 October at the Lyric Studio
Hammersmith at 8pm. For a free ticket for the event only call
the Lyric Ticket Office on: 020 8741 2311. For more information
please email
or visitSpread
the Word.
[I apologize for the terminology used here bit this is what they
are called in the publicity... and places are FREE! - Ed.]
Announcing
the 2003 Autumn Season of Masterclass events Beginning on 9 September,
the Theatre Royal Haymarket's Masterclass programme is launching
a fantastic season of events for young people interested in theatre.
Whether you are already beginning work as a young artist or you
are interested in learning more, or perhaps thinking of a career,
there's a wealth of information, ideas and priceless advice in
these FREE events given by some of the best artists in theatre
to day.
Actors Simon Callow, Brian Cox, Geraldine James and Prunella
Scales give sessions as well as actor/director Samuel West,
directors Peter Hall and Jeremy Sams. Cicely Berry, Director
of Voice at
the RSC, gives a workshop, Geoffrey Colman, Head of Acting
at Central
School of Speech & Drama runs his invaluable session on
getting into drama school and the season closes on 2 December
with theatre
and film director Mike Leigh.
Events take place between 9 September - 2 December, usually
at 2.30pm, from the stage of the Theatre Royal Haymarket,
London. Events vary from practical to discussion and question
and answer
- all are inspiring, thought-provoking and frequently revelatory!
Places are FREE to young people between 16 - 30 yrs. Interested
people over 30 may join Masterclass Friends. For full details
and to book, please visit here or
call 020 7389 9660.Further contact details for more information:
Masterclass, Theatre Royal Haymarket, London SW1Y 4HT F:
020 7389 9697 E:
The Masterclass programme
is made
possible thanks to the generosity of companies, Trusts and
individuals in particular Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass
Trust is a registered
charity number 1070117
Masterclass programme Autumn 2003All events begin at 2.30pm,
unless otherwise stated.Peter Hall 9 September Director
of the National
Theatre '73 - '88 and the creator of the Royal Shakespeare
Co., Peter Hall will give a practical session on Shakespearean
verse
speaking.
Geraldine James 10 September
This stage, TV and film actor will explore how to find
the honesty in a character, with particular reference
to film
and TV. Simon
Callow 16 September (Please note change of date) Actor
from stage and film including Amadeus and Four Weddings
and A
Funeral shares
his skill and experience
Cicely Berry 17 September
Director of Voice at the Royal Shakespeare Co., Miss
Berry will work with a group of students to explore
technique. Geoffrey Colman 18 September (Please note change
of date)
'Drama School
- What
Do They Want?!' The Head of Acting at Central School
of
Speech & Drama
give s invaluable insight into the audition process
and what training will give you, with chance to try
out your audition piece with
the Master.
Jeremy Sams 4 November
Director and adaptor, most recently Chitty Chitty Bang
Bang, shares ideas on directing.
Brian Cox 5 November
Acclaimed actor from film (Braveheart), stage (Dublin
Carol) & TV
(Longitude) leads an event on life as an actor.
Prunella Scales 26 November @ 1.00pm
'How to Get the Laughs with the Words' - working
with prepared speeches to explore technique and
timing. Mike Leigh 2
December
Director of film, stage and TV discusses his
craft and devising technique. Ruthie Henshall
5 December
The star of Chicago and Peggy Sue Got Married
works on audition songs with young musical theatre
students.All
artists appear
subject to availability and the programme may
alter.
Education Extra have just launched their new
website. This is an innovative new web site for
schools providing information and resources to support arts and
environmental learning in Out of School Hours Learning in London.
I have mentioned this before - Curriculum Online - the new on-line service
from the Department for Education and Skills - is planned to be launched in
September. The idea is
to offer teachers free and priced online
digital learning materials which will form a comprehensive educational service.
Curriculum Online is intended to free teachers to do what they do best
- teach - by making lesson planning and
administration easier and faster. Schools can receive eLearning Credits (eLCs)
to help with purchasing. The Getting Involved section of the site has details.
