Virtual Learning Network

What happened there?!? …just like that it seems, the school year has finished for us all!?!? Whether you wrapped up the school year over a week (or more!!) ago or but a day or two ago (which I know was the case for some of you poor, tortured...

A fairly quiet time on our list recently until a sudden spike at the end of this second week of Term 2…Of course, quiet on the list means frantic in your classrooms and departments. Remember, we’re all here when you need us! Here’s the major...

It’s always enjoyable to read a post that reminds us all why Arts Online and these communities for each discipline exist in the first place. Our community includes both the most and least experienced educators and practitioners we have and yet,...

‘To do lists’... I suppose they are what keep us all moving at this time of the year: appraisal meetings and set-up for the year; inquiry goals and PLD foci; data analysis; board reports; teaching and learning programme (aka. schemes) up-dates;...

I hope you’re all finding your feet in the classroom once again as timetables and rolls finally settle [or have they?], major annual events like Athletics/House Day, Swimming Sports and scholars/leaders assemblies get out of the way and attention...

It’s always a great time of year in Term 1. Don’t get me wrong, I know how busy we all are and the exhaustion felt as we get back into the swing of things after a long-enjoyed summer break, but the vibe of a school in term one is always a happy...

Well here we are at the end of 2015 with most secondary schools already wrapped and the majority of our primary friends joining the rest over the course of this week. Can I start this final Dramanet summary of the year by extending a massive...

"Time waits for no man..." especially us drama teachers, huh?! Sorry for the slackness on my part recently in getting these to you but November has certainly seen the march of time power through at full-force, for sure! This summary is the...

With most seniors around the country either already on study leave or heading off for it in the coming couple of days, it’s nice although our ‘to do’ lists are full to feel our contact timetables having just a little bit of breathing space. . .

I shared and explained some of the content in the recently released 2015 edition of the Playmarket Annual. It’s a print booklet containing some fantastic editorials, articles and interviews focusing in particular on ‘why we write’; ‘what we write’...

Dramanet Summary to 28th September Sitting here at home over-looking a splendid view of Papakura/Takanini as these first ‘day light savings’ evenings kick in, seeing a much less crowded evening southern motorway – of course...

The thread with what I think could have been record-breaking responses this week was opened by David Chambers, seeking discussion around the ‘definition’ of “director’s concept” (inclusive of message, vision etc).

The discussion thread that comes and goes from time to time but never truly has an “ending” because there’s always something more to mention or consider, and is always an interesting one – especially to compare the vast, as we saw, situations and...

K.C. Kelly, director of Ensemble Impact Educational Trust, very openly kept us all ‘in the loop’ on where they and the programme preparation for 2016 and beyond is at. He makes some timely points about the need, as a community, for us all to put...

I am always keen to hear what texts have been used by others to engage and inspire students for production work, so the thread this week from Amy Edwards around text suggestions for level one scripted productions was great and is always worth...

The thing that sets the arts education sector apart from the rest is facilities and resources just like this where our support for one another knows no limits!

...this week was te wiki o te reo Māori, a nation-wide, week-long celebration of our national treasure, the Māori language. I hope you were able to find some time to celebrate this precious taonga with your classes! Language-learning is a journey...

It’s awesome to see how willing people are to share their thoughts when the provocation is ‘just right.’

A quieter week on the list this week which I hope is indicative of everyone taking a well-earned, ‘actual break’ prior to everything kicking back in this coming week. A reminder that I will also update the new Dramanet Virtual Learning Network...

Dramanet has been very active during this first week of the break and indeed over the final week of term as well! It has been a while since your last summary so this digest is a big one.