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Frequently Asked Questions the DramaMommaSpeaks List

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Frequently Asked Questions the DramaMommaspeaks List

Recently, I had a wonderful opportunity to chat with a first year teacher as he planned the rest of his school year.  He began the year with the students all learning from home, then his school went to hybrid (which means half were at home and half were in the classroom) and soon he’d have them all in the classroom together.

His questions were standard ones I receive which made me think of some other questions which are frequently asked.  Here are some:

1. Do you always warm-up your students? Why?  

Warming-up your students will help in two ways–it gives the student a minute to shake off whatever occurred in the hallway or last class and also helps him to focus on your lesson to come.

2.  What is a good musical for high school students to perform?

The first thing I need to know is how your administration looks at the theater program?  If they are very supportive and want the best for their students (and they TRUST you), then you can take some chances with more adult musicals–with musicals such as West Side Story and Les Mis’ (know that there are very few roles for females in LM, however.)

By and large, I suggest the classics–The Sound of Music, Oklahoma!, Music Man and so forth.  Why?  They are guaranteed crowd pleasers and families will attend because they are familiar with them. Good for everyone’s ego and the box office sales.

3.  Can you recommend a good play for middle school students to perform? 

I like to produce adaptations of classic books such as Anne of Green Gables, Tom Sawyer, The Miracle Worker, Diary of Anne Frank, Bridge to Terabithia or Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. Find out the reasons I suggest Anne of Green Gables here Ten Reasons Why Everyone Produces Anne of Green Gables

4.  What do you think of improvisation exercises?

I was trained as a professional actress and at that time we did not merely improv. for the sake for fun.  Improvisation was used to develop characters or create new art pieces.  I don’t dispense improvistion like candy.  I like it to mean something (a theme) or practice some particular skill like voice and articulation, for instance.

Frequently Asked Questions the DramaMommaspeaks List

5.  My students are learning from home. Can your lessons be used in distance learning?

Yes, many of my lessons can be used in distance learning.  We have this new cool program on Teacherspayteachers.com called Eastl and it will make any lesson into a digital format.

6.  If you could only teach one musical theater unit, which one would you choose?

For obvious reasons, I would teach Hamilton.  I mean, how can you go wrong with it?  My Hamilton musical lesson is fifty pages and includes everything a teacher might need:  procedure, history of the musical, list of song titles, biographies over creative staff, questions and teacher’s key, trivia and ends with enrichment activities which can be done individually or in groups.

7.  If you could only teach one radio theater unit, which one would you choose?

It depends upon my mood, but I’m pleased with how all of them came out.  The most difficult one is The Frozen Pirate which is best for high school students.  It it set in two different ships and has a narrator who is sometimes a character in the story and sometimes merely narrates.

Another one which I’m proud of is my own–Bow Wow Blues.  BWB is about a group of bumbling bank robbers in the 1930’s who are outsmarted by some quick witted detectives and a couple of dogs who help them.  The characters are broad and easy for middle school students to convey.

8.  Do you charge royalties for your scripts?

No, I don’t.  I only ask that the person producing the script send me a recording and/or photos of their production for my personal uses in marketing. Bookeeping who is producing which script would be a nightmare for me to track at this point in my business.

9.  Do you update your resources?

Yes, constantly!  For instance, let’s say it’s announced Lin Manuel Miranda will be performing in a new movie.  I go in to all the products where he is included and update the information to include a mentioned of the new movie.  Or, a link breaks or vanishes–I go in and find a new one.  Or I add a page to a resource which upon second thought makes the produce more useful to the teacher.

10.  On average, how many new lessons do you create a month?

I create about two new lessons a month and several new bundles.

Frequently Asked Questions the DramaMommaspeaks List

11.  I want to follow you. Do you have an email list I could join?

You bet!  I’m getting ready to glam up my newsletter in the near future and I think you’ll want to be a part of it.  You can join here on this page up above on the right.

d

12.  Are you on Instagram?

Yes, I am very active on Instagram.  I speak about different topics there than on the blog.  You can find me at DramaMommaSpeaks on Instagram.

13.  How about Facebook?

Yes, I am.  I share various arts subjects there.  Check me out https://www.facebook.com/Dramamommaspeaks

14.  Are you ever interviewed on podcasts?

You can learn about them here The Top Reasons to Listen to Podcasts

15. I know Clubhouse is a big thing now.  Would I find you there?

Yup!  Just search Deb Baldwin.