I wonder if there will be any Drama material
and if there is if it is useful?
During September 30 - October 4, schools will be opening their
doors to parents who want to learn how
to use the Internet to help with their children's education. Parents Online
Week is a DfES project which has met
with great success in recent years. There have already been several Parents
Online events held
this year including a cyber cafe carnival
in Leeds, a community drop-in style Internet clinic in Leicester and an Internet
open house at Newcastle. More event ideas, organisation tips, and past success
stories are contained in the case studies section of the web site and in
the Parents Online CD-ROM schools' pack,
which will be posted out to 31,500 UK schools before the start of the 2002 autumn
term.
The following information is taken from the Curriculum Online site: 'The vision
for Curriculum Online is to give teachers easy online access to a wide range
of digital learning materials, which they can use to support their teaching
across the curriculum. These materials will form a consistent, coherent and
comprehensive educational service for teachers and pupils. These materials
will help free teachers to do what they do best - teach - by making lesson
planning and administration easier and faster, and will help teachers make
a reality of individualised learning for all pupils.
Curriculum Online has been informed by a major consultation (April 2001) with
many responses received from a large number of individuals, from educational
institutions and from industry, the majority supporting the main thrust of
the vision. The programme was officially launched in December 2001 when the
Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Education and Skills announced £50
million worth of investment for the first school year of operation 2002/2003.
September 2002 will see the launch of the Curriculum Online Portal.'
In January 2002, Estelle Morris, Secretary of State for Education
and Skills, announced £100 million over the next two years
to provide teachers with personal access to computers. This represents
a doubling of the funds previously
announced and is evidence of the Government's ongoing commitment to support
teachers in this vital area. This initiative builds on the success of previous
initiatives but moves the pace forward significantly.
Are Drama teachers using this scheme?
We have recommended the arts4schools web site before and it has recently been
listed on the NGFL. It provides a range of resources for the study and teaching
of English and the performing arts, including information about the current
productions and education activities of arts organisations in the UK, featured
topics, and background material to support set texts.
The resources cover literacy at Key Stage 2, citizenship at Key Stage 3 and
PSHE at Key Stage 3. All the activities are cross-referenced to the curricula
for each UK country, and offer links to other web sites for further research.
This is a useful site for Drama teachers planning for these issues or seeking
to integrate contemporary news items into their Drama.
MarkHowell-Meri has
asked me to post this:"New Arts Council Guidelines for teaching
Drama separate from English. Drama in Schools (1992), the only
Government published curriculum guidelines for teaching Drama
as a practical art (separate from English) so that process and
performance are mutually enriching, is being revised by the Arts
Council of England for publication before the end of the year.
Anyone interested in supporting this work should contact Katherine
Macdonald at The Arts Council of England Education Department.
The formal invitations to support the revision have not yet been issued so
I have not included a direct contact here. But showing some tentative interest
now would, I am sure, be welcomed and help ensure more people are involved
in the work than in the original. To date Max Stafford Clarke, John Godber,
Professor Thomson at Exeter University, Marigold Ashwell, Pauline Marson and
Alaistair Black have all supported the project. Others, including Andy Kempe
and the Royal Court Theatre are expressing interest. News on Progress in Making
Drama an Arts Foundation Subject in the National Curriculum can be found at
the original site with the 1992 edition which I have recently revised.
Director Michael Boyd has taken over from Adrian Noble as the new artistic
director of the Royal Shakespeare Company. The Company has also recently quit
its base at the Barbican. Read more here.
Announced on the 9 July 2002. Providers of training to talented young actors
and dancers will receive an average ten per cent increase in the level of Dance
and Drama fees in 2002/2003, Lifelong Learning and Higher Education Minister
Margaret Hodge announced today. Read the full press release here.
