Untold Untruths
Mike Wozowski is gobsmacked for good reason.
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Tuesday, September 20
The DCU
If I do come back to CHS next year for Form 6, I might start a Drama Club. I've been brooding over it for some time now, and I think it might actually work. I need the curriculum points, I could build up my leadership abilities, hone my public speaking and acting skills, while simultaneously helping others do the same. It's a win-win situation.
I've already thought of some of the activities we would have during our weekly Friday meets. When I joined Liz for the UK ELC Public Speaking Holiday Course (which really, really wasn't worth the money), they had some really good material. One of which I remember most clearly was an exercise which required you to pretend you were a manager of a small business which has been losing money over the last few months. You had 10 employees; the details and character of each one were listed along with the exercise, and you had to choose one to fire. Each employee had his/her pros and cons, with little factors such as "valuing his/her loyalty to the company" also stated there. It did not boil down to a simple choice, and it really required thought.
The best thing is that you do not have to be a rocket scientist to be able to respond to this sort of exercise nor require much general knowledge, so people won't be easily intimidated by the exercise and will be drawn into participation. I'm going to brainstorm abit and surf the web for more material like that. The material will have to be relevant to real life, inspire thinkership and furthermore enable one to improve. All of which I think our school exercises severely lack.
I want to submit a proposal to Pn Kauthar, and ask her if she would like to be our teacher in charge. Which means I'm going to have to be a really good girl from now on... I think of all the challenges I am going to face, maintaining a good relationship with teachers would be the toughest :( Anyway, here's the gist of the proposal:
The Mission of the Drama Club
1. To build up confidence (irregardless onstage or off)
Many students lack the confidence to speak up in front of a large crowd, or even amongst not-so-close friends. Ultimately, this could mean that many clever ideas and insightful opinions are lost due to their inability to overcome the fear of public speaking. This club aims to build up confidence and to develop a likable, respectable and convincing persona both onstage and offstage.
2. To develop skills of expression (verbal skills: articulation, intonation etc; irregardless in society or in the workplace)
Language is but a medium and a tool (with many aesthetic values). One needs to know how to efficiently utilize it to be able to express and communicate their thoughts and ideas, which is actually the most important thing. In the Drama Club, students will learn how to express their thoughts and ideas through effective use of language, body-language and speech.
3. To train thinkership (i.e. the ability to access a situation and knowing how to respond to it)
When one says something, it is essentially an attempt to communicate an idea or opinion. Many students today do not realise (or choose to completely ignore) this and as such, say a lot without saying anything; i.e. Shakespeare's "sound and fury, signifying nothing". Bearing in mind that "when you have nothing to say, you have no essay", this club aims to train students to organize their thoughts before making a speech, consequently also enabling students to be able to respond adequately to various real-life situations.
4. To cultivate love and awareness for language, speech and drama
Anyone who does not know or at least appreciate the beauty of language, speech and drama is one whose life lacks much enrichment. Subscribing to the notion that as we are all human beings we naturally thrive on beauty, this club desires to instill and cultivate an apprecation of arts in the forms of language, speech and drama in all students.
Activities
1. A play/musical a year (for experience)
2. Participations in (and visits to) various drama/public speaking competitions (for exposure)
3. Training/practise sessions (for exercise and education)
4. Games (for a healthy, all-rounded, friendly environment)
5. Interclass/student competitions
Will come back to this page one day to polish up here and there, but for now, the essential idea is in place :) Just left out all the DRAMA bits, heh.
I've already thought of some of the activities we would have during our weekly Friday meets. When I joined Liz for the UK ELC Public Speaking Holiday Course (which really, really wasn't worth the money), they had some really good material. One of which I remember most clearly was an exercise which required you to pretend you were a manager of a small business which has been losing money over the last few months. You had 10 employees; the details and character of each one were listed along with the exercise, and you had to choose one to fire. Each employee had his/her pros and cons, with little factors such as "valuing his/her loyalty to the company" also stated there. It did not boil down to a simple choice, and it really required thought.
The best thing is that you do not have to be a rocket scientist to be able to respond to this sort of exercise nor require much general knowledge, so people won't be easily intimidated by the exercise and will be drawn into participation. I'm going to brainstorm abit and surf the web for more material like that. The material will have to be relevant to real life, inspire thinkership and furthermore enable one to improve. All of which I think our school exercises severely lack.
I want to submit a proposal to Pn Kauthar, and ask her if she would like to be our teacher in charge. Which means I'm going to have to be a really good girl from now on... I think of all the challenges I am going to face, maintaining a good relationship with teachers would be the toughest :( Anyway, here's the gist of the proposal:
The Mission of the Drama Club
1. To build up confidence (irregardless onstage or off)
Many students lack the confidence to speak up in front of a large crowd, or even amongst not-so-close friends. Ultimately, this could mean that many clever ideas and insightful opinions are lost due to their inability to overcome the fear of public speaking. This club aims to build up confidence and to develop a likable, respectable and convincing persona both onstage and offstage.
2. To develop skills of expression (verbal skills: articulation, intonation etc; irregardless in society or in the workplace)
Language is but a medium and a tool (with many aesthetic values). One needs to know how to efficiently utilize it to be able to express and communicate their thoughts and ideas, which is actually the most important thing. In the Drama Club, students will learn how to express their thoughts and ideas through effective use of language, body-language and speech.
3. To train thinkership (i.e. the ability to access a situation and knowing how to respond to it)
When one says something, it is essentially an attempt to communicate an idea or opinion. Many students today do not realise (or choose to completely ignore) this and as such, say a lot without saying anything; i.e. Shakespeare's "sound and fury, signifying nothing". Bearing in mind that "when you have nothing to say, you have no essay", this club aims to train students to organize their thoughts before making a speech, consequently also enabling students to be able to respond adequately to various real-life situations.
4. To cultivate love and awareness for language, speech and drama
Anyone who does not know or at least appreciate the beauty of language, speech and drama is one whose life lacks much enrichment. Subscribing to the notion that as we are all human beings we naturally thrive on beauty, this club desires to instill and cultivate an apprecation of arts in the forms of language, speech and drama in all students.
Activities
1. A play/musical a year (for experience)
2. Participations in (and visits to) various drama/public speaking competitions (for exposure)
3. Training/practise sessions (for exercise and education)
4. Games (for a healthy, all-rounded, friendly environment)
5. Interclass/student competitions
Will come back to this page one day to polish up here and there, but for now, the essential idea is in place :) Just left out all the DRAMA bits, heh.