16. Where could I see some reviews of your products?

You can find review of my products here Dramamommaspeaks

Frequently Asked Questions the DramaMommaspeaks List

17.  On average, how pages are your lessons?

Most lessons are around 15 pages in length.

18.  On average, how days’ long are your units?

Some units are three days in length and several are three weeks long.

19.  Do you have drama lessons for elementary students?

Yes, although not as many as I’d like.  I create lessons where the interest is–meaning if a lot of products which are purchased for the month seem to be for middle school, I will make another middle school lesson that month.

20.  Do you have drama integration units?

Yes, I have readers theater and play scripts which are perfect for drama integration. Here’s a blog post about drama integration, too.  How Do I Use Arts Integration in the Classroom?

21.  Who writes the music for your short plays?

My husband of thirty-eight years composes the music.  He is an award-winning instrumental music teacher, taught for forty years and composes as well.

22.  What is the price range of your materials?

Some products are $3.50.  The most expensive product I have are bundles which lasts a semester or even a year.  They are around $100.00

23.  Do accept suggestions?

For things to add to a product or if something needs more clarification?  Yes, but I’d rather the person emailed me than put it in a review.  It confuses the next buyer.

24.  If a teacher wants a particular lesson which you have not created, will you develop it for them?

Yes, I create lessons for teachers on occasion.  The lesson becomes my sole property, but I give the person acknowledgement in the lesson for their idea.

25.  How long does it take to create a radio theater script?

It takes about sixty-five hours to write a script. There is no playwriting template for a radio theater script, so I must set up every page by hand.

26.  Do you have any lessons about people of color?

My Famous Theater Artist Biographies and One Pager Assignment include many people of color–Denzel Washington, Audra McDonald, August Wilson, Camille A. Brown, etc. Here is a blog post concerning my thoughts

27.  Do you have lessons about technical theater?

Of course!  Everything from costume to set design. Here is one: Set Design Fairy Tales

28.  What’s next for you?

Oh…..I can’t tell you yet!  Just make sure you join my email list, look for my free products coming out soon and some other great plans.

I hope these answers help you.  Please feel free to contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or my website at DeborahBaldwin.net

Deborah Baldwin of DramaMommaSpeaks

 

 

Creative Dramatics Lessons from an Award Winning Drama Teacher

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Creative Dramatics Lessons from an Award Winning Drama Teacher

Deborah Baldwin, Dramamommaspeaks

Hello!

You may not know me or be familiar with my work.  I’m Deborah Baldwin (but my friends call me Deb.)  I am a recently retired award-winning drama teacher of thirty-eight years.  At that time, I directed over 250 plays and musicals with students and adults as well.  I taught every grade level, but the bulk of my time was spent with secondary students.

Here is my resume if you’d like to see it: DeborahBaldwin.net

My Teaching Style:

Drama is a hands-on class. To this end, I’m always on my feet, modeling for my students while teaching them a host of concepts. It is not unusual to hear my classroom in chortles of laughter because humor is an outstanding way to gain a student’s attention. I empower students at an early age. Although I am always mindful of my learning objectives, I think it’s vital for students to experiment within the confines of my instruction. I encourage students to be independent and creative thinkers. Many less confident or reluctant students benefit from my teaching methods as together we hit the challenges they encounter. I am creative, intense, driven and brave–these are qualities I nurture in all my students and generally receive outstanding results.

first rehearsal

If you are looking for creative dramatics lessons and plays for your students, I can help you.  These lessons are for grades third to fifth. So many of these lessons can be used in a reading or language arts classroom, too.  They jibe together easily.

Here are a few:

Given Circumstance Monologue Creative Writing Lesson

Got some creative writers?  This lesson fits in nicely with a creative writing unit and/or to study playwriting just a little.

OjiSan C. Dramatics Cover

This is fun to perform for younger children.  There are two versions of this product–one for younger students and one for older.

Ojisan and the Grateful Statues

COSTUME DESIGN WITH HALLOWEEN GRADE 3-5 SQUARE COVER 3

Oh my gosh!  Costume design is a wonderful way to celebrate Halloween.  Students love this because they can be very creative and learn at the same time.