Shooting Live Artists supports technically innovative convergent media projects
by live artists. Works should raise issues of representation, including identity,
diversity, presence, participation and mediation in contemporary culture. This
fund is a partnership with the BBC and b.tv. Deadline for applications is 29
July 2002. Also see the Arts
Council link.
Maya Angelou is hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature
and as a remarkable Renaissance woman. Being a poet, educator, historian, best-selling
author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and director,
Dr. Angelou continues to travel the world making appearances, spreading her
legendary wisdom. Her latest appearance has been on Radio 4. Take a look at
her 'official' web site.
This is a 5-day conference with one focused area of discussion each day. Topics
include Theatre in Education, Creative Drama, Aesthetic Education, Drama as
a Subject, Theatre/ Drama in Special Education.
Registration & Enquiries on the Website.
<http://artschool.hkac.org.hk>
or <http://www.mingri.org.hk>
Tel: +852 2582 0219 (The Art School, HK Arts Centre)
+852 2742 2966 (Ming Ri Institute For Arts Education) Email: <mailto:
>
or <mailto:
>
Has your School been involved in Big Arts Week? It took place in the week 15-22
June 2002. What did you think of the experience? Why not send your comments
to <Drama_UK>?
The British Academy has opened a new PORTAL, it is a directory of online resources
for researchers in the humanities and social sciences. The PORTAL launch marks
the Academy's Centenary with a new, modern service for scholars and researchers.
PORTAL offers scholars easy access to online information about research resources
in all areas of the humanities and social sciences. PORTAL is intended primarily
for post-graduate or post-doctoral workers, but covers resources of interest
to a wider community.
PORTAL resource sites are selected for their high quality and potential utility
to the academic community, responsible ownership and up-to-date state.
PORTAL has a simple, convenient user interface, with a range of tools for searching
the directory.
The website is launched on 1 July 2002 and marks a 'next-century' element to
the Academy's Centenary celebrations. It will be exhibited at an international
Centenary conference at the British Museum on 3 July. The launch follows a
period of testing and consultation with the scholarly community. The website
is open to all at no charge.
At first sight you might not think there is much for drama Teachers to be interested
in but then you notice the Samuel Beckett pages, Internet Shakespeare Editions,
The Complete Works of Christopher Marlowe etc.
1. ARTS
ADVOCACY
There has been more discussion on the positive role of Drama on the group this
month. See my Advocacy web page with all
the positive links soon but in the meantime David Chadderton reported from USA
Today:
Opening paragraphs …
WASHINGTON - Schoolchildren exposed to drama, music and dance may do a better
job at mastering reading, writing and math than those who focus solely
on academics, says a report by the Arts Education Partnership. Notions
that the arts are frivolous add-ons to a serious curriculum couldn't be
further from the truth," says James Catterall, education professor
at the University of California-Los Angeles, who coordinated the research.
David tells us the full report can be downloaded either in one file or in bits.
It runs to 172 pages in total (not 159 as stated on the site!). You will need
Adobe Acrobat Reader.
ASDAN has featured in our discussions this month. ASDAN (Award Scheme Development
and Accreditation Network) is an approved awarding body offering a number of
programmes and qualifications to develop life skills, from Key Stage 3 through
to adult life, from preparatory to Entry Level through to Key Skills at level
4. ASDAN programmes and qualifications blend activity-based curriculum enrichment
with a framework for the development, assessment and accreditation of key skills
and life skills, with a strong emphasis on negotiation, co-operation and rewarding
achievement. In Spring 2000 ASDAN was approved as an Awarding Body for qualifications
within the new National Framework, regulated by the Qualifications and Curriculum
Authority. ASDAN qualifications are approved under Section 96 of the Learning
Skills Act 2000 for pupils, students and trainees under the age of 19.
Please continue
to offer feedback to our group for any organisation that you
find useful in your school.
What search engines are people most happy with? BBCi have launched a new service.
