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THEA 279
CREATIVE DRAMATICS
Fall 2010

 Janeve West, M.F.A.                                                                                                   Office Hours: TWR 11:00 – 12:00
 Rm 305 Wallace Hall                                                                                                                or by appointment

Course Information:
MWF   9:00 – 9:50 am
HT – B3 (The Wit Theater)

Text: Creative Drama in the Classroom and Beyond by Nellie McCaslin  8th Edition
             Various handouts/scripts given by the instructor.

Required Supplies: Large 3-ring notebook

Recommended Texts:  Creative Dramatics by Viola Spolin

 Course Description:

           This course will offer a study on the development of Creative Dramatics as an educational, social, and political tool.  It will cover readings on the study of Play and Drama as a therapeutic and developmental tool, practical exercises in the use of theater and drama as a teaching tool, and direct application of Creative Dramatics in an educational setting.  Students will have hands on opportunities to apply their studies to an actual class-room setting. 

Course Objectives:
This course will give students the opportunity to:

1.      Develop a broad knowledge of the language, techniques, function and components of Creative Dramatics as an art and a craft.

2.      Directly apply Creative Dramatics based skills in an actual classroom and arts center setting.

3.      Begin to develop a personal approach to using Creative Dramatics techniques through reflection and self-evaluation.

4.      Develop an understanding of the history of Creative Dramatics as an educational, social and political tool.

5.      Become familiar with the professional and educational organizations and associations which deal directly with Creative Dramatics.

Children who go unheeded are children who are going to turn on the world that neglected them.
Dr. Robert Coles, Professor, Harvard University and Child Psychiatrist

Inattention to children by our society poses a greater threat to our safety, harmony and productivity than any external enemy.
Marian Wright Edelman, Founder, Children’s Defense Fund

Course Requirements:

Participation- Approximately 4 pts per day = Total of 175 pts.

Theater Attendance –

In order to develop a full understanding of the components of Theatre as an art and as a craft, students will be required to attend:  All three Monmouth College productions – Including any pre/post show discussions- Student Directed One-Acts, MPAACT Production, The Fall Showcase.  To prove attendance, the student will turn in both a ticket stub and program of the attended performance no later than the Tuesday following the performance.  Failure to attend the required productions, pre/post show discussions will result in a significant decrease in the final participation grade.

Class Participation –  
The art and craft of theatre requires many people. Class attendance and full participation will be a crucial element in this class.  Class participation will be accounted for through the completion of in-class activities and assignments as well as an assessment of class participation.  Participation will be determined by the instructor and noted in the following manner:      

·         Timely and consistent attendance

·         Proof of consistent class preparation

·         Completion of in-class activities/assignments/writings/readings

·         Positive and consistent class participation

·         Positive, successful and complete participation in BCA projects.

·         These assignments cannot be made up except in the case of extreme extenuating circumstances. 

Arts Center Participation and Journals -  (5)  - 25 pts each = 125 pts.
            To give students the opportunity to see and apply creative dramatics techniques in a classroom setting, students will be required to attend and participate in three sessions of Children’s Theater Class and 2 sessions of the Saturday Drama Labs at The Buchannan Arts Center.  Students will create one journal reflection for each session.  Details and discussion of this assignment will happen at a later date.  An excused absence will ONLY be granted to those students who are directly involved in a Monmouth College event such as an evening class, sporting event, debate tournament or music concert AND are on the list of students sent out to faculty by said coach, director, or event sponsor.  Extraordinary circumstances will be dealt with on a one-to-one basis as needed and at the instructor’s discretion.

Projects –  Total of 300 points.
            In order to actively apply skills, students will be asked to create and present 8 Projects throughout the course of the semester.  Each project will build on the skill before.  Projects will build in their allotted points.  Projects will range from the development of lessons and workshops to the facilitation of games/activities.  More information will be discussed later in the semester.        

Tests (5) – 100 pts each = 500 pts
            Including final cumulative terms test.

Final – Presentation of Portfolio Materials -200 pts.
            Students will create and present elements of a comprehensive portfolio which could include information from the semester, lesson plans, journals and/or reflections of assignments.  These materials will be based on a group Storytelling Presentation.  Details of the final will be discussed at a later date.

 Extra Credit –

·         10 points of extra credit will be awarded for attendance of the Monmouth-Roseville Fall Show.  Ticket STUB and PROGRAM due at the next class period.

·         10 points of extra credit will be awarded for attendance of another outside youth theatre production of your choosing.  Ticket STUB and PROGRAM due at the next class period.

·         2 pts of extra credit, up to 20 points, will be awarded for successful participation as an Usher for any of the Fall MC Theatre productions.

 Grading Scale:

                        A         =           92-100
                        A-        =           90-91
                        B+        =          88-89
                        B          =          82-87
                        B-        =           80-8l
                        C+        =          78-79
                        C          =          72-77
                        C-        =           70-7l
                        D+       =           68-69
                        D         =           62-67
                        D-        =           60-61
                        F          =           below 60

Course Policies:

Food/Drink in the Theatre:

            No food or drink is allowed in either the WIT or the Wells Theatre.  The only exception is water in a bottle.  Students cannot claim attendance while “finishing their breakfast in the hallway.”