Costume Design with Halloween Theme

COSTUME DESIGN WITH NUTCRACKER CHARACTERS SQUARE COVER.jpg

Do you ever show clips from The Nutcracker Ballet?  This lesson includes video clips, a lesson on costume design and gives the students an opportunity to design as well.

Costume Design with Nutcracker Ballet Characters

COSTUME DESIGN WITH HOLIDAY PARADE CHARACTERS .jpg

Costume Design with Parade Characters

TABLEAU HOLIDAY THEME COVER

Tableau Exercises–Holiday Theme

ST. PATRICKS THEME COVER

Stage Properties–St. Patrick’s Day Theme

Drama Lesson:  St. Patrick’s Day Play Writing Monologue 

BUDDY AND THE EVERGREEN TREES READERS THEATER COVER.jpg

Buddy and the Evergreen Trees Reader’s Theater

Here’s my newest:  Chanting Lesson for Grades 3 to 5

Creative Dramatics Lessons from an Award Winning Drama Teacher

I hope you’ll check out my drama education products.  There are nearly 160 of them ready and waiting for you.  

Or maybe you were hoping for something free?  Check out this:  Free Teaching Resources Blog Hop

If you don’t find what you need, contact me.  Chances are I’d be interested in creating what you are needing.  That’s always fun!

Contact me at dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

 

 

The Reasons to Teach Drama Class with Unique Lessons

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The Reasons to Teach Drama Class with Unique Lessons

For thirteen years of my thirty-eight years of teaching,  I taught a pre-elective drama class to four hundred sixth graders each year. Today, I want to discuss the reasons to teach drama class with unique lessons.

I have two things to admit.

Number One:

I liked my drama teacher. He introduced me to the art form. I will be forever grateful to him for this.

When I began teaching, I basically taught my drama classes like my beloved high school drama teacher, Mr. Kent Chapman. He wa my and only drama teacher During my teen years.

My college professors were skilled as actors and they did a fabulous job of training me as an actress., but they weren’t Mr. Chapman.

Mr. Chapman really knew his stuff.  He handed us a script to read which he thought challenged us, tough scenes to memorize and directed us quite expertly considering we lived in a small town in Kansas.  This was in the 1970’s you understand.

For awhile, this teaching style worked for me.

The Reasons to Teach Drama with Unique Lessons
Photo by Startup Stock Photos on Pexels.com

Slowly and without realizing it, the lessons grew stale.  I enjoy the challenge of creating a new class (we were under no benchmarks or state assessments at the time), but sooner or later, I became bored.

What to do, what to do…..

For thirteen years, I taught a pre-elective drama class to four hundred sixth graders each year.  Wow.  Just telling you this, makes me think I was near crazy.  I did what I needed to do at the time and this was the only job that was offered to me.

It was at this time I realized there were many ways to teach about theater arts.  

Teaching the same concept over and over is a drain on one’s imagination and energy.  During many moments, I couldn’t remember if I taught the students everything in my notes because I memorized the notes just by saying them multiple times.  Never mind my patience with the kids!  After I said the same thing three times a day every twenty-five days it’s a wonder I could think at. all.

The Reasons to Teach Drama with Unique Lessons
Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com

Theatre with a Twist!

Number Two:

I like pretzels.  They are similar to a cracker, but different you know?  (Okay, remember this, will ya?) 

Three years into the job, I realized there were many ways to teach the components of theatre.  I decided as long as I taught the concepts it didn’t matter what the subject was as long as I kept to the concepts.

For instance, costume design could be taught the traditional way

a. read a script, pick a few characters and design costumes for them

OR…..

b.  teach the same concepts in a unique way (utilize a particular theme  such as Halloween or a genre such as Fairy Tales or Mascots or Cirque Du Soleil)

When you look at the challenge in this manner, it’s easy to see why selecting item B on my list gave me TONS of ideas.  These ideas carried over into every other lesson.  Fabulous!

The Reasons to Teach Drama Class with Unique Lessons

Here are the reasons to be unique in your drama lessons:

  1. You are all ready unique, so be you!
  2. It uses your creative solving skills which are a big part of who artists are–they are there for the taking.
  3. It creates energy
  4. It nurtures the passion in you because you must embrace the change you are making–it’s absolutely exhilarating
  5.  You will grow, both as an educator and as an individual (I have learned about so many wonderful subjects because I chose the less traveled path.)
  6. It will open you up and expose any biases you may have and that’s always a good thing.
  7. Your students will love you for it–they can tell when we are bored with our subject.

