Entry 4 Part 1

Taking cue from last week's podcast and thoughts on Focus, this week i will explore more on space and place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPEJJA_-p0g

Teaching Space/Place in a Singapore Classroom

           

     One of the things that can be done is to give students a certain setting and ask them, to recreate the setting on stage. They can do this in various groups and they can explore their different interpretations and manipulations of the space to achieve the setting. They should also be equipped with basic technical knowledge on how to work the lighting and sound in the space given to them. Most drama schools in Singapore will have their own Drama rooms. It is vital for them to understand how they can transform the room to the liking of their own plays. This will also do them good during the recordings for the “O” level examination submissions when they reach Secondary 4, should they decide to major in Drama for their “O” levels.

Also, students must know why they choose that particular piece of staging and why the use of certain lightings or set design? There must be a reason set for it as “many settings carry with them very strong associations” (Hoseman & O’Toole, 1986) which will be conveyed to the audience. Students must be able to understand this and provide an adequate rationale for their choices

Challenges

             

   From my experience during my practicum in a school offering drama, I noticed that there were many limitations to the spaces on offer. The drama rooms did not have that many facilities that one would expect from a Drama space. Students are limited. Thus, students must work on their envisioning skills to transform the space creatively. Furthermore, from my recent visit to CHIJ St Nick’s, I learnt that the requirement for an overly elaborate set is not there. Thus, students should only need to know the basic technical skills and as a teacher we should not dwell too much on it.

                Students also tend to get carried away and start making up settings that do not tie in well with the demands of a scene or act. They may even stray off course and allow the constraints of the space to block their progress in developing a good setting via the space. It is vital for students to stay focused here and also think critically about every set design and usage of space onstage. They cannot deviate from their requirements. Teachers must monitor this closely as students are often susceptible to such things.

Reference:

Haseman, B., & Toole, J. (1986). 4. Dramawise: an introduction to the elements of drama (pp. 52-60). Richmond, Vic.: Heinemann Educational Australia.