Drama Programme in Milford N.S.
Our Vision for Milford NS.
Through our own school ethos and our links with the Salesian community we are committed at Milford N. S. to the all-round development of each child in our care.
Our vision for the drama curriculum is that drama contributes towards the full development of each child academically, creatively, physically, spiritually and emotionally.
We endeavour through the dramatic process that each child comes to an understanding of his/her self and the world he/she lives in and to develop empathy and understanding of others.
We hope that these insights and self confidence found through Drama will help the child in their daily lives.
Drama Process vs Performance Drama
Drama in the primary school lays its emphasis and concentration on the “Drama Process” rather than “Performance Drama”. The curriculum emphasises the benefits to be gained from the process of exploring life through the creation of a plot, theme, fiction and make-believe. Drama used in this way is called classroom drama, educational drama or process drama. The learning benefits of drama in the classroom spring from the process of children making drama. The product of the drama lesson is the learning that occurs for the child through that process as well as the actual drama from it. Children in Milford N.S. are involved in dramatic productions throughout the year i.e.Junior/Senior Christmas pageants, “Seachtain na Gaeilge” concerts, enacting thegospels at the monthly children’s masses & St. John Bosco Mass, School Anniversary, Concerts in UL. This type of drama i.e. Performance Drama has certain benefits in that it increases children’s self confidence give them the opportunity to express themselves in public and allows them the opportunity of appearing on stage.
However it only represents a part of the rich learning and development experience that drama has to offer as Performance Drama can tend to overvalue the product and undervalue the process.
We in Milford N. S. endorse the benefits of Process Drama and are committed to delivering it to the children. However due to our school ethos, community links and cultural heritage, performance drama will also be an integral part of the children’s dramatic experience.
Aims
to enable the child to become drama literate
to enable the child to create a permanent bridge between make-believe play and the art form of theatre
to develop the child’s ability to enter physically, emotionally and intellectually into the drama world in order to promote questing, empowering and empathetic skills
to enable the child to develop the social skills necessary to engage openly, honestly and playfully with others
to enable the child to co-operate and communicate with others in solving problems in the drama and through the drama
to enable the child to understand the structures and modes of drama and how they create links between play, thought and life
Broad Objectives
We endorse the broad objectives of the drama curriculum as outlined in the revised curriculum.
develop the ability to enter physically, mentally and emotionally into the fictional drama context and discover its possibilities through cooperation with others
develop empathy with and understanding of others and the confidence needed to assume a role or character
experience and create an atmosphere where ideas, feelings and experiences can be expressed, where conflict can be handled positively, and life situations explored openly and honestly
develop personal adaptability, spontaneity, the ability to co-operate, verbal and non-verbal skills, and imagination and creativity, in order to ensure that the drama text reflects real life in a fresh and valid way
develop the ability to decide what course is likely to lead to significant drama action
develop the ability to steer the drama towards areas that are likely to lead, through whatever genre, to insights into the subject matter to be explored
develop the ability to co-operate with others in solving, out of role, the problems that are presented in making the drama
develop the ability to co-operate with others, in role, in keeping the drama alive, in creating context, and in exploring the problems that are presented in making the drama
develop the ability to use drama to promote or express a view on a subject on which he/she may have strong views or feelings
use drama to explore actively the human aspect of all learning as a means of curricular integration
begin to develop, through active story-making in drama, an appreciation of plot and theme so that these can form the basis of an understanding of drama literature.
Curriculum Planning (for more information please ask at the office for full school plan)
Strand and Strand Units
There is only one strand and three strand units for all classes in the drama curriculum.
The one strand for all classes is
“Drama to explore feelings, knowledge and ideas leading to understanding.”
The three strand units which apply to all class levels are
- Exploring and making drama.
- Reflecting on drama
- Co-operating and communicating in making drama.
