A few weeks into teaching the new Creative and Media Diploma.
Learners are currently undertaking the ‘Performance’ unit (we are following Edexcel’s level 2 specification) and we are linking it into our school production of Oliver Twist.
Learners are involved in a wide range of skillsets for their principal learning including the set and costume design, creative writing and journalism (reviewing the performance, interviewing cast and crew), theatre technical and production (lighting, sound and dvd documentation), photography and theatre performance.
We have also watched a musical production at The Theatre Royal Newcastle and are going to a tour and workshop at the same venue to learn a bit more about the various roles professionals play in staging a performance from the producer, scenic artists, head of the prop shop, costume designers, makeup artists, front of house staff and actors/actress.
The course is proving as exciting as I anticipated and I have been impressed by learners maturity and commitment to collaborative working practices.
We are producing digital portfolios using Powerpoint and keeping PLTS (Personal Learning and Thinking) diaries either in Word or Excel.
Over the next few weeks and months things will get really exciting as learners start to plan their own learning goals… working out what they need to do, who they need to work with (other learners and staff) and getting it done.
Elizabeth Kane 