Introductory Statement and Rationale
(a) Introductory Statement
This plan was formulated by the staff of Wexford ETNS in conjunction with the National Curriculum 1999. It will be reviewed and updated as part of Croke Park hours. The ethos of our school and the needs of the children were factors which influenced our planning for Drama.
(b) Rationale
Drama is a subject of the 1999 Revised Primary School Curriculum. The teachers of Educate Together Wexford acknowledge the importance and benefits of classroom and process drama. This process includes the exploration of life through the creation of plot, theme, fiction and make-believe. The child’s whole personality is engaged in this subject. In this way drama can assist in the fulfilment of the child’s current cognitive, social, emotional and intellectual development.
Vision and Aims
(a) Vision
We seek to assist the children in our school in achieving their potential through the Educate Together National School’s motto, “Learn Together to Live Together”.
(b) Aims
We endorse the aims of the Primary School Curriculum for drama
Organisational Planning:
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11. Staff development 12. Parental involvement 13. Community links
1. Strand and strand units
The content is presented in one strand at each class level:
Strand: Drama to explore feelings, knowledge and ideas leading to understanding.
Within the strand there are three strand units: Strand Units:
Each drama lesson should include the eight elements of drama which are as follows:
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4. Linkage and integration
The contents of drama is life itself. It involves children’s experiences, concerns and needs, things they imagine or read about, aspects of life from the past, present and possible future that arouse their curiosity. It also includes aspects from other curriculum areas that the teacher may wish to explore. Drama can enhance a child’s learning experience by overcoming a particular learning or conceptual difficulty that the class, group or individual child may have. Each teacher should ensure that the quality of the drama is the first consideration when linked to other curricular areas.
5. Assessment and record keeping
Teachers assess the following in drama:
o Exploring and making drama – the extent to which the child enters into a role or a character and
develops it in the context of the action
o Reflecting on drama – the extent to which they use reflection to create alternative courses for the
action or the quality of the insights they gain from the drama experience
o Co-operating and communicating in making drama – the child’s ability to contribute to the shaping of
the drama, both in discussion about it and as the action takes place
Teacher observation is the primary method of assessment in drama. It is through continuous monitoring of the children’s engagement with drama that the teacher can plan the drama experiences that will develop pupils drama skills and concepts most effectively and maximise their learning through drama. Reflection is an essential part of the drama process during the activities themselves and through discussion after the activity has been completed. Work completed in drama is recorded in each teacher’s Cuntas Míosúil.
6. Equality of participation and access
As part of the Educate Together Ethos equal opportunity is provided for boys and girls to participate fully in drama activities. All children, regardless of ability are encouraged to take part in drama lessons. Where necessary, lessons are adapted for children with special educational needs, for example, use of turn taking.
Organisational Planning: 7. Timetable
As outlined by the revised curriculum teachers endeavour to teach drama in accordance with the curriculum guidelines for Arts Education (Music, Art, Drama).
Junior Cylce: 2 hours and 30 mins Senior Cycle: 3 hours
Teachers may use a block of time or a cross curricular approach to the teaching of Drama. Discretionary time is sometimes used for the teaching and learning of Drama.
8. Resources
The following resources are available for use in drama:
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10. Individual teachers’ planning and reporting
Planning:
There is an agreed framework for teacher’s planning and reporting. Teachers are required to plan for Drama on a long term and short term basis. All teachers use a similar planning template to ensure consistency throughout the school. Monthly plans are reviewed by the principal and are used to inform whole school planning and purchasing of resources.
Reporting:
A fortnightly report, Cuntas Míosúil will be used as a means of recording work completed. Annual parent teacher meetings are used to report progress to parents. The ncca template is used for reporting Drama results to parents at the end of the school year.
11. Staff development
The staff are given the opportunity for CPD in the area of Drama through In-Service and familiarisation with the drama curriculum. Notices of courses are displayed in the staff room and brought to the attention of staff at staff meetings and through our on-line management system.
Resources are kept in a central location for ease of access.
12. Parental involvement
As an Educate Together school we recognise and value parents as partners in education and as the primary educators of their children. Parents are involved in many ways in the school and in Drama.
• • •
Buí Bolg
Wexford Arts Centre Wexford Opera Festival
Success criteria
This plan will enhance the teaching and learning of drama in our school. It’s success will be evident from the following criteria:
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Implementation
(a) (a Roles and Responsibilities
The plan will be supported by all the stakeholders, staff, children, parents and school management.
(b) Timeframe
The plan is in place immediately following ratification from the Board of Management. It will be reviewed on a regular basis using Croke Park Hours.
Review
It will be necessary to review this plan on a regular basis to ensure optimum implementation of the drama curriculum.
(a) Roles and Responsibilities
All staff members, Board of Management, children and parents as appropriate.
(b) Timeframe
Reviewed on a bi-annual basis. Review 2015.
Ratification and Communication
The policy document will be brought to the Board Management for ratification. It will be published on our school management system for ease of access for teachers as well as in hard copy form in the school. It will also be published on our school website for parents.
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Reference Section
§ Primary School Curriculum: Drama (1999)
§ Primary School Curriculum. Your Child’s Learning: Guidelines for Parents (available on the NCCA
website www.ncca.ie)
§ The What, Why and How of children’s learning in primary school, NCCA (2006) Useful Websites
Primary Curriculum Support Programme |
www.pcsp.ie |
School Development Planning Support |
www.sdps.ie |
Irish National Teachers’ Organisation |
www.into.ie |
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment |
www.ncca.ie |
Other resources and websites are listed in the materials supplied to schools on the inservice day.
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 |
Is the drama naturalistic, absurd, tragic, comic or fantasy? Genre is the style of the drama |
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Infants – Sixth Strand
Strand Units
Drama to explore feelings, knowledge and ideas, leading to understanding
Prerequisites for making drama
Multi-denominational – children of all denominations and none are equally welcome into our school. Co-educational – Educate Together schools are open to girls and boys and gender stereotyping is addressed and challenged. Child-centred – this applies not only to teaching and learning within the classroom but to all decisions at staff and management level, which must have the well-being of the children at their heart. Democratically-run – parents are viewed as a positive resource for the school. Parental involvement is welcomed and encouraged, where appropriate.
Please see Wexford Educate Together Privacy Notice as ratified by the BOM in June 2018.
Privacy Notice Wexford Educate Together N.S.