If I haven’t convinced you yet, maybe these quotes will:

  • “As we grow as unique persons, we learn to respect the uniqueness of others.”  Robert Schuller
  • “You are unique, and if that is not fulfilled, then something has been lost.”  Martha Graham
  • “Being unique is a lifelong process.  It’s difficult to be fresh and new all the time but it’s the only way to be.” Edwin Mamerto

A Valuable Approach to Education

I found this quote and thought it expressed my sentiments exactly, “Teaching with unique lessons can be an incredibly valuable approach to education as it offers numerous benefits to both educators and students. First and foremost, unique lessons bring an element of novelty and excitement to the classroom, capturing students’ attention and making the learning experience more engaging. When students encounter new and innovative teaching methods, they are more likely to be motivated, curious, and actively involved in their learning journey.

Moreover, such lessons cater to different learning styles, allowing teachers to address the diverse needs and preferences of their students. By tapping into students’ individual interests and strengths, unique lessons foster a deeper understanding and retention of the subject matter. Additionally, these unconventional approaches to teaching encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity, preparing students for real-world challenges where innovative thinking is highly prized. Embracing uniqueness in education not only enriches the learning process but also empowers students to become lifelong learners with a passion for exploration and discovery.”

My Teacherspayteachers store has a slogan:  Teaching Theater with a Twist.  Check out some of my products and you’ll see: Dramamommaspeaks Store

You’ll see what I am twisting…

 

Here are links to finding unique lessons. 

 

Do you teach in a unique way?  I’d love to learn about it.  Contact me at dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

If you’d like to learn more about my teaching style, check out these posts:

The Reasons Teaching Multiculturalism in the Classroom is Vitally Important

Why You Should Use These Effective Teaching Methods, Part Two

What is Talk like a Pirate Day?

Deborah Baldwin

 

How to Make Things to Sell on Teacherspayteachers

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How to Make Things to Sell on Teacherspayteachers

There are so many products you can sell on Teacherspayteachers.com. If you have an idea, look into what other products are out there. Teachers need all kinds of materials. You’d be surprised by what you see there.

But here’s the thing— this is a lot of work. I’ll explain.

I finished another Tpt product which I’ll probably upload in the next day or so.

Deborah Baldwin teaching
This is one of my favorite photos of myself teaching.

People ask me the reason for having my Teacherspayteachers Store.  Simple–I stayed home with our daughters when they were young and that put me behind financially. When I retired from my career, I was out half of my pension had I taught the entire time instead.

My goal is to make up that money.

Some folks also ask if it is difficult creating the product. They are curious as to how much time it takes to create one.  

Since I taught for gobs of years creating the lesson or unit for the product is easy for me.

  • I taught drama classes for thirty-eight years, both public and private.  Girl, that gives you LOTS of experience and LOTS of materials.
  • My bachelors degree is in theater and my masters is in education with an emphasis on creative arts learning–arts integration.
  • Plus, I directed over 250 plays and musicals with adults and children alike.

You put all of those ingredients together and you get a brain full of lessons, units, methods, resources and materials which float around up there until you need them.

Generally, I work about six or seven hours each day.  The entire time isn’t spent creating a product, but a great portion of each day is spent bent over my laptop doing so.  How many hours do I put in each day? I say, “When my back starts hurting and I can’t ignore it anymore, I stop.”  Yup, that’s about it.

A Week in the Life of a Teacherspayteachers Product

Day One:

Usually, I make a power point (8.5 by 11) of about 15 slides on my laptop.  I have a template for this as each product requires certain things–table of contents, dear teacher page, copyright, page number and probably a border or two. Each product requires a terms of use and a feedback/sources page, too.  Don’t be too impressed by this excellent form or organization.  It is very common for me to forget I have these templates and re-build them every time.  It’s my right brainedness. Duh.

First, I figure out how many days this particular product will encompass.  Mine are usually for one to three days, but several are for much longer.  For instance,  my radio theater unit is three weeks long and the set design unit is ten days in length and so forth.

I throw titles on each slide just to give me an outline of sorts which is just another way to organize my thoughts, really.