Kartoo has a different idea in its new visual approach. But I am still happy
with Google especially with the 'Advanced Search' as it help me track down
students trying to pass of other's work as their own. Take a look at these:
'The Institute of Failure' by Tim Etchells of Forced Entertainment and Matthew
Goulish of Goat Island. A real and imaginary think-tank dedicated to the study
of failure as it occurs in all aspects of human endeavour. Deviant scholarship
...
In case you were wondering what was happening at the Park this Summer... 'Romeo
and Juliet' and 'As You Like It' are two of the productions opening this year's
summer season at Regent's Park's Open Air Theatre.
Although last month saw much reference to Shakespeare I think this site deserves
a mention. It is highly useable with every play in full as well as summaries.
There has been much discussion about this site on Drama_UK. Unfortunately there
is no truth in the rumour that a UK version is being prepared so if you want
to find out more take a look at this site.
StageStruck: Interactive Theatre is an Australia on CD project funded by the
Australian Federal Government. This project is a joint project with the National
Institute for Dramatic Art, Sydney Opera House, Australian Opera, and the Australian
Ballet. Its intention is to provide an environment which introduces High School
students to the world of Australian performing arts by journeying into a performing
arts venue which showcases contemporary companies' performances, processes
and people and provides theatres and theatrical tools with which to create
scenes.
The revised Standards for Qualified Teacher Status and revised Requirements
for Initial Teacher Training take effect from September 2002. These replace
Circular 4/98 and will be known as 2/02.
The TTA state that 'Qualifying to Teach: Professional Standards for Qualified
Teacher Status and Requirements for Initial Teacher Training is the result
of an extensive consultation process. The new Standards include a clear statement
of professional values and practice and the Requirements will allow training
providers greater autonomy and flexibility in the design and delivery of training
provision'.
'The new requirements for ITT will serve to broaden access to teacher training
while strengthening partnerships between providers and schools. Transitional
arrangements will apply to many of those who have already started their training.
A handbook of guidance and support is published in part here'.
What do others think?
Teachers can receive more help to plan the training they need in order to teach
pupils with special educational needs.
The help comes in the form of a new, free, interactive CD-ROM to help teachers
work with the National Special Educational Needs Specialist Standards which
were published by the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) in 1999.
The CD-ROM reflects the recently revised DfES Special Educational Needs Code
of Practice. It features 16 video case studies of teachers working with pupils
in a range of mainstream classroom settings. There is informative commentary
as well as a search facility for teachers to look for areas that are of particular
interest to them. The SEN Specialist Standards are also included in full as
a background resource.
I am glad to say this works on both Mac and PC.
6. SHAKESPEARE ON STAGE AND SCREEN PROJECT
The Mousetrap Foundation is offering a theatre visit and workshop programme
for A/AS level pupils.
If you are interested in your 'AS' or 'A' level theatre studies, drama or English
pupils working together with the media studies department on a 'Shakespeare
on Stage and Screen' project, then this Crossing Curricula project could be
for you.
On 12 June, for just £5 per pupil, you can bring up to 60 pupils
from the English, drama and/or media studies departments (at least two departments must
be represented) to see a matinee performance of the RSC's production of The
Tempest at the Roundhouse. Within a week or two following their
theatre visit, they will have a free workshop/lecture, with
audio-visual aids, at your school in which they will contrast stage
and screen versions of the play. The workshop will explore production and staging
choices rather than the text.
The workshop will be run by Daniel Rosenthal, author of Shakespeare on Screen,
described by the Times Educational Supplement as "a first-class teaching
resource". Registered as an Associate Tutor with the British Film Institute,
he regularly works on Shakespeare and film with A level groups. Daniel
writes on film and theatre for The Times and Independent and is Managing Editor
of the Variety International Film Guide.
Cost: Just £5 per theatre ticket. Free workshop
If you teach at a state school and wish to apply for tickets, please complete
and return the application form attached. Alternatively, you can
call or email
for
further information on 020 7836 4388.
Dramascript is a place where playwrights and publishers can list their plays
and dramatists can review them. People producing plays can list nights they
are playing, and more. And it's all free.
