“Son, just go outside and look at the flowers. At this rate the school iPad is going to smash into the wall”

It was one of THOSE lessons. Why is it so often Drama…..

“Dad I just can’t do this. It’s only the first task and it’s going to take forever.”

Tell me what will you learn about acting and the performance arts by doing a glorified word search. Read a 29 page script and find which character had to say these short phrases. Most of the phrases were in the middle of long paragraphs. On what planet is that exercise tailored to help kids with dyslexia.

Only after you had successfully completed that exercise was Son allowed to move on to the half term assessment. And what a beaut that was as well. Three options.

  • Costume design for a character in the play. Describe the theory behind your choice, draw the design and then develop the design with what materials you have at home. The pupil must then model the costume and be photographed.

“Just NO Dad. We don’t have any clothes we can use, I can’t draw AND if they think I‘m having my photo taken wearing it – they have another thing coming.”

  • Learn the role for one character. Describe the theory behind your acting approach and then film yourself acting the role.

“And that’s a big fat NO as well. I’m not being filmed for anybody.”

  • Design the stage set. Describe the theory behind your design. Draw a detailed picture of the stage. Then build the stage with resources you have at home.

“Well I guess it will have to be this option. At least I don’t have to suffer being filmed. But looking at the example then we don’t have any of that stuff in. Suddenly Drama has become Art. Painting backdrops. Making or drawing miniature curtains. Building miniature props. And I will be starting after everyone else because the word search took me longer than probably all the other kids. Deep Joy.”

And he was right. We don’t even have a cardboard box to build a rubbish one. The teacher clearly doesn’t live in a house with three gerbils… Thankfully Son understands that I don’t care what grade he gets for this assignment. Let’s just get it done and then we forget about it. So after he had cleared his mind looking at the flowers, he did a quick paper stage design. Then for next weeks final assessment lesson he will build a Lego stage. I wonder if the teacher will appreciate Darth Vader and IronMan mini figures playing completely different roles. I do hope so.

57 thoughts on “What a drama”

      1. Oh, I seeee. I had hamsters once, but I never gave them cardboard. It’s so sad when friends live so far away. We have so many cardboard boxes! I can’t get rid of them fast enough. As soon as one comes in the cats are in it right away. Eventually I go around our suite eliminating as many as I can.

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Good Grief!!! That school has got to GO! Not every person is cut out for stage & film, for performing arts, and in fact it’s a very small portion of society that are! What about teaching him some history, some science, math, literature??? Sigh. Hang in, my friend. xx

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  7. Having him model a costume design?? Uh, No! I was a Theater Nerd is High School. Some people liked being ON stage, others were BACKstage. The crew didn’t have to do ANYTHING in front of everybody. True, this was the 80s, and in the US, but still…

    And word searches??? Just, NO!! What a waste! It’s too bad that the Drama teacher is so awful! Our theater class was very VERY accepting of all the eccentric “oddballs”. Son might’ve found a creative outlet and some camaraderie with a better teacher.

    Gorgeous flowers!! No way to be negative in their presence!💌💌

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  10. What? How long do they have to do this assignment? For girls with Barbies this might be a fun assignment. Your idea of Darth Vader and Iron Man instead is great! Good luck!

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  11. I am so with your son on all options … I hate any creative task and I too would feel “deep joy” … not! At least he has you, I just give up on those things. Rubbish parenting I know but even the words ‘fancy dress’ trigger a panic attack !

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      1. I’m not sure how to take that question! 😳

        In seriousness it was about 8 yrs ago when my friend was 40 and had fancy dress party. Why do people do that? Choose to have fancy dress parties? Gives me the heeby jeebies …

        Liked by 1 person

  12. What an assignment! I agree – there are some bits of homework I don’t care if they do or don’t based on their complexity. The kids obviously need help with a lot of these things.

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  14. You and son are doing so well, pushing through. Unfortunately, the assignments and lessons being offered with distance learning aren’t tailored to meet any individual needs… In the classroom, if you have a good teacher, he or she adjusts to meet students’ learning needs and it’s impossible with virtual lessons and no in-person interaction. This situation breaks my heart (I’m a teacher, btw).

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  16. A Lego stage! That’s exactly what I was going to suggest. Brilliant! Sometimes you just need a compromise. Don’t know if your son has an action figure (or stuffed animal) he could make a costume for and film it? Stop motion animation anyone? (We love an app called SAM animation). Best of luck with it all.

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