I rough in certain slides just to get a feel for what else I need. Usually, I begin with the Dear Teacher note because it helps me find a thesis statement.  Or, I think about what I want the teachers to know about the product before they start.

How to Make Things to Sell on Teacherspayteachers

At this point, I am really tired (and the hurting back thing…) so I stop and do some mundane task like the laundry, or make dinner or just veg’ out and rest my brain. Switching gears and walking away from the creative problem solving gives me a fresh outlook when I hit it again.

I work in the morning from 7:00 to 12:00 and usually  in the afternoon from 1:00 to 3:00 or 4:00 to 6:00ish. In the evening, I am checking my website, blog and some Pinterest collaborations, looking at my Instagram page and Tailwind community of which I am a member.

Day Two:

I begin to create each slide.  Quite frankly, typing up the lessons is a synch for me, because of my resume and you know, I’m ancient.

But the killer is the layout!

I think about colors, different borders, photos, video clips, music clips, etc.  If I have adapted a folk tale into a class play, I talk with my husband about what I am needing.  He is my composer, having done so for many years when he was an instrumental music teacher.  (This is a bonus I didn’t realize when I married him 38 years ago…..a delightful surprise!) Tim begins thinking about the music we need for the play.

Tim and I

Day Three, Four, Five, Six and Probably Seven:

A product of around fifteen pages will take me several days.  Obviously, the larger the product, the more days I spend on it.  Radio theater units take several weeks (they are about 70 pages in length). Ironically, the Denzel Washington biography took me at least sixty hours to complete (because he has such a huge resume) and it’s only ten pages in length.  Honestly, I never know how long it will take until I’m finished–ha!

As I continue creating slides I ask myself certain questions:

  • Do I need to script this part for the teacher?
  • Will directions for the game or warm up suffice?
  • Would a diagram help to explain something better than words?
  • Should I add a sound byte to explain something further?
  • Do I need non-royalty clipart or photos to complement the lesson? I peruse several free photo sites I can depend upon (wikicommons, pixabay, unsplash, creative commons, etc.) I’m subscribed to Depositphotos.com and highly recommend them.  This includes derivations of the subject I’m seeking–dance steps (I don’t like the ones I find) which leads me to dancers (too specific) to dance shoes, for instance. Many times I trash the clipart ideas and just let them sit in my brain for several days until I tackle it again. I have to watch this part because I can get sucked in the rabbit hole very quickly and spend all afternoon looking for clipart.
  • How many slides is this exercise going to require?
  • Is this lesson too big?
  • Should I break it up into several lessons?
  • Is it too complicated for the age group?
  • Is it too simple for the age group I’m targeting?
  • Should I offer it in different formats, like the Famous Artist Series?

Lin Manuel Miranda cover

When I put together a radio theater script, I discovered if I add a blank slide between the pages of script it helps with run over.  THIS IS A BEAR TO CREATE. Radio theater scripts are numbered, each cue on each page and the numbered cues don’t continue on to the next page. The next page begins with number one again.  So, if you make any changes (which of course, I do several times) that blank page in between the typed pages gives me leeway to tweak the script and also keeps me sane.  Otherwise, I whine to my husband and he fixes the pages for me.

A Week in the Life of a Teacherspayteachers Product

How to Make Things to Sell on Teacherspayteachers

From my set design unit.

Sometimes, I must create the product so they can be photographed.  That’s pretty easy and fun for lessons on costume design, for instance.  However, the set design unit took me several days of creating the entire product so I could photograph the various stages of completion.  After that, I must send the photos to myself, download them into the power point and fix the image (using several photoshop resources–cropping, brightening the whites, etc).

Whenever I run out of steam, I work on the covers.  I LOVE creating the covers, because they are fresh ideas and enjoyable to develop.

Recently I settled on a look I want for the covers–each has a border reminiscent of a theater marquee, a large rectangle for the product’s title and a smaller one for its subtitle. It includes the grade level and my Dramamommaspeaks logo.  (Recently, I hired someone to make that a new logo for me–this is not in my wheelhouse.)

