Well, week one of Drama Group is over. Sarah and I exchanged some furtive glances when only two members had shown up at our designated table. A few minutes later, two enthusiastic best friends also joined our table. After they had eaten their snack, we established some ground rules for our particular group. For the most part, they were right on with what Sarah and I wanted them to come up with: Be respectful, No interrupting, Listen to the Teacher etc. Sarah added the rule Be Encouraging to the list, while I added HAVE FUN in big letters to make the rules positive as well. We had all the students trace around their hand print and sign inside their hand to agree to the rules.
Next, we played some name games. Being since we had such a small number, this didn't last long. One thing I learned quickly is the ability to teach on your feet. I looked at the clock and we had used up most of our planned activities in only 15 minutes of the allotted 1 1/2 hours. We decided to do some upstage downstage information, as well as play a game that accompanied/solidified the information.
However, when we had just begun the game, several students came in from other groups. While I do not oppose the joining of members, it was hard to re-discuss the rules and aims of the game over and over as each new member joined.
Additionally, I felt that the 4 students were really meshing both together and with Sarah and I, and the new additional members threw the whole dynamic off. However, Sarah and I incorporated them into the group the best we could, by having the students discuss what they had just learned (upstage hand, upstaging someone, no backs to the audience,, etc) and we played Stage Picture...a game with little rules that could quickly be explained to newcomers.
We also played Freeze, Questions, and a variation of Freeze in which all the responses must go through the alphabet. Something that surprised me is how quickly students would help the player that was struggling to come up with a question...almost like they were a family playing "Family Feud" in which they consult in a circle before submitting a response.
For next week, Sarah and I instructed the students to brainstorm name for our group. Next's week discussion will also be about character, so their assignment is to observe someone or something (speech, movement, mannerisms) to present next week!
Up Next? WEEK TWO!
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