Wild, Wonderful, Wacky and Wuseful Wikis

WIKIS are an inspiration. I would use my wiki to help me gather all kinds of information to create a curriculum for teaching a filmmaking class to high school students. I would use the wiki to help me plan the class and to gather as many web sources for material as I could find. Since we don’t have a textbook, it would be as if we were creating our own textbook as we learned. The wiki would be an interactive tool for my students and I to figure out what we wanted to learn and where the sources of that information are.

I would use my students as a co-creator of the site. We would start with the AFI list of the 100 greatest films of all time (AFI.com) and have my students pick one film from each category. As my students did their work on this project, I would have them add that content to the wiki, as well as links to where they got their information. I think this would be an active lesson not only in filmmaking but how to use sources without plagiarizing.

I would also have the students use websites and other internet sources to learn about the camera and editing software we have. One of the first projects would be to film an instructional video about our equipment. When another member of the faculty or other students wanted to use the equipment we’d be able to give them the video to learn from. I think this would be a great example of learning by teaching others. Also in creating this film everyone would learn the camera and the software backwards and forwards.

I would also try to draw from existing lesson plans online and be open with my students where those ideas came from. The great hope would be that they would continue to draw from these websites to learn from lesson plans we would not be using. Perhaps I could even use their input on what they learned form other lesson plans to start to create an advanced filmmaking course.

We would continue to add the films we made to the wiki and the site could serve as a showplace for students work. We could also create a blog that would have the same films. But the films on the wiki become an ever increasing library for future students of the class to draw from.

We could also use the wiki to pull together and update information about film contests and film festivals that we could enter our work in. I think all of these uses would increase student interest in the wiki and create an incentive to create great content.

In teaching Drama, I can see two Instructional models that seem to be useful. The first is the Constructivist theory by J. Bruner. This theory makes use of learning by discovery which is the very basis of learning to act. You must discover what characteristics of your own personality. emotional history, relationships and experiences are similar to the character and where do you differ. Bruner’s method is described as: “inquiry-based, constructivist learning theory that takes place in problem solving situations where the learner draws on his or her own past experience and existing knowledge to discover facts and relationships and new truths to be learned”. The problem to be solved is how do I create this character into a living person?

The second method of Instructional Design that seems appropriate to me is John B. Black and Robert O. McClintock, with their methodology of Observation, Contextualization, Cognitive Apprenticeship, Collaboration, Interpretive Construction, Multiple Interpretations, and Multiple Manifestations. The very essence of Drama is Collaboration and Interpretation.

Both of these models center on the use of experience as a component of the learning. That is in essence what a rehearsal is. You continuously re-experience the material adding layers of interpretation. The teacher is the facilitator to the student’s learning by asking questions, pointing out results and encouraging discovery and exploration.

Some parts of the Black and McClintock model would be most useful for studying text of plays that are not going to be produced as a public performance. It is very important to not encourage young actors to imitate the performances of other actors. Whereas the Bruner model, would be more helpful in studying acting in terms of forming an interpretation that is solely personal., which is the goal of an actor creating a role in a production.

The learners I often deal with are a diverse group. They range from the extremely interested and motivated to the captured non-student. What is remarkable about their diversity is they all have creative skills which can be tapped into. Many of my students come from stressed financial situations and have had few opportunities to see or be in plays. The great common denominator is that they have all seen movies and television. Many of my students are motivated to pass the class, some are motivated to learn the craft and still others are in the class because they have to be. The last group needs to be motivated through their innate creativity and desire for play. One of the most difficult societal factors to overcome is the perception that drama is “gay”. This label inhibits many learners and limits enthusiasm to within the classroom walls.

drama in education blog

drama in education blog

My Teaching Philosophy

I have only been a teacher for two years and it was not an intended career change. I was at a crossroads in my life and looking for a break from Los Angeles. I came to Chino Valley to stay with friends for six months and write. Shortly thereafter I found out that the school needed a Drama teacher and if they didn’t find one the kids would have a substitute all year. This was a week before school started. I interviewed on Wednesday and was a teacher on Monday with an emergency certificate. At that point I had never taken an education class or been in a class room except as a student. It was a very steep learning curve.

I think my teaching philosophy changes constantly. At first I didn’t have one. It was get through the day, one thing at a time, hardly a philosophy. Then I took a few education courses and found out there was such a thing as a teaching philosophy.

I found that other people were quick to tell me what my philosophy should be and it was always a copy of their own. Plenty of “get tough” and “high standards” and “class room management”. It felt like us vs. them. I tried to do some of these things and I always failed miserably. Mostly it turned my students away and I lost ground rather than gained it.

About a month ago I participated in a group learning experience called “Challenge Day”. It changed what I thought about teaching completely. I now see my role as a teacher is one of compassion and love. Yes, I have subject matter to teach but I also have human being training to do. My students need to be listened to, validated, and trusted to be a partner in learning. Without these things I am simply trying to push them through a curriculum that they either came in interested in or not and not much of what I do will change that. They can tell when a teacher is present with them or trying to get through the class. They can tell when a teacher feels superior or doesn’t respect them. They can tell when a teacher sees them as unique human beings and when they don’t. Without that human to human contact and care, the facts go in the short term memory and right out again.

When I'm hooked, I'm hooked.

Thanks for the new addiction. Went to bed at 1:00am (after 7 hours on the computer) and back at it at 7:00 am. This stuff is incredible!

All right, when I'm wrong I am wrong. I really do need to learn to type! Who knew it was going to be this important when I was staring out the window day dreaming?
Does anyone know how to add the missing people's names on the blog list? I have one name twice and not 24 names. Yikes!

Has anyone checked out my video. It was made by my students and won Honorable mention in a international video contest about character traits. I think they did a great job (and in only a week ).

I need a blog like a hole in the head

I really don't like to type that much, so the last thing I need is to be typing a blog. Besides, who in their right mind would read this crap.