            DramaM

 

 

 

I use the same font on all the print on the cover, so they have a uniform look.  However, I’m known to change the font to something which gives a particular feeling for the title of the Broadway musicals or plays, for example.   Hopefully, if people see all the products together they will recognize them as mine.  Or at least that’s the hope. This is what I mean—

 

     

Nearing the end of the product’s creation I must wrangle font size.  Gad, it is the bane of my life! I am always in a quandary whether to have each page the same size font size or vary it depending upon what the page will be used for.  Would a teacher appreciate larger font when they are lecturing from the pages or will they be used as slides to be projected on a white board?  Should I add photos to those pages or will they be distracting to the students?  Maybe clipart will help them remember the information?

This process can last up to two weeks depending upon whether I need to create different lessons for the unit, my husband is composing music for one of the fifteen minute plays or a variety of other things.  I’m a Rockstar grandma, too so that keeps me busy seeing our granddaughters and being available to our daughters if they need our help.  Sometimes I choose to be grandma and put the lesson to the side.  You gotta do what you gotta do, you know? 🙂

The goal is to create 2.5 lessons each week.  I’m sitting at 60 as of today, but the goal is around 200.  I never thought I could create 60, so to have done so is nothing short of incredible to me.  However, the longer I create, the more the lessons comes flooding back into my memory.

If you are looking for a sampling of my work, check out this bundle: Drama Curriculum Units and Lessons

How to Make Things to Sell on Teacherspayteachers

This product can last a semester, quarter or month depending upon how many times you meet with the students. and…it’s a growing bundle which means I’ll add more products to it as I create them.

If you’d like more information about selling Teacherspayteachers, check out Teacherspayteachers.com Sales Expectation Versus Reality

Do you have an idea for a product?  I’d love to hear about it.

So, if you are thinking of creating lessons to sell on Teacherspayteachers.com, I hope this information helps you.

Do contact me at dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or through DeborahBaldwin.net if I can help you.

If you’d like to know about other products of mine, check out: There’s a Place for Everyone in Theater

or maybe you are looking for a free lesson  Ice Breaker Storytelling Using Jig Saw Puzzle Pieces 

Deb

Arts Education: Fostering Creativity and Innovation

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Arts Education: Fostering Creativity and Innovation

I’m all about any research or editorials supporting arts education fostering creativity and innovation whether it’s in the United States or elsewhere.  I ran upon this piece on Stemeducation.news:

Read on…

Image result for arts education

Arts education is vital to help foster creativity and innovation

By Susan Davis

I have a dream that this nation will achieve its full creative and economic potential and that Arts education will rightfully be seen as central to making this happen. It worries me that current thinking and policymaking around national innovation concentrates on increasing participation in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects while the teaching of the Arts (dance, drama, music, media arts and visual arts,) is rarely even on the innovation agenda.

It is not that I begrudge the attention STEM is getting, it is just that I believe if we want to be a truly innovative and creative nation we need to put the Arts, very firmly, back in the mix. We should be talking about STEAM in schools and universities with the Arts very much in the centre of it all.

There exists a popular narrative, used to drive the STEM education agenda in Australia (and elsewhere), that says there are significantly declining enrolments in the Sciences and other STEM disciplines. However I question this narrative as justification for major initiatives. I will come back to that later.

First up what are we talking about, when we talk about innovation and creativity?

Innovation and creativity

Creativity and innovation involves putting things together in new ways, it involves risk-taking, experimenting and refining, valuing the role of productive failure, it involves making and doing, and is often collaborative and co-creative. While creativity is about the capacity to putting things together in new, novel and different ways, innovation is often seen as putting them to work and out into the world so that they meet a need, want or interest.

However these capacities don’t get switched on when people hit the world of work, they need to be cultivated across the education lifespan in all subjects in as many ways as possible.

Unfortunately the nurturing of creativity and innovation often seems to be at odds with the direction of many current initiatives in education. I have concerns about mandated curriculum and standards and everyone doing the same thing, the same tests, meeting the same benchmarks. I am particularly concerned about certain subjects or areas of learning being valued as more essential or more important than others.

Why the Arts subjects are important when it comes to innovation and creativity

The focus on STEM, without similar focus being turned to the Arts and Humanities does not appear to be justified by recent research about the impact of technologies on our lives. It is hard to deny that all aspects of life and the world of work are undergoing rapid transformations, many brought about by developments in technologies across nearly all fields of endeavour. Recent research from Oxford University notes however, that while robots will assume the role of many people in many sectors, growth continues in those that rely on creative capacity and social interactions, people, services and experiences. They are not optional areas of focus for education, but essential for opening up future study and work opportunities.

