Campaign update - June 2007
At every stage of the Campaign we are trying to involve representatives from both theatre and education to build a firm relationship and understanding on which to base our proposals.
Continuing Professional Development
We held a meeting in January to discuss examples of good practice and how this can be supported and developed.
Drawn from schools, universities, local authorities, the arts and educational agencies, this group has formed a Consultative Forum for the Campaign. They group met again in April to look at ways of modelling good practice and sharing ideas through use of RSC resources.
Initial Teacher Education
Also in January we set up the partnership between the RSC and ITE providers from a range of universities. We are now working towards a June conference for the first pilot group of trainee teachers. We will continue to support this group as they start their careers and hope to spread this initiative more widely in the future.
Assessment
A working party including representatives from theatres, schools, councils and NATE met over a working weekend to consider the current forms of assessment and their impact on the way Shakespeare is taught. The QCA and National Assessment Agency also took part. Following this, the RSC is exploring alternative ways of assessing Shakespeare, with a view to making recommendations to the QCA later in the year.
Teachers' Conference
In February we held a conference for teachers to share theatre-based approaches to the teaching of Shakespeare. The day began with Michael Wood as keynote speaker and then included a carousel of active workshops covering a range of texts and all Key Stages. Here are some comments from the teachers attending:
"Get active - get the children 'doing'..."
"Acting it out yourself helps a lot."
"Enjoy it - if you don't, no-one else will!"
"These ideas could be used with many other texts..."
"I will apply organic and kinaesthetic approaches ... as an approach to teaching poetry and creative writing."
And what teachers said they would like to change:
"There is too much focus on written assessment of Shakespeare... it should be assessed as a drama piece."
"There should be assessment by teachers of practical activity."
"Get in touch with exam boards to set interesting scenes for SATs."
"I'd like schools to be able to choose the text they study from a wider list."
If you're interested in participating in this kind of day please look at our Teachers' Courses.
Theatre Educators
Most recently, we have had an initial meeting with educators from other theatre companies – large and small - to explore our common aims in encouraging theatre-based approaches to Shakespeare.
Campaign update - January 2007
At the end of September 2006 the launch of the Campaign was marked by a symposium hosted by the RSC in the Swan Theatre. After a welcome from Michael Boyd, Libby Purves chaired a panel discussion with Phil Beadle, Maria Evans, Chuk Iwuji, Bethan Marshall, Susan Norman and Bruce Wall (see below for more about the speakers). Representatives from a wide range of organisations including TDA, QCA, Ofsted, schools, colleges, universities, drama schools, theatres, unions, associations and charitable trusts had a chance to share views. This was just the start of an on-going dialogue linking all those with an interest and expertise in the teaching of Shakespeare.
The Symposium Panel - who are they?
- Chair - Libby Purves - Radio 4 broadcaster, Times columnist and education writer
- Phil Beadle - Secondary Teacher of the Year 2004, featured on Channel 4's 'The Unteachables' series, also Guardian columnist
- Maria Evans - RSC Director of Learning
- Chuk Iwuji - member of current RSC acting ensemble, playing Henry VI
- Dr. Bethan Marshall - Senior Lecturer in English education, King's College London; has campaigned vigorously to change the way Shakespeare is assessed
- Susan Norman - Co-director of SEAL (Society for Effective Affective Learning) specialising in learning styles
- Dr. Bruce Wall - directs the London Shakespeare Workout and The Dream Factory, the first professional vocational arts training programme in a UK adult prison.
We will continue to update this page as the Campaign progresses.
