This week, Years 8 and 9 drama classes have been involved in workshops delivered by two well-renown drama practitioners Iona and Brian. Both were trained by Dorothy Heathcote, who is regarded the world’s leading authority on Drama in Education.
Process drama is an educational approach that uses imaginary contexts to generate purposeful and engaging activities for learning, shaped by the pupils’ choices and ideas. Teachers and pupils are present both inside and outside the story that they are creating within the dramatic context, stepping in and out of role as they collaborate together. Delivered in OSH on 6 November, practitioners Brian and Iona’s workshops presented students with various historical scenarios, both real and fictional, to encourage thought-provoking conversation and inspired learning.
First up, Year 8 groups engaged in creating and inventing a community who lived on a mountain and identified key differences between village life 1000 years ago and modern society. Students were presented with scenarios depicting the self-sufficiency of living off the land, bartering at market, and investigating who stole four of their cows were among events that occurred. Each event led to conundrums and debate, such as deciding on how to deal with the thief and the ethical questions that raised for the group.
The stakes were raised when they realised that the Normans were coming! They pictured what they had heard and were able to conjure imagines of a fierce people strongly confident on horseback protected by shields and brandishing weapons coming towards their quiet village. The class were divided in their view of how they would deal with such an invasion.
Workshop leaders Brian and Iona facilitated five possible options: should we negotiate with the Normans; flee and hide; attack; defend; or surrender? A very animated debate indeed!
Each group justified their position and we related this context to what is happening in the world today for example in Ukraine and in Gaza with some very interesting points of reflection.
After break, 9P drama class thoroughly enjoyed their drama workshop with our visiting practitioners, focusing on Shakespeare’s Macbeth. They explored what makes a good king as well as examining key extracts from the text about Macbeth’s bravery in battle in the beginning of the play. With dramatic enquiry they imagined why Duncan had been chosen as King of Scotland. They contrasted some of the qualities of Macbeth’s heroic deeds with those of traitors during an invasion. Working through the play they also drew various conclusions as to the thoughts and actions of each character, and how those views relate to society today. The session ended with considered the tragedy of the noble Macbeth descending into betrayal.
