I wrote this blogpost for Childcare Expo last year, and as I currently have lots of work in infant schools, it seemed timely to give it another airing:

How Can We Use Creative and Performative Techniques in the Classroom?

On the surface, there may not seem to be a particularly obvious correlation between the working life of a professional performer and that of an EYFS practitioner, but the similarities are there. Our Statutory Framework lays down three different ways that children learn: playing and exploring; active learning; and creating and thinking critically - not just characteristics of effective teaching and learning, but essentials in the toolkit of any performer!

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I've been holding drama workshops in Latvia again - so I'm re-publishing this blog, for the participants of those workshops:

This article, discussing the value of incorporating performance into senior school, first appeared in Teach Secondary magazine.

My thanks to editor Helen Mulley for allowing reproduction, and if you want to know more, details of this and their other magazines and resources are available at:https://www.teachwire.net

What a Performance!

It’s a curious dichotomy we live with when it comes to the notion of performance, I think. On the one hand it feels like every other young person you come across is all set to win the X Factor and become the next big thing, and on the other hand we’re brought up being told that no-one really likes a show off. . . talk about mixed messages. . . where does this leave us with our attitude to performing within our school environment?

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Here is the latest in my series of articles based on conversations with children, first published in Teach Early Years magazine. In each piece, I focus on one prominent theme. For this one, it’s TRIVIALISING FEELINGS. My thanks to editor Jacob Stow for allowing reproduction, and if you want to know more, details of this and their other magazines and resources are available at: https://www.teachwire.net

* What annoys you about how adults speak to you?
* When I'm crying and they say, 'You're just tired.’         (G - female)

During this little girl’s short interview, she mentioned this issue twice in slightly different ways. No doubt something had happened recently that made this perceived injustice so fresh and raw, but what lies underneath is a common source of upset.

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Here is the latest in my series of articles based on conversations with children, first published in Teach Early Years magazine. In each piece, I focus on one prominent theme. For this one, it’s PRAISE!
My thanks to editor Jacob Stow for allowing reproduction, and if you want to know more, details of this and their other magazines and resources are available at: https://www.teachwire.net

*What do you really like when being addressed by an adult?
*I like being praised and being spoken to nicely. I like when they (adults) are proud of you.     (A - male)
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Here is the third and last in this series of articles based on conversations with children, and first published in Teach Early Years magazine. In each piece, I focussed on one prominent theme. For this one, it’s LISTEN!

My thanks to editor Jacob Stow for allowing reproduction, and if you want to know more, details of this and their other magazines and resources are available at: https://www.teachwire.net

• What does it feel like to be a child?
• I feel like I’m just an ant in the world, some people don’t listen to me that well. Like nothing that I’m saying is important.          W (male)

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