Simon Edwards suggested we check out a new web site for drama practitioners.
This is a non-profit making organization set up to facilitate training and
research in Drama and performance its great work set up by two Lecoq trained
actors, this year check out the international summer workshops
The London Shakespeare Workout project has recently come to my attention through
work undertaken with my students at Middlesex University. The following is
taken from their web page: 'Through the proven strength of our community outreach
programme, the London Shakespeare Workout (LSW) Prison Project, a fully registered
national charity with the Charity Commission of England and Wales (No. 1084717),
we aim to be of service both to the theatrical profession and to the broader
community at large.
By virtue of an ever burgeoning series of varied incentives, actors and offenders
of all ages, genders, races, creeds, nationalities and orientations are given
opportunities to further explore and develop skills of self-expression and
jointly enhance confidence through the glorious balm which is Shakespeare's
language, as well as that of other major dramatic voices and thinkers who have
been inspired by the Bard throughout time.'
I have mentioned Arts 4 Schools before and am interested to know what people
think of the site and how they have used it. This site brings together a large
number of arts organisations across the UK to give teachers, students, and
members of the general public easy access to information about the performing
arts.
Please send any comments to our discussion group Drama_UK <
>.
The Arts Council of England and the English Regional Arts Boards have joined
together to form a single development organisation for the arts in England.
The objective is to build a national force for the arts which will deliver
more funding and increased profile to artists and arts organisations, benefiting
audiences everywhere. While the new structure is being set up, our services
continue as usual and contact details are listed below.
MARCH 2002
1. THE BIG
ARTS WEEK
2. TEACHERNET
3. THE EDUCATION SHOW
4. THE COMMUNICATION AIDS PROJECT (CAP)
5. BETT AWARD WINNERS 2002
6. THE LITERARY ENCYCLOPEDIA AND LITERARY DICTIONARY
WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE BIG ARTS WEEK?
To bring the nation's best art and artists into classrooms across the country.
We're asking artists from every creative discipline to visit their local schools
to work with the pupils on a creative project. We want to see young people fired
up about the arts.
WHAT ARE THE BIG DATES?
The Big Arts Week launches on 31st January and BBC ONE are showing a half hour
programme on Sunday 3rd February at 7.30pm to help to recruit more artists
and schools. The closing date for registration is 25 March. Artists and schools
will be sent details of their partners by 15 April. The Big Arts Week runs
from 15 to 22 June 2002.
ARE ALL SCHOOLS ELIGIBLE?
Yes, every primary and secondary school in the country is encouraged to join
the scheme.
TeacherNet has updated its database of Lesson Plans and Resources in conjunction
with Learn.co.uk with hundreds of new links including cross references to the
National Curriculum and the QCA Schemes of work. Simply select a subject and
keystage from the drop down lists and then choose the type of resource you
wish to view. Even more Lesson Plans and Resources will be added over the next
few months.
The Communication Aids Project (CAP) will provide technology to help pupils
with communication difficulties access the curriculum, interact with others
and make the transition into post-school provision. The £10M project
is funded by the DfES and is managed by Becta. School age pupils in England
with significant communication difficulties are eligible. Details are on the
web site.
5. BETT AWARD WINNERS 2002
Every year educators nominate the producers of exceptional software and hardware
resources for the BETT awards. These were announced at the BETT exhibition,
Olympia in January 2002. The awards are divided into a number of categories.
The most pertinent
to Drama Education came in the category: Educational
Software – Secondary
4Learning/Channel 4: Macbeth CD ROM
Pupils studying
Macbeth can choose to watch the complete version of 4Learning's
production of Shakespeare's play, or they can become more active
viewers by pausing and interrogating the play scene by scene,
by theme and by character. Detailed background information and
historical notes are available at the press of a button, providing
a context specific guide for the viewer.
I was, of course, delighted by the award that Apple Computer received in the
category: Software
Tools – Secondary Apple
iDVD Shoot your videos, edit and watch them.
