Teaching Television: Reflections on a new curriculum: Recent Comments

Comment on Routines and Ending the Script

graham — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 03:38:22 GMT

I think the practice of routines is great with young folks. They live in routines for 8+ hours a day at school, and it's wise to tap into that conditioning.

By the same token, what you are doing is more creative and free, and, I assume, more participatory, than a usual classroom, so you are right to transition them from one routine into another with a deliberate choice of activity.

Comment on Acting Out the Scenes

graham — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 03:22:31 GMT

You realize, don't you, that these kids will never be the same? They'll never forget how much fun they had, and they'll want to do this kind of stuff in all their classes! Good for you for being so supportive!

Comment on Change of Plans

graham — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 02:01:33 GMT

UGH. That's really awful. To some extent it makes you have to understand and command your material even better, such that it can be adapted to this very different audience. But it also speaks to that school's dedication to improving their classrooms through the arts. I'd be very curious to know where you place the culpability here - was it Inner City Arts' failure to convince the school of the merit of your work, or the school's fault for not adequately preparing for your involvement? Is there anything to learn from this, that it might not be repeated? I can't tell you how many times peers of mine have complained of similar happenings.

Comment on Adding New Activities?

graham — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 01:12:22 GMT

I find a lesson or a program really improves the more you do it - there are intricacies and opportunities for depth that won't present themselves until you taken a lesson out on the road, so to speak. Chris Vine and Russel Grannet used to talk about how they'd use a lesson and then practice how to get it right the next time, and keep improving with every iteration. I guess my point in all that is that you're trying something new, so don't put too much pressure on yourself for it to be a masterpiece the very first time.

Comment on Coming up with the Overall Structure

graham — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 01:00:44 GMT

Wow is right, blue danube. This does seem very ambitious, but I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt, Kristy, and read this as an open-minded brainstorming more than a concrete plan.

As far as reflecting goes, I'm pretty bad about that myself. But I find that if I don't, I keep making the same mistakes in my sessions. It's the fear of screwing up that keeps me active in my reflection!

Comment on Creating the First Lesson

graham — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 00:45:56 GMT

Yeah, I, too, would be very curious to know more about your selection of format. I'll agree that the blog is much more accessible, but your log, as I understand it, is your data - all of it, as the material and substance from which your conclusions can then be reasoned. I just got linked to this, so I'll assume the proof is in the later entries' pudding, but will this blog be substantive enough to allow for your conclusions to be strongly defended?

Comment on Am I Teaching Anything?

anon — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 00:01:40 GMT

OK...maybe i skipped around in reading the progression of this project too much but what is it exactly that you're trying to get the students to "learn"? And in answer to you question NO...you are not teaching anything. If you're doing this process in a real and authentic way you are as Freire would say..."facilitatiing the learning process" which really is the whole point in process drama is it not? So what becomes most important here is not if you're teaching anything or not but how you're facilitating the process and WHAT the students are getting out of it. So what are/have they gotten out of this. It seems to me that they are doing some amazing work for their age and i for one applaud your courage in taking on this kind of project with a group of students this age.

However...i'm still more interested in maybe what didn't work as well as what did work and how you delt with your struggles throught the process. I find that this is where the real jewels of knowlege are.

Comment on How to End It?

anon — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 23:53:11 GMT

Yes...how to end the experienc???? I feel that is an extremely important question that i wish more researchers and practationers would discuss. As a teaching artist one of the things i struggle with most (no matter if the arts experience was stellar or in the cellar) is how to bring it to a close. Especially for youth of this age level I feel strongly that there needs to be some type of cremony or celebration. And that the youth need to know this in advance so they don't feel abandoned by the process and they have an opprotunity to morn (for lack of a better term) the end of something they've been working on for however many weeks. I can't wait to see how it all turns out and what the students evaluations of this expereience are.

Comment on Creating the First Lesson

anon — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 23:47:03 GMT

I agree with blue...i'm glad you're not using a more "formal" log style. Yes as far as research and accademia go the formal approach is usually the more accepted, however my issue with formal is that it very often fails to give a true picture of what is happening. By being very transparent in her approach this researcher appears to be asking real questions about the process and seeking to LEARN from it. I for one applaude this and wish more people in accademia would take on this approach instead of talking down to people who are out there in the field doing the work that they philosophize about.

Comment on READ THIS ENTRY FIRST

blue danube — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 07:27:14 GMT

This was just fantastic! What a great way to tell your story! I think a lot of young teachers are afraid to try things like this, and you go right ahead and address those problems here. What a great thing to have shown the public! I'll be showing this to friends! Thanks for the great read!