Open Forum

Hope summer was good to all.  As we're about to start back up here in Michigan, was wondering if anyone else out there teaches in a "Capturing Kids' Hearts" School.

We're in our....third?...year of this program at my middle school.  For the uninitiated, a major component of the CKH program is the Social Contract, a document (theoretically) devised with students and (nominally) signed by all classroom community members (students and teacher) and posted/referred to throughout the year.

Any way, the existence of the document is a non-negotiable.  The order has come from on-high: this is what we're doing.  And I don't object that, necessarily.  Whether mandated or not, I'd always start off a semester of learning about theatre by building community and explicitly discussing group norms while we co-created them.  It's what we do as theatre teachers.  

Except.  Because we're required to do this in each class every semester/year (and we've been at this a few years now), students have a lot of social contract fatigue.  School hasn't started yet and I'm already feeling the gut punch of their eye-rolls and groans.  I've tried to be somewhat creative about it in the past and apply theatrical techniques to the process (e.g. make a small group tableau of this social contract item).  But I'm still looking for further inspiration.

So, thought I'd reach out to this amazing community.  So, whether your school subscribes specifically to CKH or not,

• Anyone have excellent models of documents spelling out classroom behavior expectations for both students AND their teacher (bonus points if co-created with students) that they want to share (especially if they are written in the language of theatre)?
• Any great ideas out there on HOW to stimulate students to think about/document necessary social norms specifically as they relate to theatre (e.g. a theatre game or activity followed by analysis)?  Anything beyond "let's talk about how you want to be treated."  Students know what they're expected to say and just phone it in.  An activity that actually illustrates how we treat each other while making theatre together would be great. 
• Once such a document is established, what are some theatre-specific ways of honoring it/exploring it/keeping it alive?

Looking forward to being invigorated by your great ideas.

------------------------------
Ryan Moore
Theatre Teacher and Forensics Coach
Royal Oak MI
------------------------------

Original Message------

Hope summer was good to all.  As we're about to start back up here in Michigan, was wondering if anyone else out there teaches in a "Capturing Kids' Hearts" School.

We're in our....third?...year of this program at my middle school.  For the uninitiated, a major component of the CKH program is the Social Contract, a document (theoretically) devised with students and (nominally) signed by all classroom community members (students and teacher) and posted/referred to throughout the year.

Any way, the existence of the document is a non-negotiable.  The order has come from on-high: this is what we're doing.  And I don't object that, necessarily.  Whether mandated or not, I'd always start off a semester of learning about theatre by building community and explicitly discussing group norms while we co-created them.  It's what we do as theatre teachers.  

Except.  Because we're required to do this in each class every semester/year (and we've been at this a few years now), students have a lot of social contract fatigue.  School hasn't started yet and I'm already feeling the gut punch of their eye-rolls and groans.  I've tried to be somewhat creative about it in the past and apply theatrical techniques to the process (e.g. make a small group tableau of this social contract item).  But I'm still looking for further inspiration.

So, thought I'd reach out to this amazing community.  So, whether your school subscribes specifically to CKH or not,

• Anyone have excellent models of documents spelling out classroom behavior expectations for both students AND their teacher (bonus points if co-created with students) that they want to share (especially if they are written in the language of theatre)?
• Any great ideas out there on HOW to stimulate students to think about/document necessary social norms specifically as they relate to theatre (e.g. a theatre game or activity followed by analysis)?  Anything beyond "let's talk about how you want to be treated."  Students know what they're expected to say and just phone it in.  An activity that actually illustrates how we treat each other while making theatre together would be great. 
• Once such a document is established, what are some theatre-specific ways of honoring it/exploring it/keeping it alive?

Looking forward to being invigorated by your great ideas.

------------------------------
Ryan Moore
Theatre Teacher and Forensics Coach
Royal Oak MI
------------------------------

Original Message------

Ryan,

Does the program allow wiggle room to, say, begin with an activity as opposed to the document?  If so, I suggest planning a first- day, large-group activity appropriate to the level of the class... or a bit above their competence and comfort. If possible record the experience. From the recording, have the students generate what worked and didn't work- and why. This way they have their own experiences from which to create the contract. Further, you can save both the documents and the recording to revisit over the course of the class so kids can see how much their interactions have grown over the year.... or work they have let to do. 

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Suzanne Katz Drama Educator Two Rivers Public Charter School p: 202-388-1360 | w: www.tworiverspcs.org a: 820 26th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Learn with Two Rivers

To nurture a diverse group of students to become lifelong, active participants in their own education, develop a sense of self and community, and become responsible and compassionate members of society.