Sleeping Beauty Download 'ALPHASHOWS Logistics Guide' - Essential for all Alpha Shows Download 'Sleeping Beauty' Pre Show Activities Download 'Sleeping Beauty' Post Show Activities Download 'Veg and Mite Puppet Making' Page Download Worksheets for the various levels:
Download Character Colouring Sheets: Hunchback of Notre Dame Download 'ALPHASHOWS Logistics Guide' - Essential for all Alpha Shows Download 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' Pre Show Activities Download 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' Post Show Activities Download Worksheets for the various levels:
Download Character Colouring Sheets: Cinderella Download 'ALPHASHOWS Logistics Guide' - Essential for all Alpha Shows Download 'Cinderella' Pre Show Activities Download 'Cinderella' Post Show Activities Download Worksheets for the various levels:
Download 'Confidence Closed Eye' sound file (mp3) This sequence is part of the show 'Cinderella' and is great for helping children be confident in learning new things Download Character Colouring Sheets:
Hercules Download 'ALPHASHOWS Logistics Guide' - Essential for all Alpha Shows Download 'Hercules' Pre Show Activities Download 'Hercules' Post Show Activities Download Worksheets for all levels: Download Character Colouring Sheets: Hercules Lesson Plans (external site) Aladdin Download 'ALPHASHOWS Logistics Guide' - Essential for all Alpha Shows Download 'Aladdin' Pre Show Activities Download 'Aladdin' Post Show Activities Download Worksheets for all levels: Download Character Colouring Sheets:
Group Discussion on the ALPHASHOWS Forums TEACHERS: You may also wish to visit the ALPHASHOWS Forums to discuss theatre in education and children's theatre in Australia, share ideas with other teachers and adults, and see new information about shows, ideas for class activities etc. Go to ALPHASHOWS Forums now Curriculum Discussion An essay that explores what our responsibilities are as educators Written by Ben Jackson Alpha has obviously visited hundreds of schools now, since our first show in 2003. Curriculum is a funny thing, some schools are adamant that our shows are a MUST every single year, and they eagerly book on the day for the next year. We obviously concur with these teachers and schools, and believe that valuable and quality experiences like these are essential. Alpha continues to look for ways to make the shows even more diverse in their possible use in schools. The new shift we made in 2005 was to emphasise and highlight VALUES. We updated scripts, added extensive content to the Teacher Support Documents, and generally had an overarching philosophy of positive role models and values and using them to impact students. Many schools have a values or virtues program, and many more have smaller programs that are focussed around certain issues like bullying etc. Now there are shows out there that are specifically a 'bullying show' or a specific topic that targets an area of the curriculum, maybe science or literacy. This approach to Theatre-in-Education seems great initially, especially to a teacher looking to occupy their students for an hour and tick off a box in the curriculum. It takes a teacher that is able to go beyond the focus on 'today' to realise Alpha Shows are more than this basic idea of Theatre-in-Education. This is not to say you cannot just book an Alpha show very easily, have the show come in, entertain the children for 90 minutes and then continue on with normal lessons. However, our aim is to provide such outstanding value that the event of an Alpha Show spawns something new, and something that lasts for a long time. It may not be noticeable straight away, and it may not be for every student. It starts with the screams and excitability that is created in the students during the opening sequence of each show. It lasts for long after we've left. What is Education's responsibility? Well, considering the diverse range of opinions and styles we have encountered over 6 years of touring, it seems there is no one answer. If I could sum up the best of the education community's efforts, and be so bold as to say that it probably should be something like - to create choices. Choices are created by helping a student to increase awareness - obviously specific awarenesses about our world, mathematics, sciences, etc - but we can't just stop there, as this will only give a partial understanding of the world and therefore limit choices. We then extend the education to the physical, to the metaphysical, to the intangible - like sport, music and art, and in some cases, religious studies. Even then we are left with an incomplete pacakge. So what next? There must be something that wraps everything up and provides experiential and subconscious changes in students. That moves them to a consciousness that enables higher level choices. In no way am I suggesting that Alpha Shows do this completely, but I do know this is our outcome, and as but a small part of your entire annual package of 'teachings' it is time and money well spent. And the great thing is, you also get to tick off a few of those boxes! Music, art, movement, dance, appreciation of the arts, theatre with audience participation, bullying, role models, values, social development, creative studies, fairytales unit, classic myths (like Hercules and King Arthur), story writing, school musical tie-in...just to name a few. Dare I say it but there have been schools we've talked to over the years that blatantly tell us that our shows do not fit in to their curriculum. This puzzles me - is your curriculum different to other schools? I understand that each school has a different focus, as a general philosophy of the school and for each year. What saddens me most is that all schools have a rich and comprehensive sports program WITHOUT QUESTION and WITHOUT EXCEPTION. Australia is a sporting nation so it seems to be valued by our society to educate our children into this sporting culture. I don't refute that, the point I would make is that:
If our responsibility is to give children choices, to empower them to make better choices, then it is our responsibility to expose them to as many experiences as possible.
