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$500 available to help teachers attend Drama NZ conference

Did you know that Drama NZ is offering two $500 scholarships to support teachers to attend conference this year? One scholarship is for a beginning teacher, the other is for a teacher from a rural school. The $500 will go a long way towards covering fees and accommodation.  Interested? Check out the drama NZ website for more information or email  dnzconference2013@gmail.com

Te Kore – Drama NZ’s national conference for 2013 will be held at Waikato University 26-28 April. The conference suits primary, intermediate and secondary teachers and a number of presentations and workshops will be specifically devoted to Mantle of the Expert.

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Article in SET (Research information for Teachers)

Check out the latest copy of SET (NZCER’s research journal for teachers) – it is in most school staffrooms – as it features an article all about Mantle of the Expert! The article was written by Deb F, Viv F, Graham P and Barb W and talks about how MOTE was used in three primary classrooms. We have already had some interested responses from teachers who have read the article and want to know more!

The whole journal is well worth a read. It is devoted to inquiry and integration.

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A new way to think about empathy

Another stimulating offering from TED talks.

This one is given by Simon Baron Cohen – renowned developmental physchologist from Cambridge university. The video is not about drama per se. Rather, Baron Cohen gives us useful new way of thinking about how empathy works. I particularly enjoyed his distinction between cognitve and affective forms of empathy. You will end up quoting this one in the staffroom. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXcU8x_xK18 

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Mantle plan for year ones

A lovely plan here as prepared and taught by Rebekah Whyte from Tauranga

“Flicker the Penguin” was a Mantle of the Expert unit inspired by the Rena disaster. Children in Rebekah’s year 0-1 new entrant class learned about the impact of the disaster (which happened on their local beach) through their role as animal rescuers.

This was Rebekah’s first attempt at a Mantle of the Expert Unit. She plans and reflects in such detail, this document is a great read.  After you have read and enjoyed it – watch this space! The children in the class also developed a documentary movie (to be uploaded later). Many thanks Rebekah for sharing this with us …

Rena Science SocialSci MotE

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A video to rekindle your passion for teaching in 2013…?

Happy new year to all subscribers to the MOTE Aoteoroa website. There are now 80+ of us! Here’s a video to kick off the new year.

In this extract from a presentation given at the Dalai Lama’s Centre for Education, Ken Robinson is his usual brilliant self as he presents his core argument in favour of education for feeling and empathy. As he says, “Empathy and imagination are the things that make us human”. For those of us heading back to work this week Robinson’s words are a crucial reminder of the real reason we do what we do …. watch this and be re-inspired for 2013

CLICK HERE for the video

At the end of the address there is the option to click on a link and watch the whole talk – well worthwhile.

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Video from Peter O’Connor on Charter Schools

Check out this You Tube video from Peter O’Connor, which gives a very credible and well informed critique of Charter Schools in NZ. One to watch if you want to get yourself informed on this issue.

“The dominant special character of such schools tends to be one of business entrepreneurship”

Is this what we want?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9XNG-S7uFQ 

Request for research participant in Mantle of the Expert

Here’s a message on behalf of Auckland-based PhD student Claire Coleman. Claire is looking for someone (preferably local to her) whom she can observe teaching in Mantle as part of her PhD research. My understanding is that she would prefer a primary setting, where the teaching is fully cross-curricular, but a focussed secondary mantle would also be of interest. Please read through and contact her if you are interested.

Isn’t it GREAT to see the interest in Mantle building at postgrad research level?

Claire’s message follows:

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Hi

I am currently in the second year of my PhD entitled Dancing through the fourth wall which aims to explore the question: How can the philosophical underpinnings of process drama and critical pedagogy explicitly interrelate, and what tensions and opportunities are offered when they dance together?

This research will explore the underlying principles of critical pedagogy and process drama and the interplay between these two frameworks. As part of the research I am conducting three separate case studies that will work together to form one cumulative case study. For the second case study I want to observe someone using Mantle of the Expert (MOTE). I am interested in how Mantle – as a popular and established form of process drama may incorporate or contrast with the principles of critical pedagogy.

I am looking therefore for a teacher who uses MOTE quite confidently and who would be happy to have me in the classroom with them while they work. Ideally I would like to observe a complete Mantle in action and have the opportunity to interview both the teacher and students. I am also keen to complete this phase of my research in the first half of next year hopefully sometime after Easter. I believe participating in this research may help deepen understandings about the potential for process drama and create an opportunity for further reflection on the use of Mantle of the Expert. I am based in Auckland and as I have a eight month old would prefer to observe someone locally but am happy to consider travel if necessary.

If you think you may be interested in participating in this research please contact:

Claire Coleman

c.coleman@auckland.ac.nz

0220873116

PhD Student

Critical Studies in Education

University of Auckland

 

Thank you for considering this request and I look forward to hearing from you

Warmest regards

Claire Coleman

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Call for papers and presenters – Drama NZ conference 2013

Check out the attached flyer which invites expressions of interest in presenting at the Drama NZ conference, which will be held in April 2013 at the University of Waikato.

This would be a great opportunity for teachers who have worked in Mantle of the Expert to share their discoveries, challenges, tips and so on. It is hoped there will be a strong ‘thread’ of Mantle of the Expert related presentations at this event…. So a good one to enrol on as a delegate too…!)

CALL FOR PAPERS TE KORE DNZ 2013

 

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Mantle cluster meeting postponed

Hi all

The next Waikato branch cluster meeting, which was scheduled for this coming Thursday 15th November has been postponed. Watch this space for future announcements on an alternative date.

Also coming soon – further information about the Drama NZ conference 2013 – a professional development opportunity for teachers which includes a range of workshops and presentations on Mantle of the Expert. The conference will take place 26th – 28th April at the University of Waikato. More soon.

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Lecture on Metaxis

Here’s an odd one….. A professorial lecture on Metaxis which is delivered in real world AND second life at the same time.

I find it fascinating as the speaker Liz Falconer theorizes online learning and learning in general using just the same theoretical constructs as we use in drama research. An interesting moment when she asks members of BOTH audiences how “present” they feel in their learning.

Mantle of the Expert: an embodied form of second life?

http://www.uwe.ac.uk/eic/lecture.shtml