Thinking out loud – the dramatic enquiry

Photo: Jo Whitham, Creative Junction

Since September 2007, a research community of Stoke on Trent teachers, learners and drama specialists have been working alongside lead practitioners Gordon Poad of Cap-a-Pie and James Nottingham to explore The Dramatic Enquiry, experimenting with strategies and techniques to apply the approach in classrooms. The Dramatic Enquiry is a unique approach to developing creative and transferable thinking skills, based on a distinct fusion of philosophy for children and drama in education that encourages a motivated and questioning classroom

Aims

We aim to:

• explore how an established company can expand to meet demand, and develop a transferable model
• contribute to the development of a new business model for Theatre Cap-a-Pie
• extend the practice of Drama and Philosophy in Stoke schools
• develop the skills base of theatre practitioners who work in Stoke
• create new partnerships and networks of professionals in the creative sector and education
• provide rich learning opportunities for children and teachers from primary, special and secondary phases of education
• contribute to the learning of Creative Partnerships Stoke, providing evidence, documentation and evaluation

Process

Gordon Poad and James Nottingham facilitated several CPD sesssions with drama practitioners and school coordinators/teachers to train them in how to use the Dramatic Enquiry processes in their own projects back at school.

Clarice Cliff are working with Peter Kennedy looking at the issue of merging two schools and the challenges that brings for teachers and young people and how they might overcome some of those challenges.

Sutherland Primary are working with Jill Rezzano from the New Vic theatre using ‘The firework makers daughter’ by Philip Pulman as a stimulus to explore the dramatic enquiry.

Hillside Primary are working with Rebecca Bell to look at the subject of World War 2. The findings from this programme of work is being formally documented with copies hopefully available by October 2008

CPMD ID 8521