Every child grows up with a thorough education in 'sport' and other areas. Does every child have a natural ability for sport? Does every child move into a career as a sportsperson? Does every child love sport? The answer to all three is 'no'. But - is a comprehensive sports program still necessary at all schools? The answer is an absolute 'YES'. Sports programs create choices - this is our criteria for whether something should be included in education - so therefore it is valuable (regardless of cultural tendencies). Children, therefore, have the right to choose once their education is finished, whether sport should be part of their lives. Theatre should be given the same focus, as should many other elements of Australian life. Melbourne especially has not only a rich sporting culture, but also a rich theatre and arts culture. We should support this by giving children quality arts experiences that enable choices. However, you cannot choose something you have no positive emotional experience to. Unfortunately, most theatre for children (not just in schools but everywhere) does little to create this opportunity for choice. Or, instead, it only creates the opportunity for choosing to dislike theatre - naturally, if specific theatre falls short and is just simply 'bad', then of course we should 'dislike' it. The problem arises when it is a child's FIRST experience, and maybe ONLY experience, of theatre - and they continue to believe throughout their entire lives that all theatre is as bad and boring as that first experience. They will be unlikely to 'try' theatre again, therefore they have missed out on an important part of our culture. You can see that this is getting a little more serious! I'm sure we would consider it a failure if a student who would naturally love mathematics, and perhaps even have a strong talent for it, had a bad teacher early on in Primary School and from then on always hated maths because they had a bad 'anchor' to it. Alpha's mission is to do the opposite of this - for any child (or adult that didn't get the chance as a child!) who is a natural arts lover, potential performer or potential theatre enthusiast will now have that choice. And just like with sport, we can't know which students will benefit from the theatre or sports programs so therefore all students should be exposed to both programs. Additionally, as our criteria for an educational experience is whether something creates choices, Alpha Shows qualify as part of the curriculum, without any doubt. And this is accomplished not by focussing on a 'curriculum box', rather, by focussing on something that transcends this administrative requirement - something that focusses on a child's evolution as a human, on their development into a person who goes beyond the averageness of existence. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Alpha events create that experience for children - it is, as we say, theatre that they can get excited about. It gives them that freedom of expression, the permission to do it. Too often children believe it is 'cool' to withhold expression, to be cynical, to be subdued, indifferent and lethargic. Unfortunately this is the side-effect of culturalisation of our children, and is mostly the example we set as adults, so that's why they mimic these behaviours (because all children, like adults, naturally have the desire to 'grow' and for most this translates to 'grow up' or 'grow older' rather than 'grow better' or 'grow in giving'). So after this discussion, we can now see the expanded criteria for experiences for children in school:
There are many positive side effects from our shows also:
If you would like to chat more about this topic, feel free to give me a call. Usually I'm available on our office landline 03 5978 5789, however, whilst I nowhere else put this number anywhere on the site, you can always reach me on my mobile 0419 347 327. You can also comment on this essay by registering on the forums and then using this page to reply Below is the discussion page I wrote a few years back. It still has some other specifics that I didn't include above. It's actually interesting to read - back then, even I struggled to put into words what this was all about, and simply cobbled together some ramblings about Drama Unit 1 and the benefits of our shows. I thank you and look forward to meeting you at your school. Ben Jackson Managing Director There are certain parts of the curriculum here in Victoria and Australia that stress the importance of exposing students, especially Primary School students, to this type of theatre. As part of the curriculum (Drama Unit 1: Fantasy) for just one example, exposure and responding to the arts is encouraged, and it is suggested that students attend a performance of a play or musical. In this unit, teachers encourage students afterwards to discuss the nature of the world created on stage, and of the fantasy characters in the performance (eg. the Beast, and other characters in one of our productions, Beauty & the Beast). In fact it is also stressed: "...live performances should be seen wherever possible, particularly performances that encourage audience participation..."There is currently no other touring theatre production to schools that fulfills so many curriculm requirements. Pantomime is renowned for it's heavy involvement of the audience in the progression of the story ("Ohhhh, no I'm not...ohhh yes you are!" or "He's behind you!" are the traditional cliches that pantomime is famous for!) - the children are asked for help and their opinion at regular intervals in every single scene of the show. The study of costumes, of dance, drama, set design, lighting, state-of-the-art sound equipment (headset microphones/sound desk etc), issues of bullying, moral and ethical issues, concepts such as looking beneath the surface (eg. the Beast, or the Hunchback) and not judging by looks, etc. are all explored. The performance can launch or support all sorts of programs your school may have currently or planned, including bullying, positive behaviour, motivation, 'You Can Do It' style programs, and it will also be a perfect addition to any school musical, concert, performance or arts program you have - especially considering we will be bringing real, professional quality theatre right into your school - unlike anything available anywhere else in Australia. Remember that we present serious issues with great themes and lessons - in the perfect format for children (ie. a LOT of fun!) - they are entertained, educated, enthralled, and mesmerised for the entire show - the impact is immeasurable. Your students can get a real, professional experience of theatre, similar to taking a trip to a big theatre (for a fraction of the cost!) so that they get a well rounded education, and appreciation for the arts - something lacking more and more in modern times - especially with the introduction of television and video games. We have found over and over again, that when you get children in front of our show, rather than being passive and unengaged like with television, children come alive, more than with anything else. You already know that performing arts is absolutely essential, a vital component to student's education and a great tool to assist in rapid social development and skills in teamwork, creativity, self-esteem, hard work etc. This is THE way to create massive enthusiasm in your students - a buzz and excitement will be created in your school, the value of which cannot be easily explained. We have new shows being developed and added to our schedule regularly, and will be able to fulfill your needs whatever the focus that year for your school. Once you have experienced one of Alpha's shows and realised the incredible value for money, amazing impact and 'rock concert like' atmosphere we create, you will want to invite us back again year after year! Key Learning Areas THE ARTS ENGLISH HEALTH & PHYS. ED. Specifically: Music, Dance, Visual Communication, Movement and Physical Activity, Speaking and Listening.
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