Classroom examples – Primary
Real in All the Ways that Matter: Weaving learning across the curriculum with Mantle of the Expert
This new book by Viv Aitken, is available from NZCER from 14th April 2021 Drawing on a decade of classroom practice, research and professional development, the book will be of interest to teachers and researchers around the world. However, it is written specifically with the local education context in mind, with references to the New…
Read MoreArticle on Dramatic Inquiry and literacy learning
Thanks to the editors for permission to share this article: Real Learning in Imagined Worlds: Supporting Literacy Learning with Dramatic Inquiry, recently published in Literacy Forum: the journal of the New Zealand Literacy Association. Here’s a link to their website where you can find out more about this publication and the work of the Association.…
Read MoreFossil Hunters – a Mantle of the Expert inspired adventure for year 2s
I’m delighted to share this resource created by the fabulous year two teaching team at Hillcrest Normal School: Catherine Blewden, Jordyn Lye, Ashley Patterson, Anna Harrison, and Tina ter Ellen. The planning was inspired by other home learning adventures “Dog Squad”, and “Troll Hunters”. The teachers originally designed the resource for use during home learning…
Read MoreThe Wooden Arms – Dramatic inquiry response to a NZ picture book
In term 2 and 3 2020, the Dramatic Inquiry team at Knighton Normal School in Hamilton collaborated to create these lovely teaching resources based on the book Wooden Arms by Sarah Johnson. The team rose to the challenge of using the same source material (the quality picture book) to create a collaborative play-based experience for…
Read MoreA taste of Dog Squad – a mantle of the expert-inspired adventure for home (and school) learning
It’s a great pleasure to share this slide show (see link below). It’s an overview of a Mantle of the Expert – inspired adventure called Dog Squad. These slides represent the culmination of an incredible team effort over the last few months. Inspired by the work of Tim Taylor and exploremore, the planning for Dog Squad was…
Read MoreLAC (Little Anxious Creatures) process drama resource
Here’s a wee drama written by the Dramatic Inquiry team at Knighton Normal school in Hamilton (Jacki Paia, David Hannah, Diane Cooper, Nicole Antoniadis, Whakarongo Tauranga) with support from Viv Aitken. This group of teachers has been working to support children in their transition back to face-to-face schooling, with experiences in dramatic play, process drama…
Read MoreTe Rito Toi
The University of Auckland, NZEI, the Principals Federation and the Sir John Kirwan Foundation have partnered to create www.teritotoi.org an online resource to support teachers to return to school through the arts and wellbeing. This is a very valuable, and very attractive resource with lots of inspirational ideas for using drama and other arts. The resource was…
Read MoreDNZ Workshops – on zoom
Coming up VERY SOON, Drama New Zealand is offering two FREE workshops for primary and intermediate teachers looking at dramatic inquiry for home learning / distance learning. These will be held over ZOOM and facilitated by Viv Aitken and Renee Downey. Further information below (including full flier and facilitator biographies) There has already been a…
Read MoreExploremore: Mantle of the Expert-inspired story adventures online
Exploremore is a brilliant new initiative from a group in the UK including Tim Taylor. I really recommend checking it out. As the blurb on the ‘exploremore’ site says, These ideas are a really simple form of learning using stories and adventures, where children become the ‘people’ whose help is needed to solve a problem.…
Read MoreImaginative inquiry has transformed my job
Here’s a story I only just spotted from the GUARDIAN in 2013. Great advocacy from a teacher in the UK who discovered Mantle of the Expert (which she calls Imaginative Inquiry) and now uses it regularly in her junior classroom. I particularly like how Jenny links Mantle of the Expert to Philosophy for children and…
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