It is Wednesday and I already have three entries for this weeks Trefoil (there may well be more, but I sticking to three). Two connected with A Christmas Carol and one from a morning podcast.
Today ‘we’ watched the Dickens Theatre Company’s unique adaptation of A Christmas Carol and ‘we’ thoroughly enjoyed it. Two actors take on every role in this inventive, fast-paced 60-minute production. Highly recommended. I really enjoyed the post show Q&A too. Ryan Philpott’s characterisation of Old Joe caught the students attention and his abridged script provoked my thinking on how best to present these challenging texts. Is anything lost? Do we owe it to Dicken’s and our students to experience the complete text?
You can reach the Company here – info@dickenstheatrecompany.co.uk
Personally, I am really looking forward to discussing the abridged performance with my two Year 9 classes tomorrow and if I have time, I will update this post with their comments. It left me pondering abridged versions of other titles too.
Jumping into my DeLorean, tapping into 1.21 gigawatts of power and reaching speeds of 88 miles per hour here are three random students responses. In general, the students enjoyed the performance.
Back to Wednesday. Next – I learnt that the new three-part BBC adaptation of A Christmas Carol will air at on the 19th December. I am excited and officially a Dicken’s enthusiast and asked students to add a reminder to their phones and posted a reminder to Showmyhomework.
Thirdly, I caught up with Richard Gerver’s thoughts over at Principal Center Radio Podcast.
23 mins onwards Richard talks a ‘culture of assumed incompetence’ and how this Taylorist accountability approach is inhibiting and holding back our profession.
The antithesis, a ‘culture of assumed excellence’ is one alternative,a Job’s outlook of – “I hire people brighter than me and get out of their way.” Given our fantastic profession, #talkupteaching, it makes much more sense to me.
Given the complexity and inherent purpose of our profession, I would have to agree with Richard, when he offers three questions teachers should be able to respond to.
- Evidence you know the children, context, background and their needs.
- Evidence how you have met those challenges, by the learning design you create.
- Evidence it is working and how you plan to make it better.
One more time – podcasts are a great auditory way to consume (education) opinion, thinking and conversation. I tend to enjoy interviews the most and look forward to listening to Vic Goddard recommendation title ” Why unconditional positive regard” with @NiallAlcock, Dave Whitaker and Luke Mitchell – Wellspring Academy Trust.
One last request – I am working on flashcard decks for Othello and Romeo and Juliet to use with FREEware Anki.
Decks questions categories: “Vocab,” by Act, “Literary devices,” as applied to the text are completed. 150 cards or so for each Deck.
Next – “Keywords,” and “Conventions, Context and Author.”
Then – “Questions,” by Act. I am considering questions from key textual references and then key knowledge/signposting.
Any help of the later two would be appreciated and I am happy to share the completed Decks.