The importance of valuing other areas of learning and related industry sectors is also evident when examining economic development within various industry sectors. Industry growth and projection reports identify that education itself is one of Australia’s major export industries. Other projected growth areas identified by the Reserve Bank include household and business services, food, arts and recreation.

Image result for arts education

A Deloitte report also identifies industry sectors such as agribusiness, tourism, international education and wealth management as ones that are growth sectors for the Australian economy.

To do well in these sectors may require knowledge and skills in some or all of the STEM areas, but also relies on understanding people, design, experience and communications: the Arts subjects.

Is there really a crisis in the uptake of STEM subjects?

A review of senior secondary enrolments in several states over the past 20 years reveals that in most cases all students have to/or tend to study an English and a Math subject. When it comes to the sciences, Biology is the top or near top elective subject and while there is some drop in the percentage of Physics and Chemistry enrolments it is not perhaps as extreme as we have been lead to believe, and in fact in recent times in Queensland, for example, there has been an increase in the numbers for Chemistry enrolments.

Enrolments in sciences have not been dropping more substantially than other subjects over the last 20 years using Queensland data as an example. While percentages of total year 12 enrolments might be 5-10% lower, this has to be considered in the context of increased subject choices including vocational training courses. It is clear that the pattern of enrolment of the Arts and Humanities also shows similar decreases in percentages too. When it comes to the most dramatic drop in enrolments over the past 20 years it is actually Accounting (20% to 7%) and Economics (19% to 5%) that have seen the most dramatic declines.

Similar trends can be identified in New South Wales and Victorian data, though the strength of Chemistry seen in Queensland is not necessarily reflected in other state data.

While there is no doubt that there are still issues with enrolments in STEM by different target groups, including girls and students from low SES backgrounds, regional areas and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, these are not new issues. However a focus on increased enrolments in STEM per se is not likely to change that. Other strategies that focus more on pedagogy, combining STEM and arts based approaches are more likely to have impact (and have been the basis for strategies in places such as Korea).

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So what should we be doing?

It is important that capacity building in creativity and innovation be supported across the years of formal education (including early childhood, primary and secondary education) and tertiary study, including teacher education. This requires a shift beyond STEM and the ongoing focus on ‘basic skills’ in major educational drives, and to look at the cultivation of ideas and passions, calculated risk taking, how to work through failure, problem-finding and problem-solving and resolution of ideas into products and forms.

This requires an approach that recognizes that creativity and innovation can be cultivated across diverse learning and industry fields. If the current obsession with STEM is to continue, as I said previously, it should be converted to STEAM, with the Arts at its centre, at the very least, or perhaps ESTEAM to recognize the importance of Entrepreneurship as well.

Other key points

Here is my list of other key points and issues we need to tackle.

  • We need to see the arts, education and teacher education as being integral to a national innovation agenda

  • We should be specifically teaching teachers and children about innovation and creativity and to value the different knowledges and skills that can contribute to innovation

  • Include scope for more specialisations in primary education degrees, including in the arts and humanities

  • Recognise that there needs to be space for people to develop different interests, depth of knowledge and experience. Some of this can be supported through formal learning programs, but can also be supported through after school programs, partnerships and informal learning

  • Reduce the focus in educational agendas on NAPLAN and standardized test instruments and reports. We can’t mandate that everyone learns the same things in the same ways for 10 years of schooling and then expect them to do things ‘differently’. We need room for people to develop interests and expertise in diverse areas, so room for electives, special projects and enterprises.

If our governments recognize the importance of creativity and innovation for our future national prosperity (as the current parliamentary inquiry would indicate), attention must be paid to learning that promotes problem-solving and inventiveness, social innovation and entrepreneurship, and multiple forms of communication and expression. To do this effectively Australia needs to give just as much attention to the Arts as it is currently to the teaching of and participation in STEM. These areas are all fundamental to cultivating innovation for the future of our economy and our world.

Perhaps you’d like to read my own views on drama education.  Go to:  https://dramamommaspeaks.com/2017/08/14/top-seven-reasons-drama-education-is-important-to-your-childs-life/

Here is a year’s worth of drama units and lessons for your drama classroom: Year Long Drama Lessons and Units

Contact me at dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

I’d love to hear from you.