Poetry and Drama

Poetry and Drama Angela Thomas

poetry is the dance of language

Best Practice (reading and interpreting poetry) A poem a day! Reading, performing, drama, roleplay Play with and deconstruct poems Setting poems to music Choosing images, including moving images, to match poems. Creating a short film, using a poem as a stimulus.

Best Practice Modelled reading of different poetry genres Scaffolded starting points Drama and role play – writing in role Play with words Anthologies

Best Practice Music as a starting point Poetry slams National poetry day festivals A strong writing culture in the school

I like the hidden meanings; you can bring your own meaning to the poem. Poems make you think more It’s like diving into a place you don’t know. You find out something different each time In a poem you can express emotions. You can’t do this in a story… You can confide in a poem, it relieves the stress. You are controlling the pen. You can make up your own rules… poetry’s not like normal writing. It’s like playing the piano

Make words work: make them tell the tale you want to tell.

Let them show you who you are and how you feel: use words well.

Move words around: make them step out, march, advance.

Feel the pulse of them, the sway, the spring: make words dance.

Make words sound: hear them loud and clear, listen to their ring.

Hear them hum to each other, catch their tunes, make words sing.

Dig with words: turn up meanings, rake over, hoe.

Uncover buried stories, incantations: make words grow.

Polish words now: make them glint and glimmer, cast a spell.

Ready? Take hold then and dazzle us: wear words well.

Jake Ousbey

Our roles in real life are learned socially or are imposed upon us. These can define and limit us, but in drama, we can lose these restrictions. Drama in Education

It is important for us to provide children the opportunities to go beyond themselves and see themselves in a variety of ways

The heart of drama is roleplay – it teaches us the possibilities of what we can be, and allows us to grow within a unique role

By assuming roles, we develop judgements, interpretations and values: what would it be like to be that character?

Roleplay allows opportunities to view situations or problems from various angles allowing one to pivot one’s mind to view the issue from myriad directions

Roleplay can provide a context which allows for the cognitive and creative freedoms associated with open-ended experimentation.

Through drama, we also develop a sophisticated understanding of the key elements of narrative, theatre and drama: unfolding action, focus, tension, contrasts, crises, symbolism, denouement

“ Becoming a character in a story is the ultimate narrative experience”

Marie-Laure Ryan

Teacher in role Still image Gossip circle . Directing Ritual Roleplay Decision alley Storytelling Drawing in role interviewing Forum theatre Whoosh Writing in role Scene scripting Story circle Soundscaping Phonecall . Mime Tap-in thoughts Street of Shame Suitcase Theatre