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Hi- I'm really enjoying this forum and hope you have some ideas. I took over the Theatre Arts dept. at my high school in Aug. (formerly English, background in theatre when I was younger). I have an evaluation observation coming up during my Int/Adv combo class and need ideas for a good lesson that will also show classroom management. I wasn't left any curriculum for this class and was moved to this position two days before school started. I love it, I wanted the position but I feel like I've been playing catch up ever since. (I'm going to spend a chunk of break to plan the rest of the year- I need ideas for that too). I have a great group of 16 students in this period- half intermediate, half advanced. We've done a little bit of warm up in notebooks, they love improv, they have done some script writing and then performing the scenes. There is no text and we spend most of our time "doing" which I think can look a bit chaotic to non-theatre admin. Class is 55 minutes. Any ideas for an "observable" lesson? Thanks!

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J. Baden
Theatre Teacher
So Cal
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What about having students create tableau performances in small groups? Each group picks a well-known fairy tale (these days I let that definition expand to include Disney/Pixar movies, which this generation cannot distinguish from fairy tales).  Have them keep their story secret from other groups (students like to guess).  They then have to devise a way to present the story in only three to five frozen pictures.  (Specify that group members can play "scenery" or switch characters from scene to scene as approriate.  You can lead in with one of your favorite movement warm-ups and have students comment on the composition of the various stage pictures (e.g. good use of levels), which can look like very high level analysis to an admin.  Plus it's kind of nice if you can show off the whole sequence of a whole group warm-up, some group work (carefully monitored by the teacher to show off management), plus performance/audience and analysis.  And with this particular assignment you can generally run through that whole sequence in a single period (which can be a trick for us theatre teachers in observations--often what we're doing extends across many periods, and it's difficult to capture in a snapshot.)  I've done similar sequences for observations in the past.  Good luck!

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Ryan Moore
Theatre Teacher and Forensics Coach
Royal Oak MI
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-17-2018 22:08
From: Joy Baden
Subject: Teacher Evaluation lesson ideas- Int/Adv

Hi- I'm really enjoying this forum and hope you have some ideas. I took over the Theatre Arts dept. at my high school in Aug. (formerly English, background in theatre when I was younger). I have an evaluation observation coming up during my Int/Adv combo class and need ideas for a good lesson that will also show classroom management. I wasn't left any curriculum for this class and was moved to this position two days before school started. I love it, I wanted the position but I feel like I've been playing catch up ever since. (I'm going to spend a chunk of break to plan the rest of the year- I need ideas for that too). I have a great group of 16 students in this period- half intermediate, half advanced. We've done a little bit of warm up in notebooks, they love improv, they have done some script writing and then performing the scenes. There is no text and we spend most of our time "doing" which I think can look a bit chaotic to non-theatre admin. Class is 55 minutes. Any ideas for an "observable" lesson? Thanks!

------------------------------
J. Baden
Theatre Teacher
So Cal
------------------------------

Agree with Tableaux - you'll want to teach them how to make them first, teaching what a tableaux is and then give them progressively more difficult challenges:
1. "In one tableaux, create something that flies" (work  together to create parts of a whole, possible responses: a plane, a dragon, a butterfly)
2. "In one tableaux, create a scene of a family" (work together as individuals to show relationships)
3. "in two tableaux, create a "before and after" scene (beginning to tell a story)
4. "in one tableaux, show a constitutional right" (or something else current but abstract from another curricular area - gets them thinking about tableaux as a way to visualize abstract concepts - good discussions can come out of this)
5. "in 3-4 tableaux, tell the story of [name a novel they have read in lit class] <---- this one is a great culminating activity for teaching tableaux

by this time, the concept of tableaux should be well established, as well as the routine for sharing ideas and collaborating to create. You can then use it to reinforce other class concepts
ex:
-after reading a scene from a play have groups create tableaux to show character relationships or major plot points
-when doing scene work, have them devise tableaux to show they understand the scene's arc and/or major beats
-use tableaux to teach blocking concepts (levels, status, sight lines)

its a super tool

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Ashley Bishop
Teacher
Birmingham AL
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-18-2018 08:15
From: Ryan Moore
Subject: Teacher Evaluation lesson ideas- Int/Adv

What about having students create tableau performances in small groups? Each group picks a well-known fairy tale (these days I let that definition expand to include Disney/Pixar movies, which this generation cannot distinguish from fairy tales).  Have them keep their story secret from other groups (students like to guess).  They then have to devise a way to present the story in only three to five frozen pictures.  (Specify that group members can play "scenery" or switch characters from scene to scene as approriate.  You can lead in with one of your favorite movement warm-ups and have students comment on the composition of the various stage pictures (e.g. good use of levels), which can look like very high level analysis to an admin.  Plus it's kind of nice if you can show off the whole sequence of a whole group warm-up, some group work (carefully monitored by the teacher to show off management), plus performance/audience and analysis.  And with this particular assignment you can generally run through that whole sequence in a single period (which can be a trick for us theatre teachers in observations--often what we're doing extends across many periods, and it's difficult to capture in a snapshot.)  I've done similar sequences for observations in the past.  Good luck!