The Literary Encyclopedia and Literary Dictionary at currently comprises date
lists for all major English literary publications and authors, over 15,000
entries in all. These initial entries are being progressively augmented with
in-depth indexing, biographies and text profiles, usually in the range 1-2500
words. Thus far we have published 740 entries, amounting to over one million
words which is freely available to students and scholars around the world. They
have also published a 'Glossary of Literary Terms' and an 'English Style Book',
the latter aimed at helping students correct common errors and improve their
style.
In the coming
years The Literary Encyclopedia aims to provide biographies for
all writers of note and descriptions of all significant texts.
It also aims to provide descriptions of all major historical
events and literary movements and create a free, universal resource
for English studies world wide.
We welcome offers from colleagues to write about topics which are currently
unassigned.
All writers for The Literary Encyclopedia participate in its equity and profits.
Robert Clark
(UEA) Janet Todd (Glasgow) Emory Elliott (Riverside, California).
FEBRUARY 2002
1. NATIONAL STORYTELLING WEEK
2. FACING HISTORY
3. TEACHERS AND TEACHING IN 2010
4. BECTA'S NEW RESEARCH WEB SITE
5. OnstageWORLD
6. £50M FOR ON-LINE CLASSROOMS
7. COMPUTERS FOR TEACHERS
8. MIRAGO
Monday 4 February is the start of the second National Storytelling Week which
is organised by the Society for Storytelling to promote the oral tradition.
Events are planned around the country. Visit the official website if you want
to get involved.
2. FACING HISTORY
The Mousetrap Foundation is happy to introduce you to Facing History and Ourselves,
an exciting professional development organization for educators devoted to
helping middle and high school teachers develop informed, compassionate, ethical,
and active citizens . Issues of racism, antisemitism, prejudice and moral decision
making in history and today are explored through a rigorous examination of
the Holocaust and other historical examples of collective violence. Facing
History can be taught through history, literature, drama and art. This is a
great program for teachers seeking to meet their school's commitment to the
National Curriculum's new Citizenship Education.
Facing History's
Teacher Training Seminar, July 21-26 in Prague, involving educators
from throughout Europe, is an exciting, interactive opportunity
to expand content knowledge and process skills.
For more information visit Facing
History and Ourselves.
To learn more about the workshop, check out the Europe Web Page on the
site or contact <
> (Tel:41
1 7203861) Feel free to pass this along to other interested teachers you know.
3. TEACHERS AND TEACHING IN 2010
Have your say on the future of the teaching profession. The Institute for Public
Policy Research, in collaboration with the Future
Education Network, has launched a major online survey, a call for visions
on the future of the teaching profession. Teachers and Teaching in 2010 is
an opportunity for everyone who is passionate about learning to shape national
policy. ippr and FEN have developed an online resource that enables individuals
and groups to contribute your perspective on teachers and teaching as an individual
or group. As well as a survey, there is also a set of resources that can be
downloaded to photocopy and use in the classroom, the staffroom, or any other
group meeting. . We promise that taking part will take no more than 20 minutes
of your time and may take less than five!
To have your
say please visit them before
28 March 2002.
4. BECTA'S NEW RESEARCH WEB SITE
Becta has launched a new Web site dedicated to research evidence on the use
and impact of ICT in education. As well as the academic research community,
Becta hopes that teachers, ICT co-ordinators, advisors and school managers
will find useful material on the site. This will include research reports published
by Becta, a gateway of links to other reports available online, and the opportunity
for users to feedback and suggest further resources.
The research
site will also act as the online home for Becta's ICT Research
Network. The Network seeks to encourage the exchange of information
in order to inform the national agenda and professional practice.
Membership is open to teachers, ICT co-ordinators and advisors,
school managers, researchers, policy makers, sponsors and industry.
The Network provides them with an opportunity to develop partnerships
and discuss priorities for future research, via an e-mail discussion
list, and conferences and events.
