Drama Policy
St. Rynagh's Primary School
Introductory Statement and Rationale
(a) Introductory Statement
This plan was formulated by the Staff of St. Rynagh's Primary School.
(b) Rationale
While St. Rynagh's Primary School has always performed school
Plays for the public this plan is an effort to teach Drama along the
Lines laid out in the revised Curriculum.
Vision and Aims
Vision
We intend to teach and use Drama to help our pupils grow in Knowledge and understanding and encourage them to live a healthy, Responsible Christian life.
Aims
In line with the Drama Curriculum we aim to: -
Enable children to understand what Drama is.
Enable children to see the connection between make believe play and drama.
Enable children to enter physically, emotionally and intellectually into drama.
Enable children to feel empowered and challenged both emotionally and intellectually by Drama.
To enable the child to learn through drama how to engage well with peers in solving problems through drama and in drama.
To enable the child understand the parallels between modes of drama and their own play, thoughts and life.
To enable the child acquire a knowledge of drama through exploring themes and situations both past and present and in different curricular areas that are relevant to the child’s life.
To enable the child use their own developing knowledge of drama to explore life themes in drama literature both Irish and from the wider world.
To enable a set of criteria be formed in the child’s mind with which to evaluate any drama texts both performed and written that they meet at school and out of school.
Curriculum Planning
Strand
Drama is used to explore feelings, knowledge and ideas leading to an Understanding in line with the aims listed previously.
Infants
Strand Units
Exploring and making Drama through role play the child should: -
Develop the instinct to make drama from make believe play.
Each child should be able to play a given role.
See how props can help make the drama more real.
Understand how a previous experience or an anticipated experience influences the drama they are in now.
Understand how each action in the group must be part of the drama.
Develop an understanding of dramatic tension through dramatic situations.
Reflecting on Drama
The children should be challenged to specialise and reflect on decisive moments in the drama.
The children should be able to see how their life experience could change by how certain actors act in the drama.
Talk about how they felt during the drama and what they learned.
Cooperating and Communicating in Making Drama
The child should be able to shape a drama they are not acting in but are watching.
The child should be able to shape a drama they are acting in.
Further explanations are in the Curriculum pages 14 – 17.
First & Second Strand Units
Exploring and Making Drama
Starting with make believe the child should be challenged to enter fully into a dramatic scenario.
The child should understand how you act differently when dealing with different characters or playing a different role.
Use props, spaces of objects to create different scenes or contexts in the same drama.
Experience the present as being different depending on different past and future scenarios.
Develop the ability to keep the dramatic action going with new or greater actions to maintain focus.
Children should understand that tension is necessary to maintain interest in drama.
Reflecting on Drama
The child should be able to reflect on a particular action and create alternative scenarios.
The child should explore in drama the relationship between life experience story and them.
The child should learn from drama and be able to discuss what he/she learnt.
Cooperating and Communicating in Making Drama
The child should develop out of role the ability to affect the drama.
The child should develop in role the ability to affect the drama.
The child should interact and relate to other “cast members” in fictional relationships.
Plan a scene in a small group then act it for others.
These strand units are further explained in the Curriculum handbook Pages 20 – 23.
Third & Fourth Strand Units
Exploring and Making Drama
The children should get involved in drama with the same enthusiasm they apply to make believe.
The children should be able to stay in character or role in different situations.
The children should not only use props and room space to support drama but they should also use personal space and personal movement to support a scene.
Explore more deeply how present drama is influenced by the past and the future
Learn rules to help maintain focus in a drama.
Show how a new component can add tension or interest to a dramatic situation
Begin to use a script to inform a drama.
Reflecting on Drama
Reflect and judge a dramatic action and decide how to change the course of the action.
Learn through drama the relationship between story, theme and life experience.
Show how it is possible to gain insight into people and learn about life from drama.
Cooperating and Communicating in Making Drama
The child should develop out of role the ability with others to shape drama.
The child should develop in role the ability with others to shape the drama.
React as a character in a fictional situation with a fictional relationship.
Act out for the class a scene prepared in a small group or a role that has been prepared earlier.
Fifth & Sixth Strand Units
Exploring and Making Drama
The children should be able to enter into a fictional dramatic context given by the teacher.
The children should be able to play a role that comes from a brief given by the teacher or that comes from an individual or group plan.
The children should be able to organise and choose props appropriate to a scene.
The children should be able to act now in a certain manner that is dictated by past happenings and future events.
The children should understand the rules by which consistency in drama is realised in order to stay focused.
The children should understand that tension and suspense are not constant but must be used appropriately depending on the theme and the scene.
The children should be able to understand how a script becomes action.
The children should understand that there are different genres of drama i.e. comedy, tragedy, fantasy.
Reflecting on Drama
The children should be able to reflect on drama and examine outcomes of dramatic action, assess if they are credible and create alternative credible outcomes.
The children should learn through drama how life experience must be relevant in story and theme.
The children should be able to use insights gained from drama to speculate and assess life and people.
Cooperating and Communicating in Making Drama
The children should be able out of role as director or in role as actor be able to cooperate with others in shaping drama – no prima donnas!
The children should be able to relate in character fictionally with another fictional character.
The children should be able to act as a character in role for others in a new situation or act for others in roles prepared in a small group.