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

Original Message:
Sent: 12-17-2018 22:08
From: Joy Baden
Subject: Teacher Evaluation lesson ideas- Int/Adv

Hi- I'm really enjoying this forum and hope you have some ideas. I took over the Theatre Arts dept. at my high school in Aug. (formerly English, background in theatre when I was younger). I have an evaluation observation coming up during my Int/Adv combo class and need ideas for a good lesson that will also show classroom management. I wasn't left any curriculum for this class and was moved to this position two days before school started. I love it, I wanted the position but I feel like I've been playing catch up ever since. (I'm going to spend a chunk of break to plan the rest of the year- I need ideas for that too). I have a great group of 16 students in this period- half intermediate, half advanced. We've done a little bit of warm up in notebooks, they love improv, they have done some script writing and then performing the scenes. There is no text and we spend most of our time "doing" which I think can look a bit chaotic to non-theatre admin. Class is 55 minutes. Any ideas for an "observable" lesson? Thanks!

------------------------------
J. Baden
Theatre Teacher
So Cal
------------------------------

I agree with tableau as an option but I will say if you create a strong rehearsal system and expectation it could work in your favor.  Several of my best observations were during student scene rehearsal/coaching days.  Here's what I do.

1) Each group has an assigned spot.  I split the classroom, have groups in different spots in the hall, one group in the makeup room, etc.  They are given clear expectations for each week and sometimes day if it's a deadline day.

2) Students can only work on written work like scoring a script, journals, character analysis, collages, etc. if their partner is absent.  They can watch each other if they want but no more than 2 groups together at a time.

3) I have a list of vocabulary that we use as a common language in the class and they are required to use it in helping each other and in journals.  

4) I walk around and coach each group for 5 or 6 minutes at a time.  Watching and critiquing (also using the vocabulary.)  

Admin loves seeing students independently working and teaching each other.  They love watching students motivated and engaged because they are in control.  It doesn't run smoothly everyday but it helps manage the classroom and meet the standards while also providing personalized learning opportunities.  ( I can work with int. students in different ways because they don't feel pressured in front of the group)

Let me know if you need help or want anything to help and I can throw out some more ideas.









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Joel King
Atlanta GA
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-17-2018 22:08
From: Joy Baden
Subject: Teacher Evaluation lesson ideas- Int/Adv

Hi- I'm really enjoying this forum and hope you have some ideas. I took over the Theatre Arts dept. at my high school in Aug. (formerly English, background in theatre when I was younger). I have an evaluation observation coming up during my Int/Adv combo class and need ideas for a good lesson that will also show classroom management. I wasn't left any curriculum for this class and was moved to this position two days before school started. I love it, I wanted the position but I feel like I've been playing catch up ever since. (I'm going to spend a chunk of break to plan the rest of the year- I need ideas for that too). I have a great group of 16 students in this period- half intermediate, half advanced. We've done a little bit of warm up in notebooks, they love improv, they have done some script writing and then performing the scenes. There is no text and we spend most of our time "doing" which I think can look a bit chaotic to non-theatre admin. Class is 55 minutes. Any ideas for an "observable" lesson? Thanks!

------------------------------
J. Baden
Theatre Teacher
So Cal
------------------------------

Thank you guys for some great ideas!

------------------------------
Joy Baden
Theatre Teacher
Redlands CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-17-2018 22:08
From: Joy Baden
Subject: Teacher Evaluation lesson ideas- Int/Adv

Hi- I'm really enjoying this forum and hope you have some ideas. I took over the Theatre Arts dept. at my high school in Aug. (formerly English, background in theatre when I was younger). I have an evaluation observation coming up during my Int/Adv combo class and need ideas for a good lesson that will also show classroom management. I wasn't left any curriculum for this class and was moved to this position two days before school started. I love it, I wanted the position but I feel like I've been playing catch up ever since. (I'm going to spend a chunk of break to plan the rest of the year- I need ideas for that too). I have a great group of 16 students in this period- half intermediate, half advanced. We've done a little bit of warm up in notebooks, they love improv, they have done some script writing and then performing the scenes. There is no text and we spend most of our time "doing" which I think can look a bit chaotic to non-theatre admin. Class is 55 minutes. Any ideas for an "observable" lesson? Thanks!

------------------------------
J. Baden
Theatre Teacher
So Cal
------------------------------