Core

Date/Time/Year Details Reference to

Practice level class/Literature
Facilitating 30th August My mentor has pre-chosen the Monday 30th
effective Period 2 groups that the students are going October 2017.
group Year 12 Drama to be working in for their next Group Work In
work assessment. The Classroom
She made sure these groups are of Ngaire Hoben &
mixed ability, and also socially Carol Jarrett.
aware so that people who distract
each other arent in the same Heterogeneous
group. groups-mixed,
One student was apprehensive carefully formed by
about her group, my mentor told the teacher to
her to just try it for now and see achieve a fair mix
how it goes. It ended up going fine. (ability, gender,
ethnicity, social
skills etc). This
allows lower
achieving students
to learn more.
7th September Year 10 students are doing devising Monday 30th
Period 3 in small groups about the October 2017.
Year 10 Drama suffragette movement. Group Work In
My mentor chose these groups The Classroom
herself earlier in the term based on Ngaire Hoben &
social groups and abilities, ensuring Carol Jarrett.
a mixture in each. During the class
my mentor encourages me to go Heterogeneous
around the groups to provide any grouping, to enable
feedback that students would like. optimum learning
My mentor tends to give feedback for all.
as a positive comment and then Monitoring the
something constructive to work on. groups to ensure
the roles are
spread evenly and
that all students
feel valued.
12 September Students are working on their Monday 30th
Period 3 characters for their upcoming October 2017.
Year 11 Drama performance for assessment. They Group Work In
are first encouraged to walk The Classroom
around the room and slowly Ngaire Hoben &
introduce the physicality of their Carol Jarrett.
character. They are all in a larger
group, there is no pressure on Building a positive
individuals to perform. They are collaborative
then put into smaller groups with environment to
 the other people who are the same ensure students
role as them and tasked to come feel safe and can
up with gestures and physical achieve success.
movements for the characters. This
allowed those who were uncertain
about their gestures, to collaborate
with others.
th
19 September Students are learning how to Monday 30th
Period 2 create a believable character. October 2017.
Year 9 Drama Students are instructed to spend Group Work In
silent time on their own to create a The Classroom
character through explaining a Ngaire Hoben &
characters likes, fears, family, Carol Jarrett.
appearance, age, gender, job and
home life. The students are
My mentor gives them some motivated by their
guidelines. peers in this
They are then encouraged to situation because
discuss their characters with the they start out
people around them. working
In small groups of three-four, they individually, and
are told to experiment interacting then are holding
with each other as these characters each other
for about 5 minutes. This allows accountable in the
the students to develop the group work.
characters and gain peer feedback.
We then play a game of Bus Stop,
where there are two people at the
bus stop at all times and they have
to improvise a short scene of their
characters interacting. This allows
the more confident students to
perform in front of the class.
th
25 September Students are practicing their public Monday 30th
Period 4 speaking skills. October 2017.
Year 9 Drama My mentor encourages them to go Group Work In
up in small groups and share the The Classroom
speaking between them. Ngaire Hoben &
This helped boost the confidence Carol Jarrett.
of some students who would not
normally get up and speak. But
those who felt confident could
speak on their own. One student,
who has severe anxiety, was
instead encouraged to write a
speech and show my mentor. After
each group or person spoke, my
 mentor would give feedback so the
whole class can hear. This allows
students to learn from others
mistakes, or well-doings.
1st November The class are working Monday 30th
Period 4 collaboratively as a large group to October 2017.
Year 11 Drama do some exam revision. My mentor Group Work In
facilitates a group discussion. The Classroom
This is a cooperative working Ngaire Hoben &
environment where all voices are Carol Jarrett.
heard with respect. This
environment was created
throughout the year by my mentor
and the class.
15th November Starting the class with a circle
Period 1 encourages an open and Monday 30th
Year 9 Drama collaborative environment. All October 2017.
(Not my drama classes start with a roll call Group Work In
mentors class) with a question e.g. Whats your The Classroom
dream job?. The roll questioning Ngaire Hoben &
technique allows teachers to check Carol Jarrett.
in with individuals, and allow them
to feel included. Creating positive
The class play the game Lizard to and collaborative
warm up. Teacher makes her learning
intentions clear behind the warm environments
up game We are warming our through group
bodies and minds up, ready for work is an effective
creating!. Teacher also way of motivating
encourages a positive environment students and
at all times. enhances their
After this, students get into their learning.
groups of 5 created yesterday to
start working on their devised Killen, R. (2012) 6th
piece. All the groups are of mixed Edition. Effective
ability; this allows for peer- Teaching
learning. They are given 15 minutes Strategies: Lessons
to work on their performances to from Research and
show us so we as teachers can Practice. Australia:
provide feedforward so they can Cengage.
progress.
The feedforward is given to each Each group must
group. Ends on These are the analyse the
things I would like to see next outcomes it
time Setting expectations clearly. achieves and how
Teacher explains to students why well the group
we do feedback/feedforward, so functions so that all
 we can articulate what is effective participants
and why we do things onstage. become reflective
learners (228)