Attendance:

Your participation in this course is essential; as a result, so is attendance.  In the event of illness or other mitigating circumstances, you are allowed to miss 3 class periods without penalty.  Each subsequent absence after 3 will result in a one-full letter grade reduction of your final grade.  For instance, a final grade of A would be reduced to B with four absences; C with five absences; D with six absences; and F with seven or more absences.  An excused absence will ONLY be granted to those students who are directly involved in a Monmouth College event such as a sporting event, debate tournament or music concert AND are on the list of students sent out to faculty by said coach, director, or event sponsor.  Extraordinary circumstances will be dealt with on a one-to-one basis as needed and at the instructor’s discretion.

 

Tardy Policy:

Students arriving 10 minutes or more after the start of class will be noted as absent.  Extraordinary circumstances will be dealt with on a one-to-one basis as needed and at the instructor’s discretion.

Tests: 
            Because of the tightness of the schedule, students will be kept to 30 min. from the start of the class period for test taking time.  This should be more than plenty of time to complete the material.  Students with special needs please note the policies below.  Students who arrive late to class will be asked to adhere to the tardy policy and to the official start time of the class.

Missed Assignments/Class Work/Presentations-

Performances/Exams/Presentations will only be rescheduled in extraordinary circumstances and at the instructor’s discretion.  Written assignments which are handed in any time after class on the “due date” will be penalized at the rate of one letter grade per day.  This includes assignments that are handed in or e-mailed immediately after class on the due date. 

Dress:

            Daily Participation is of great importance to the understanding and implementation of Creative Drama Techniques.  Classes will be filled with physical activities on a daily basis.  Please wear comfortable clothing appropriate for a high level of movement.  Flip flops, heels, dresses, skirts and dangly jewelry will not be permitted and daily points will be lost if student is non-compliant with dress request.  Shoes with a heel will be worn at all times.  Students who “forget” and must return to their dorms to change will be subject to the tardy policy above.  Casual, but nice clothing will be required for BCA visits.  Failure to adhere to the dress code will result in a significant decrease in participation points.  If inappropriate clothing is worn to the BCA the student will be counted as absent and asked to leave the class.

 Readings and Handouts –

Students will be given reading assignments from the text, as well as numerous handouts.  It is the responsibility of the student to read and maintain all materials, as well as gather all materials, notes, and handouts covered during the student’s absence.  To obtain information that was missed due to an absence, the student must meet with the instructor during office hours or by appointment. Do not ask, “Did I miss anything?” at the start of the next class period.

Civility in the Classroom –

Students are expected to assist in maintaining a classroom environment that is conducive to learning.  In order to assure such an environment, unless otherwise approved by the instructor, students are prohibited from using cellular phones or beepers, eating or drinking, making offensive and/or defamatory remarks, reading newspapers/magazines, sleeping, bringing a weapon of any kind, or engaging in any other form of distraction in the classroom.  In the case of a violation of this policy, the instructor will note the behavior and expect it to immediately cease.   In case of a second violation the student will lose their daily points and the instructor could schedule a meeting with the student to discuss the Civility in the Classroom policy.  In the case of a third violation, the instructor will refer the student to the department chair who will schedule a meeting with the student.  At this meeting or any subsequent meeting, the student will be notified that their behavior could result in the immediate removal from the course and immediate referral to the Office of the Dean of Students for disciplinary action. 

Plagiarism-

Making the unauthorized or unacknowledged use of others' words or ideas is plagiarism. It will result in a final grade of "F" for the course and may result in further penalties. If at any time you are unsure, ask!  Plagiarism is discussed further in the College documents available online. 

Students with Special Needs-

If you are a student with special educational needs, please inform the professor personally as to the nature of those needs, in writing via e-mail, within one week of the beginning of the course or the receipt of this syllabus. Please consult the appropriate college offices for further information.  Students requesting accommodations because of physical or mental challenge need to be register with this office in order for the professor to grant accommodations. Mid-term or ex-post facto appeals to physical or mental challenge will only be considered when requested in written with an explanation of why the accommodations were not requested at the beginning of the semester in writing and when the student had not contacted the appropriate college offices prior to that request. The professor is committed to maintaining a "level playing field" and will not grant accommodations that would unfairly advantage challenged or non-challenged students.   Non-challenged students who feel that they have been disadvantaged by the granting of an accommodation to a fellow student are asked to provide information on that situation to the professor in writing within three weeks of their first knowledge of the date of the accommodation being made, or when it comes to the attention of the non-challenged student.

Grade Telephone Inquiries:-

Telephone inquiries regarding course or assignment grades will not be considered appropriate, due to the professor’s interpretation of federal educational privacy protections. Student privacy of educational records cannot be guaranteed in a telephone conversation, since the professor cannot guarantee the identity of the student, therefore, no student grade issues will be discussed on the telephone or in person while other students are present, unless the student whose grades are being discussed arranges for a release form.  The professor will not discuss a student’s grade with anyone other than said student unless the student whose grades are being discussed arranges for a release form.  If the student wishes to discuss their grade, the student must make an appointment with the professor to do so.