Approaches and Methodologies
In St. Rynagh's Primary School we have every two years held a school show involving drama. The school show by virtue of the time that preparation took dictated what drama was done that year. In order for our drama lessons to be dictated by our school plans we have dramatically changed the format of the show.
From 2010/2011 onwards there will be a concert. Each class will perform two items that are brief maximum of 10 minutes for both. These items will be sourced at the teachers discretion either from the music or drama curriculum. In order to affect these changes the concert/show will be staged at the end of the second term. This will help to create a different expectation in the school community.
Safe Environment
In order for the strand units listed previously each classroom must become a safe environment where children can feel comfortable getting fully involved. The class teacher should explain or agree with the class a set of parameters for the drama lessons involving a level of confidentiality where needed, i.e. they must know the drama is for their class alone at times.
Split Classes
In split classes drama should be pitched at a level that both classes can access.
Stimulus for Drama
The teachers will use the drama resources including props, the English and Irish language programmes, the S.P.H.E. and S.E.S.E. programmes as stimulus to kick-start drama.
Elements of Drama
The elements of drams are Belief, Role and Character Action, Place, Time, Tension Significance and Genre. These are explained below.
Appendix 1
Elements in Drama How the elements might look ….
Belief: How can the child be encouraged to enter into the drama with full belief? Evident in the child’s trust in and ease with make-believe play
Role and Character: How will the child move from role playing to entering into character? Taking on the characteristics, attributes and thought process of another person.
Action: What is happening in the drama? Action in drama comes from the interaction between characters and situations in which they find themselves in the drama
Place: Where is the action taking place? How is real place and space used to represent this?
Time: When is the action taking place? The fictional past and fictional future will have a bearing on the drama
Tension: How will tension drive forward the action of the drama? The characters will be faced with choices, desires and uncertainties. Such tension causes characters to make decisions and moves the drama forward
Significance: What is the relevance of the drama to the child’s life? In what way can the child relate to the drama?
Genre:
(Fifth & Sixth Classes only) Is the drama naturalistic, absurd, tragic, comic or
fantasy? Genre is the style of the drama
The teacher must use their skill as an educator to bring these elements to bear in drama. The successful development of these elements depends greatly on a safe environment and the stimulus for drama.
Reflections on Drama
Reflection on drama in all classes is best done orally initially. The children must be prompted to reflect by their teacher. Pictures can be drawn as a reflection and writing can be undertaken e.g. write a different ending, or is the drama credible?
But we must begin with discursive reflection to give children the language and analytical skills necessary for reflection.
Children with Different Needs
Children with emotional difficulties may have issues with some scenes and sensitivity must be shown at these times. However, if participating ground rules for drama and behaviour must also be respected.
Children with physical difficulties should be included as they should be in the real world.
Linkage & Integration
The stimulus for drama will often come from different subject areas already explained. This is necessary in order for the drama to have relevance and resonance.
Assessment
Our Cúntas Míosúil allows the assessment appropriate to the lesson. In drama assessment will stretch from teacher observation to work samples i.e. a small dramatic presentation to written reflections being assessed.
Community Links/Parents
It is our intention to put on a small show annually for parents, involving music and drama. Homework may also involve parents and performing for parents.
Birr Theatre put on Christmas Drama which is suitable for infants to 2nd class which we attend annually.
We also have a visiting Acting Troupe – Clan Cluana Theatre Company who will be putting on a show based on Irish Legends suitable for 3 – 6th classes each spring.
Teacher’s Planning & Reporting
Teacher’s schemes are to be done out and the Cúntas Míosúil will allow us assess our progress.
Time Table
Discrete time should be set aside for drama. As stated earlier integration with other subject areas is encouraged as a stimulus. However, the time still should be set aside for drama is one hour per week.
Staff Development
All staff development is encouraged in all areas of the curriculum.
Health & Safety
Any Health and Safety concerns should be addressed in our Health and Safety Policy for the school.
This plan was agreed at a Staff Meeting on 23rd Sept. 2010.
B.O.M. ratifications – B.O.M. 14th Oct. 2010
Appendix 1
Long Term Planning Themes
Appendix 2
Resources
One of our primary resources is the rest of the curriculum. In particular S.E.S.E., S.P.H.E. English and Irish provide great stimulus in beginning drama.
In the younger classes nursery rhymes with their familiar characters and plots provide a great stimulus. Fairy and folk tales provide a great follow up as resources also.
We have the following drama books in school:-
100 + Ideas for Drama
Another 100 + Ideas for Drama
Speaking, Listening and Drama
Plays for Christmas, Eight plays for boys, English Language Games, the Last of the Mohicans, A Feast of Young Drama for All Seasons, Parsley and the Herbs, Space Hostages, the Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, Treasure Island, The Touch of Gold, William Tell, The Three Trolls, A Bag Full of Plays, Dramaíocht as Gaeilge do Pháistí.
We have an extensive wardrobe of costumes under the following headings.
Festivals, Halloween, Christmas, Easter, St. Patrick’s day, Celtic Warriors –
Hats/scarves etc., Masks, Flags, Glasses and wigs, hand held props.
This policy was reviewed in 2021.
This Drama Policy is used in concert with the PLC Policies in St. Rynagh’s N.S.