Title

Mapping the adventure of Middle School Theatre: A guide to developing an international middle school theatre curriculum.

Workshop description

This step by step guide takes the teacher through the stages of building an authentic, creative and engaging 21st century middle school theatre programme. Using ISTA’s ensemble approach and pedagogy.

Target audience

Middle school theatre teachers from any programme or anyone interested in using theatre in their classroom.

Learning outcomes

To develop curriculum planning skills.
To understand the components of an international MS theatre course.
To examine the ensemble method and the role this plays in an international MS theatre programme.
To examine ISTA pedagogy and how this can be used to enhance an international MS theatre programme.
To examine the different roles theatre plays in an international school curriculum.
To consider the role MS theatre can play in the wider community.
To develop strategies for reflection and for the recording of process.
To develop authentic assessment tasks and criteria.
To become part of a network of MS theatre teachers and to share ideas and resources with other teachers.

How this workshop aids curriculum delivery

Curriculum planning aligned with and bespoke to school’s mission, values and community.
New pedagogical approaches to teaching theatre.
Making a programme authentically international.
Considering the role MS theatre can play in the wider community with connections to service learning.
Considering the development of creativity.
Exercises and approaches to reflection and recording the learning process.
Designing authentic assessment tasks.
Becoming part of an international network of MS Theatre teachers from around the world.

Session outline

#1: Introductions: developing an international MS course, ensemble and the ISTA pedagogy
This session examines the building blocks of an international middle school theatre curriculum and the role of the ensemble approach.
#2: Reflection, assessment for learning and capturing development
This session introduces strategies for creative reflection, ways of capturing process and approaches to developing authentic assessment tasks.
#3: Theatre as a tool of investigation: learning and teaching through theatre
This session introduces drama-in-education exercises and activities as well as practical approaches to using theatre as an investigative, cross-curricular tool to examine the world and develop conceptual understandings.
#4: Theatre making: creating original theatre with middle
school students
This session examines the development theatre making skills
with particular emphasis on originally created material that can
be used as a school production or in school gatherings such as
assemblies.
#5: Theatre studies: learning and teaching about theatre
This session examines the teaching of theatre as an art form as well as how to introduce styles, genres, traditions and practices from around the world into your course.
#6: Applied theatre: Theatre beyond the auditorium
This session looks at how theatre can be used in school and community settings as part of service learning or to raise consciousness of particular issues. This will also look at student voice and empowerment and how theatre can be used as a consultative tool.
#7: Approaches to planning a 5 year course and resource share
This session helps the teacher to consider their programme and how it can be developed or enhanced. Teachers share resources, approaches and activities.

About your workshop leader

Dinos Aristidou works as a curriculum consultant and teacher trainer for a variety of organisations helping teachers develop curriculum in a variety of settings and contexts. He is editor of ISTA’s forthcoming new book ‘The ISTA Method’ where he writes about curriculum design. He is a teacher trainer for InThinking and for IB Diploma Theatre. He is currently working with the IB as curriculum manager of the MYP review of the arts. He has worked extensively on the role of reflection at Middle and High School level and his ReflectiON cards are used by teachers around the world. As a dramaturg at the Mayflower Theatre Southampton and mentor to artists and teachers, he empowers participants to develop their ideas and programmes offering easy to use, effective strategies.