10 Drama for Kids (Continued)
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| We built a totem pole out of boxes and cylinder objects found in any pantry or bathroom |
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We spent afternoons dancing around our totem pole |
Drama is a popular thing to do since basically everyone loves to show off, but it is one of the hardest to teach because it is not a subject with a structure where you can follow the steps. However, drama is a perfect subject to blend with all the other arts- thus when teaching drama you are also teaching art and crafts, singing, poetry, dance, speech, writing and music in all its forms- hence, one project can go on for weeks without feeling the enthusiasm sag.
Of course there are a number of do-it-yourself books on the subject but one of the things which I learnt very early on in my teaching career was that one should not make life difficult for oneself and stick to simple things. One of the simplest things I did in drama was on teaching practise where I got the whole class involved in writing poetry (I may do an entry just on that sometime) which sprang from Longfellow’s rhythmic, wavy, life of the American Indian “Hiawatha”.
In art and crafts we built a totem pole made of boxes and cylinder objects found in any home pantry or bathroom, squaws skirts and headbands from used party streamers and the like.
During this period we collected all kinds of containers (with the exception of glass for obvious reasons) which were sturdy and could be firmly closed.
These in turn were filled with small tinkling objects of any kind from buttons off mum’s cardigan to the gravel stones in the playground since these would then be transformed into musical instruments- And kids simply love these tins and plastic jars to shake about to their hearts content.
Our afternoons were spent dancing and clapping around our totem pole to the rhythm the rest of the class provided from the ‘drums’ and shakers we had made. The above sentence written as it is, makes it sound simple but there’s quite a bit of hard work and organization behind it all.
For one thing the class must agree what kind of beat to follow and without having to place too many restrictions, work out who should shake what and when and how- that in itself is a piece of dramatic art!
Of course there are a number of do-it-yourself books on the subject but one of the things which I learnt very early on in my teaching career was that one should not make life difficult for oneself and stick to simple things. One of the simplest things I did in drama was on teaching practise where I got the whole class involved in writing poetry (I may do an entry just on that sometime) which sprang from Longfellow’s rhythmic, wavy, life of the American Indian “Hiawatha”.
In art and crafts we built a totem pole made of boxes and cylinder objects found in any home pantry or bathroom, squaws skirts and headbands from used party streamers and the like.
During this period we collected all kinds of containers (with the exception of glass for obvious reasons) which were sturdy and could be firmly closed.
These in turn were filled with small tinkling objects of any kind from buttons off mum’s cardigan to the gravel stones in the playground since these would then be transformed into musical instruments- And kids simply love these tins and plastic jars to shake about to their hearts content.
Our afternoons were spent dancing and clapping around our totem pole to the rhythm the rest of the class provided from the ‘drums’ and shakers we had made. The above sentence written as it is, makes it sound simple but there’s quite a bit of hard work and organization behind it all.
For one thing the class must agree what kind of beat to follow and without having to place too many restrictions, work out who should shake what and when and how- that in itself is a piece of dramatic art!
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By Eva Ulian: Impressionist Painter- Writer
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