1. Theatre in Education (T.I.E.)

2. Lesson Objectives By the end of the lesson pupils will be able to:
Discuss the main aims of T.I.E
Explore a theme using explorative strategies
Today we will be working between Wildern levels 4 and 6

3. What transferable skills will I use during this unit?
Independent enquiry
You will have to research a topic of your choice to base your piece of drama on
Creative thinking
You will respond to Brechtian theatre techniques and creatively incorporate them into your drama
Team work
You will work co-operatively as a group to produce a class production and produce your own piece of T.I.E. on a topic of your choice
Self management
You will be expected to work to strict deadlines and negotiate your own roles within your production
Effective participation
You will discuss a variety of social issues and create a piece of theatre based on an issue that you feel strongly about
Reflective learning
At regular intervals you will be given the opportunity to evaluate your work and that of others, with a view to making improvements to your piece

4. What is Theatre in Education?
Theatre in Education aims to use theatre as an educational tool
Production companies create plays to take to schools and colleges with specific educational aims
When the audience finishes watching a piece of T.I.E. they should have either learnt something new or increased their understanding of a subject

5. Your challenge!
Over the next few weeks it will be your task to create a piece of Theatre in Education that would be suitable for a year 7 audience

6. What kind of subjects does T.I.E. address?
T.I.E. usually addresses social issues and the possibilities are endless! If you think that your audience needs to know more about a subject then it is a suitable topic. However….
Theatre in Education would NEVER seek to promote unsuitable topic e.g. it would never make drug taking look cool or encourage bullying or gang culture
This project will require you to take a mature approach to some serious issues

7. Relationship problems
Some suggestions?
Eating disorders
Coping with change
Under age drinking
Money management
Dental hygiene
Gun crime
Bullying
Racism
Drug abuse
Growing up
Relationship problems
Scientific advances

8. The devising process
It can often be daunting to begin the devising process
During today’s lessons we are going to look at how explorative strategies can help to kick start your work
We will be looking at the theme of the move from Primary to Secondary school using still images, thought tracking and hot seating

9. Q: What makes a still image effective?
Still images
Q: What is a still image?
Q: What makes a still image effective?
In groups of 4/5 you have 5 minutes to create the following 3 still images:
Older pupils bullying a yr 7
Friendship issues such as falling out with a best friend or having no one to hang around with
A lesson with a notoriously nasty teacher

10. Thought tracking Q: What is a thought track?
Q: What makes an effective thought track?
Working in the same groups thought track your best still image
Remember a thought track tells the audience something they cannot tell from simply looking at the image
Each character must perform a thought track

11. Hot Seating Q: What is hot seating?
Q: How can it help us to create a play?
Hot seating relies on “Walking the walk and talking the talk” this means that from the moment you are being questioned you remain in character!
Let’s see some examples!
Back to your groups. Each person should be questioned in character about their point of view on the scene

12. A: Still image/tableau, thought tracking & hot seating
Plenary
Q: What exploratory drama techniques have we used today?
A: Still image/tableau, thought tracking & hot seating
Q: How have they helped in the creation of a piece of drama?
A: Given ideas about how to start the devising process, helped to create a starting scenario, helped to develop characters
Q: What is the main aim of t.i.e?
A: To educate the audience!
Q: what level do you think you were working at today?
Level 4 = appropriate, Level 5 = creative, Level 6 = excellent

13. How do I decide what to base my work on?
Most importantly you need to pick a subject that interests you because it is what you will be looking at and researching until the end of the term!
You must also make sure that it is a suitable topic for your target audience e.g. it would not necessarily be suitable to show a yr 7 audience a T.I.E. play about the pressures of GCSE exams or a yr 11 audience a play about the move from Primary to Secondary school!