Behaviour management expert John Bayley advises a head of drama who's rehearsing a scene from Jason and the Argonauts with Year 7. Despite her experience, she sometimes finds it hard to keep students on task.
In this pedagogy resource, John notes that finding the right balance between play and formal instruction requires careful thought. Both he and Emma Fraser of Moulton School in Northampton are surprised at how little guidance is offered in the National Curriculum.
John encourages Emma to give her rehearsals more structure, using a set of guidelines describing how activities should be performed. They both feel this can be done without spoiling the excitement and informality of her Key Stage 3 rehearsals. A day later, during Year 8 rehearsals of Murder in the Red Barn, Emma puts these new ideas into practice.
