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MAIN GOAL
ISTA’s main goal for this day is an integration of theatre skills and techniques that will be useful for non-drama teachers and drama teachers alike. Workshop sessions are structured to be accessible to a wide variety of teachers to provide a comprehensive development of skills and techniques that educators can use in their own classrooms right away. Sessions will use an “Explore it Monday, use it Tuesday” strategy for a wide audience of age ranges spanning across primary, middle school and high school.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHOICE
The day is structured to provide educators with choice in their learning. Each workshop (either the 2-hour Creative Exploration session, or the 1-hour Special Interest Workshops) will be selected by participants upon registration in advance of the Professional Development day. There will be a maximum number of 25 guests per workshop and registration will be on a first-in, first-choice basis.
WORKSHOPS
WORKSHOP 1
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INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO PRESENTING LEARNING
1-HOUR SPECIAL INTEREST
Bored of thought showers, mindmaps and tableaux? Explore the use of walls of confidence, lotus charts, circle flips and sign ups as alternatives to age-old teaching strategies. These innovative and creative approaches, adapted from contemporary theatre practice, utilise simple and easy to set up exercises to give space for each learner to share their ideas and develop their responses. A great way to explore concepts and areas of the curriculum. These strategies can also be used to stage the learning, making process theatrical, as well as being powerful devices for devising new pieces of theatre.
FOR: Theatre and non-theatre teachers
AGE RANGE: Upper primary, Middle school, high school
1-HOUR SPECIAL INTEREST
We reflect in order to learn and we learn by reflecting. Reflection is the bridge between internal and external experiences that leads to deep learning and is a key skill for learning and required by many curricular programmes. But are we clear what exactly we mean by reflection? Is this key skill ever taught? This workshop will present the different modes of reflection and introduce participants from all subject areas to practical, creative strategies and approaches that encourage reflection and make it fun and meaningful.
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FOR: Theatre and non-theatre teachers
AGE RANGE: Upper primary, Middle school, high school
WORKSHOP 2
THE ART OF REFLECTION
This workshop uses approaches to contemporary theatre to take participants through a step by step process of creating and presenting a piece of relevant, immersive, site specific theatre for an audience of one. A great process for exploring and developing narrative and character, writing monologue and exploring different spaces and places. Create, write and perform an original and innovative piece of theatre. Learn different ways of engaging an audience both through writing and performance. This is also an effective approach for students who are not confident with performance. Powerful, intimate, innovative and a great introduction to contemporary theatre making, performance and playwriting.
FOR: Theatre and non-theatre teachers
AGE RANGE: Upper primary, Middle school, high school
2-HOUR CREATIVE EXPLORATION
WORKSHOP 3
ONE TO ONE IMMERSIVE THEATRE: A STEP BY STEP GUIDE
WORKSHOP 1
MAKING CONNECTIONS THROUGH IMMERSIVE LEARNING
This workshop will explore how using drama techniques can immerse students in an imagined community where they are faced with difficult moral, social and environmental choices which are very much a part of our changing world. We will explore how powerful and meaningful connected learning can develop within the realm of imagined worlds and the strategies for translating the techniques demonstrated into any context, making it accessible and possible in any classroom.
FOR: Theatre and non-theatre teachers
AGE RANGE: Upper primary, Middle school, high school
2-HOUR CREATIVE EXPLORATION
1-HOUR SPECIAL INTEREST
Words, in their text form, appear on the pages of a script often exclusively for they eyes of the performers. But what happens when we take the text and make it a visual part of the performance? This workshop will explore taking words and images to create a new performance language.
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FOR: Theatre and non-theatre teachers
AGE RANGE: Upper primary, Middle school, high school
WORKSHOP 2
NEW LANGUAGES
WORKSHOP 3
CREATING EXPLORATIVE SPACES
1-HOUR SPECIAL INTEREST
Role play areas within education are often only used within the early years of education, but the power of play and the magic of immersion into an exciting space can enhance learning across the curriculum. This workshop will allow you to build, explore and experience the transformation of a new space whilst illustrating the links to learning for all ages.
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FOR: Theatre and non-theatre teachers
AGE RANGE: Upper primary, Middle school, high school
WORKSHOP 1
QUICK AND EASY FULL BODY PUPPETS
In just a few fun filled minutes create a full body emotional strolling puppet. Practice bringing it to life while playing and exploring its theatrical uses. Using a few simple items from around your home, your students can easily make walk-around characters perfect for the classroom or the stage. ​
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FOR: Theatre and non-theatre teachers
AGE RANGE: Primary, Middle school, high school
1-HOUR SPECIAL INTEREST
Trash is turned into treasure as we recycle and turn everyday throw-away objects into modified Bunraku puppets. Develop your team building skills as three puppeteers breathe life into one awesome puppet inspired by the traditions of the great Japanese puppet masters. Bunraku is teamwork!
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FOR: Theatre and non-theatre teachers
AGE RANGE: Middle school, high school
WORKSHOP 2
IS THAT RUBBISH OR BUNRAKU?
1-HOUR SPECIAL INTEREST
WORKSHOP 3
ACTION FIGURES TAKE ACTION
Dig to the bottom of your old toy box and find your favorite plastic action figure. Add in a few tricks to create astounding shadow puppetry that will bring stories to life right before your eyes. Learn a simple technique of manipulating light to create shadow illusions that will amaze and inspire your audience to create their very own.
FOR: Theatre and non-theatre teachers
AGE RANGE: Middle school, high school
1-HOUR SPECIAL INTEREST
WORKSHOP 4
LIVING IN A SHADOWY WORLD
Adding the human form alongside shadow puppetry allows for limitless opportunities to create dramatic play and engaging imagery. When your show budget doesn’t allow for Lions, Tigers and Bears try shadow puppetry to take the theatrical experience further.
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FOR: Theatre and non-theatre teachers
AGE RANGE: Upper primary, Middle school, high school
1-HOUR SPECIAL INTEREST
WORKSHOP 1
ABRACADABRA
Good storytelling dances between the known and unknown, walking a tightrope between the present moment and rehearsed forms. An improvisation workshop for storytellers to make the most of the magic moments that lie in wait beyond the text/script or curricular subject matter.
FOR: Theatre and non-theatre teachers
AGE RANGE: Middle school, high school
1-HOUR SPECIAL INTEREST
Utilising the power and richness of language and story to animate the world around us, we will explore the relationship between stories, storytelling and the natural world….and the role the storyteller has to play in ‘enchanting’ the world.
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FOR: Theatre and non-theatre teachers
AGE RANGE: Upper primary, Middle school, high school
WORKSHOP 2
TONGUES IN TREES
1-HOUR SPECIAL INTEREST
WORKSHOP 3
METHODS AND MECHANICS
Methods of learning, remembering and working with stories. Devices and techniques that develop our capacity and inspiration for the mechanics of making good stories to tell. Rhythm and movement feature in the business of telling good stories.
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FOR: Theatre and non-theatre teachers
AGE RANGE: Middle school, high school
1-HOUR SPECIAL INTEREST
WORKSHOP 4
WEFT, WEAVE AND WAFFLE
An introduction to some of the essential building blocks that are foundational to the craft of storytelling. Making these conscious will support the practice of telling stories in whatever form.
FOR: Theatre and non-theatre teachers
AGE RANGE: Upper primary, Middle school, high school