Becta's
research site.
You can join the ICT
Research Network online.
Alternatively, e-mail: <
> or
write to: Michael Harris, ICT Research Network, Becta, Milburn Hill Road, Science
Park, Coventry CV4 7JJ.
Come on help
them realize how important Drama is in all this.
I have featured this site before. The list disappeared for a while but OnstageWORLD
is back. It is an independent, completely volunteer, non-commercial Internet
entity owned and managed by Robert Demers whose motivation is a deep respect
and admiration for those who are involved in or who have a passion for any
aspect of theater and performance. OnstageWORLD's various projects encompass
a number of individual theater-related lists.
6. £50M FOR ON-LINE CLASSROOMS
The Virtual
Teacher Centre announced that Tony Blair has launched a £50m scheme
to increase computer use in classrooms. The Curriculum Online scheme is designed
to create the ‘classroom of the future ....’
Is this where
we will really lose our fight for Macs?
You can see that the Government are discussing about providing Computers for
Teachers again. This specification has yet to be finalised but it is expected
that at least the minimum specifications defined for laptops in Phase Two of
the Computers for Teachers scheme will apply. See what they are up to at their
site.
Mirago has been mentioned before on these pages but is worth returning to.
Mirago is a search engine aimed specifically at people who live and work in
the UK. It has been developed to allow Mirago users to view the Internet from
a UK perspective. This means that as well as indexing just under 50 million
pages on all UK sites that we know about, we also index International sites
which are of interest to residents of the British Isles.
Mirago is not a directory which relies on editors reviewing sites in a few
words. The indexes are prepared by software 'robots' which continually
scan the content of pages on the sites. By ensuring that the robots visit
sites frequently and in depth, contemporary content.
JANUARY 2002
1. PROTEACHER
2. CURRICULUM ONLINE
3. LIVECHAT
4. HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY
5. BETT
6. SCHOOL SHOWS
Pupils could be working at their own pace on computers, using lesson plans
downloaded from the Internet, under government plans for a digital curriculum.
Take a look at this BBC
news report.
While on the BBC site it might be worth looking at how the Chat area has developed.
To encourage students to engage with analysis of film and Drama why not get
them to talk directly to the performers and technical crew? The BBC site offers
students the opportunity to chat live in post programme chat rooms, join ongoing
debates, and even suggest topics for discussion, there are also competitions
and celebrity conversation with the performers.
4. HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY
As part of the education activities commemorating the day (on Sunday 27th January
2002), Film Education and
Warner Village Cinemas will be screening Schindler's List free of charge to
schools on 25th January, with tickets still available at: Warner West End,
Reading, Bristol, Newcastle, Cambridge, York as well as at an all day workshop
at the Imperial War Museum, London). For free teaching resources and details
of how to book tickets, visit here.
5. BETT
As we all know the world of education is continually changing, so educationalists
have to keep abreast of all the latest products and services available to enhance
teaching and learning. BETT
and The Education Show offer visitors the opportunity to experience what
is on the market first hand, and exhibitors the
chance to meet professionals from all levels and areas of the education market.
BETT is the first of these shows and is at London Olympia, 9th-12th January
2002.
On Drama_UK there
is often a request for recommendations of shows to perform. This site claims
that the School Show Page is 'the' online resource for school and youth theatre
because that it just
what it attempts to do; to provide resources for all those involved in school
or youth theatre in any way, whether as a teacher (whether a Drama teacher
or not), a youth leader or a participant. Here you will find help on all aspects
of school and youth theatre. There are technical guides, a glossary of theatrical
terms, plays and reviews. There are lists of contacts to help you and messages
from people who are seeking help. There are articles by experienced school/youth
theatre practitioners, offering practical help and a wealth of experience.
Considering a particular play and wondering what the problems are? Take a look
at the Reviews page. If you can't find what you want, ask them and they will
do their best to provide it.
, Education Officer,
Arts Council of England: