All the World's a stage... even the classroom

Amsterdam Part Three - 4th/5th May Committee & my journey

John Naples-Campbell — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:04:25 +0000

We visited the 4th/5th May Committe today and it was interesting to see how Holland are approaching liberation and rememberance. I won’t go into too much detail but one thing that stuck out was that they are aiming to educate the young people that the war just wasn’t between Holland and Germany but it was a WORLD WIDE WAR. This is somehing i think we should, as a nation, take on board at times. Sometimes we aim too much of the war front, against Germany etc.

My journey has been deeply moving and I am even more passionate about holocaust education, I have met some amazing people and returned with a newfound faith in what I am doing.

The group I was with were all amazing, I don’t think i’ve met such a nice set of people. All from different subjects and backgrounds but all keen to increase Holocaust education in their school.

I would like to mentionmy new friends Alison and Jo who are PTs at a school in East Dunbartonshire. These women are amazin, they were not only on the same wave length as me but also great to be around, full of energy and fun and creative spark.

Angela, a primary teacher from Aberdeen who inspired me to just got for it and who almost died by a tram but we won’t mention that!

Julie who was fun, interesting and caring and also Jill who knew exactly where we were going and what we were doing! She is a head teacher in the makig!

Gavin, who teaches at Jewish primary school in East Renfreshire who became a good friend during the 4 days.

I wouldalso like to thank my Head Teacher and Deputy Head who supported me in my application and encouraged me to go.

And last but not least Nick from LTS who made this happen.

I am now excited about how we are going to teach Holocaust at Knox and I hope that we make a difference to the pupils who are taught.

Amsterdam Part Two - Westerbork

John Naples-Campbell — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:52:10 +0000

Evening,

well i have finally just arrived home and felt I need to ‘pen’ down some thoughts on the rest of my journey. Hope you can bare with me but I want to share with you this experience and realise I might not get the chance to do so at school.

On the Thursday we were up early to go to Camp Westerbork. The past two days we’ve had excellent weather so I found it unusal that it was now raining heavyily and windy.

Westerbork Camp is the transit Concentration Camp which is found at the border of Holland and housed 107,000 Jews, Romas and Freedom Fighters before they were taken to either Auschwitz, Sobibor or Thereisienstand.

The journey took almost 3 hours and my first impression was how isolated and hidden the camp was to the outside world.

The camp was demolished in the 1970s and now all that remains is the vistor centre, the iron gates and part of the rail road.

The visitor centre was amazing with some great visual aids that ranged from suitcases with belongings,photos, clothes, a replica barrack etc. This really put into context the belief that they ‘The Jews’ were going to treated fairly, they packed their best items or favourite belongings. It was sad to look at the photos and wonder what these people could have added to the world.

My only problem with the centre was that most of the documentation relating to visual aids were in Dutch and therefore I couldn’t connect with them. I asked at reception why this was the case and they said they don’t get many English speaking tourists coming to the camp and is mainly used by Dutch nationals but they are wanting to change this in the future.

During a lecture about the camp we were introduced to one of the survivors of the camp Shule and we were told about his experience of the camp and his journey East to Aushwitz. This brought home that even though Anne Frank has become an ‘icon’, so to speak, there are another 6 million stories out there.

The camp is based about a mile from the centre and as we approached the camp, by bus, the rain stopped and we were led through the gates and onto the vast waste ground that was the camp.

When i say vast i do mean vast, the camp was huge and this was really too much to take in at first; how could this place be so hidden from the outside world?!

We were taken to a mound that represented one of the barracks where they now have a concrete corner representing the width and height of the barrack. We were told about the conditions of the camp and then led to the punishment barracks where the most famous inmate stayed. Anne Frank stayed in the camp for just over a month and was placed on the 92nd train out of the camp to Aushwitz, a total of 93 trains left Westerbork. I stood thinking that I have taken the same journey as Anne did in 1944; from her house yesterday to the camp today. The realisation came too much and i became emotional.

There are two monuments at the camp to remember those that died.

We were taken to the first and told about Sonya who managed to survive the war and escaped from the same train that Anne was on by jumping from the wagon, sadly her friend who also tried died. Sonya was hidden by two farmers.

The train track represents those who diedby being deported to the East. There are 93 tracks attached to the line, representing the 93 trains that left from the camp full of prisoners every Tuesday. 4 tracks unattached to the line represented the other four camps in Holland which held people and the broken tracks were aimed towards the sky to show the road to heaven.

The second monument was just breathtaking and i’m still thinking about it constantly. This monument was made up of 102,000 stones (each representig those who died). The stone either had a star to represent a Jew, a flame to represent a Roma or was left plain to show the freedom Fighters who were shot dead in the forrest that was ahead of us. The stones were set out to show a map of Holland and where each victim came from.

The tour guide spoke of the physiological the Nazis played with the prisioners to make them think they didn’t want them dead and as I looked at the group we were all taken aback by what we were told. I’m emotional writing this so won’t go into detail.

As we returned to the bus the heavens opened again and the rain started and we made our way back to Amsterdam.

That night I just thought of the journey I have taken both personally and physically. The fact that I have taken the same journey as Anne did and many others has made me more determined that Holocaust eduaction is important to our future.

Amsterdam Part One

John Naples-Campbell — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:41:08 +0000

So we arrived at Amsterdam yesterday along with the others and were taken to our hotel which is just off Dam sqaure. The hotel is on a quiet canal street and is ideally situated for walking around the city. I’m with a good group of people all from different walks of live. We enjoyed an Italian meal and got to know each other a bit better.

Today is when our work began and we spent almost five hours at the Anne Frank House (Huis). We were led by a wonderful teacher called Huib who teaches Primary school and spoke excellent English. He really gave us some amazing things to think about and challenged us as educators to think how we would teach the holocuast.

Going through the house I honestly could say that I felt empty, on reflection I was trying to keep my emotions down but the effects of the aftermath of the house really made you think about the history of the building. (I’m in an internet cafe so will discuss this more when i get home)

Leaving the house qwe went to the Jewish History Museum which was rather interesting as I felt it was rather negative about the Jewish community in Amsterdam rather than a celebration of what they had achieved. I am still thinking about this visit and will discuss at a later date. \

Tomorrow is going to be emotionally draining as we visit the transit camp Westbrok where the Jews were sent from Amsterdam before being deported.

I’m already having loads of thoughts and ideas on how we, as a school, can carry on our work in Holocaust education and looking forward already to discussing my findings from this trip with the peers at school.

That’s all for now!

Higher Drama: Higher Nightmare!

John Naples-Campbell — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:48:25 +0000

So we are fully underway with the Higher at Knox. We successfully performed the investigatives Drama’s (Unit One) last week in the Drama studio to packed audiences of Staff, pupils and parents. The Groups chose the themes of ‘Teenage Life’ and ‘Cruelty’ and created engaging plays based on a variety of topics including self-harm, eating disorders, animal cruelty and women’s rights to name a few. After tears, drama strops and a few shouting matches they really shone as Playwrights, Directors, Drama-turgs and Actors.

A lot of people don’t seem to understand the amount of work that the pupils have to do to achieve the first unit and parents were quite shocked at a) how mature they approached the topics being dealt and b) how much work they had put into achieving their first unit. The SQA ask that each pupils research a choosen topic and from their research write a play. Their written play is then directed by them and they have to liase with the technical pupils to light and sound their production. They must also act in their peers plays and all the plays had to link to make one whole production - phew even writing it i’m shattered!

So we’ve now moved on and we’re all a go go! for Unit Two we are studying ‘Antigone’ by Sophocles. I studied it when doing Higher and my Drama Teacher, Mrs Chetty, was passionate about the text that it’s last with me all these years! It’s such a great story and how amazing that it was written ove 2500 years ago and still relevant to the world today!

Unit 3 is Contemporary Scottish Theatre and again another passion of mine so it’s been great to start teaching this and seeing the pupils really engaging in the first two lessons (Lecture on National Theatre Scotland and an introduction to playwright Linda McLean). We are going to be studying ‘Passing Places’ by Stephen Greenhorn, ‘One Good Beating’ by Linda McLean, ‘Black Watch’ by Gregory Burke, ‘The Women of Lockerbie’ by Deborah Brevoort and ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’ by M Spark.

So we are all go at Knox and through practical workshops our pupils will, hopefully, be ready for their acting exams in March/April and the written exam in May!

Holocaust Visit: Amsterdam

John Naples-Campbell — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:15:33 +0000

I was lucky to be chosen (through application) to join other teachers across Scotland in visiting Amsterdam with Learning Teaching Scotland. This visit is focusing on Holocaust Education and working with the Anne Frank foundation.

The visit will take place over four days and will include a visit to the Anne Frank house, The Jewish historical museum and Westerbork Camp. This trip will really enable not only myself but also Knox Academy, as a school, move forward with our Holocaust Education peadogy.

This visit means a lot to me, not only as an academic but also as a person. You are probably aware if you read my blog but i am passionate about the education of the Holocaust and the lessons we need to learn from it. I want to thank Janis, Martin and Stewart for their support in my application and I look forward in representing East Lothian Council on this LTS visit.

I will post further details once I have been.

Welcome to a new Drama Teacher!

John Naples-Campbell — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:01:20 +0000

I would like to welcome a new Drama Teacher to the region, Helen-Marie started at Ross High this week and it’s great to see East Lothian Council upping it’s staffing in Drama across the region. We now have Drama Departments in 4 of the 6 Secondary Schools in the region, which is brilliant.

Helen-Marie was actually in my graduation class at Moray House so it’s great to be in the same council with her and hopefully working alongside her on some exciting projects.

Welcome Helen-Marie, hope you have a fantastic time in the council! JAZZ HANDS!

Drama IS a curriculum for excellence?! Isn’t it?

John Naples-Campbell — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:40:07 +0000

I had an interesting chat with a fellow teacher the other who stated they thought that their subject (RMPS) was a curriculum for excllence, then I spoke to another teacher who felt their subject (English) was also a curriculum for excellence. Then I went into Moray House to guest speak to the Drama students on the PGDE course about life since leaving Edinburgh Uni to find written in huge letters DRAMA IS A CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE! mmm…. so when i say they feel their subject is a CfE what I mean is that they feel they already teach the 4 main components of the the new way to approach education in Scotland (successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors)

It’s been interesting to read the way many teachers across Scotland are still unclear what this new curriculum will mean to them and the pupils they teach. The CfE will effect the new S1 pupils entering secondary school in session 2009/2010.

I have to agree that I do feel CfE is what we’ve been teaching in Drama since the subject was recognised in the 1960s. It is also interesting to note that not all schools across Scotland have Drama Departments and in most schools we are small departments (there are some schools who have big Drama Departments of 4 or more teachers - I know… hard to believe but it’s true!).

Drama enables the pupil to fulfil the four main outcomes of CfE and helps the pupil in skills for life long learning. All pupils must look at issues that affect them and the world in which they live in. They must use skills that will help them to a day to day basis as well as in the future, skills such as self-control, team work, confidence etc. Most teachers will have to use various Drama techniques to meet the requirements of the outcomes; skills such as role play/team work/communication/perspective etc

From this point of view my question is why is Drama still not fully recognised as a ‘proper’ subject. As a teacher, and I am sure I am not the only one there, I am constantly having to defend my subject on why it is not a ‘mikey mouse’ subject and why it is important all pupils should have Drama in their curriculum. I am luck at Knox that I have a supportive Head Teacher and my uptake from Drama is excellent however I still get bemused when teachers ask me ’so what do you actually do in Drama?’ do I ask that for those in Georgraphy, Chemistry, Maths, Business Management etc.

I do believe that a Curriculum for Excellence IS Drama and I would hope that councils throughout Scotland would try and secure departments, where they can, in schools to make sure that the young people of Scotland experience the most from their education.

an interesting few months!

John Naples-Campbell — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:07:36 +0000

So it’s been a couple of months since I last posted anything! It’s been all a go go here at Knox! So here is what has been keeping me busy and some educational thoughts on a couple of things.

Timetable

So my timetable has been pretty hectic and on minimum time isn’t easy but having great classes always helps. The new S1 have settled in really well and i’m really seeing this years S2 classes creating some amazing work. I find jumping from different mind set levels always interest and a monday is always interesting going from basic drama, to standard grade, to S2, to Higher, to acting technique!

Health and Safety

We’ve been having some interesting discussions lately about Health and Safety in Drama and had an excellent chat with Judith Wood (Health and Safety Officer for East Lothian). As our course at Knox is so practical we are always aware of how dangerous it could be if we don’t follow guidelines. So we’ve been working on getting a manual together for Health and Safety in Drama. Doing units like Stage Combat and Dance/Drama it can be quite easy to injure yourself, i’ve done it myself!

One thing that arose from our discussion and is an interesting debate is where do we stand in a PPP school? According to FES all our furniture should be bought new (what if we were doing a period play? Where do I get my set from?), The lighting is owned by the PPP so in theory we aren’t allowed to focus them (how does this work for a pupil doing Lighting for their SQA exam?).

The manual will hopefully be ready soon.

School Productions

So the Junior Production of TROJANS is underway and looking great! we have over 50 pupils from S1 - S3 involved onstage and about 10 involved backstage! It’s going to be good!

Sadly we didn’t get our uptake of boys to do THE CRUCIBLE so we are now working on a small studio piece that could be a bit controversial but will spark debate (we like a bit of controversry!), more about this later.

‘Across the Pond Theatre Company’

As some of you may have read, Knox Academy recieved the International Schools Award for a second year, well done! Part of this was due to the work we have been doing with our link school in America. Carol, our American teacher, has came up with a fantastic idea of a collusion project based on Martin Lurther King ‘I have a dream speech’. This will involve pupils from both schools creating work based around this text.

Expressive Arts Faculty Night

Knox had it’s first Expressive Arts faculty evening last week and it was a great success, well done everyone involved. Pupils showcased work in an informal setting. Work from P.E., Drama, Music and Art showed what talent we have here at Knox. Several Higher pupils showed a piece of work about teenagers and gangs. Using the ‘Home Office’ manual as a starting point it told the story of why young people get involved in gang crime. The second piece was from our S2 actors who created a very camp and over the top murder mystery called ‘The Butler Did it!’. Both were excellent. Well done.

Holocaust Memorial Day

This years theme is ‘Stand Up To Hatred’ and after last years success of our Holocaust Memorial week we have decided to continue what we had already started but this time we are wanting to involve the wider community in our work, with the ownership pf the project very much on the pupils. Teachers from various departments have met and the ball is now a rolling! Watch this space.

Goodbyes!

On the note of the Holocaust I would like to say a huge thank you and good bye Elaine who left Knox at summer to start a new life elsewhere. She was a great help during our planning for Holocaust Week and a great support to me when I first started.

I would also like to wish another collegue, A Wood, all the best as he leaves Knox to start a new post in the West. He has been great support and a great team mate during our Holocaust work and I hope he continues the hard work in his new school.

Higher Drama Performance

The Higher Drama pupils have been busy being dramaturgs, writers, directors and actors as they get ready to showcase their hard work for their first unit in the course. Unit One asks them to research, write and direct a play about an issue or topic they feel strongly about! Let’s just say it won’t be the most happy night but should be excellent to see their hard work on stage!

Standard Grade - Mary Poppins

Last night we went to see Mary Poppins at the Edinburgh Playhouse! We took both SG classes and what a treat! An amazing piece of theatre! Our pupils were awe struck at what they seen on stage! Stunning!

On that note I need to ’spit spot’ and have to dash just now but I want to discuss a Curriculum for Excellence - so when I am less busy i’ll be back!

JC x

P.s. How gutted am I that Legally Blonde has been cancelled on Broadway… NNNNNOOOOO!!!!!!

A new year - and all it begins!

John Naples-Campbell — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:30:35 +0000

So session 2008/2009 has begun and it’s all go already! I feel like i’ve been back months!

Knox Academy are offering Higher Drama for the first time and our cohort of pupils doing the course are brilliant with some really exciting script writing ideas taking place now for their Investigative unit. The Standard Grade students are underway looking at characterisation and S2 are already using all they have learnt from first year to produce some excellent work. So we are already well underway for an exciting way.

Some exciting things to look forward to in this session

Junior Drama Production - TROJANS

The House of Troy have abused their position for too long. They deny the Youths their rights, have destroyed society and squander the country’s wealth on a stalemate war with Sparta. Enough is enough! While the Royal family plan a big party, the Council of War plan one final assault on the enemy and as Princess Cassandra tries to appeal for peace the Youths are preparing to fight back. Will the House of Troy fall? Will the rebellious Cassandra jump? Will Helena be returned to Sparta? All will be revealed in this powerful drama that takes the legends of the Trojan Wars and throws them into the madness of the 21st Century.

Senior Production - The Crucible

Arthur Miller’s classic parable of mass hysteria draws a chilling parallel between the Salem witch-hunt of 1692 - one of the strangest and most awful chapters in human history - and the McCarthyism which gripped America in the 1950s. The story of how the small community of Salem is stirred into madness by superstition, paranoia and malice, culminating in a violent climax, is a savage attack on the evils of mindless persecution and the terrifying power of false accusations.

The S6 Pantomime

More deatils to follow on this!

Holocaust Memorial Day - Stand up to Hatred

This years theme is Stand up to Hatred and we will be looking at the Matthew Shepard story and using the play ‘The Laramie Project’ as a starting point.

so all go already and looking forward to 2008/2009! Hope to see you at Knox in some way or form to share the talent we have within our school.

Performing for Royalty

John Naples-Campbell — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:53:15 +0000

Well today seen HRH Queen Elizabeth II open the new Queen Margaret University Campus in Musselburgh.

Knox Academy were honoured to be invited to the opening and we took six members of our student council to the State visit. Representing Knox were our Head Boy, Head Girl, Deputy Head Boy, A representive from 4th year, 3rd year and 2nd year and were accompanied by Ms Duff (PT Citizenship) and myself. I think I am correct in saying we were the only school representing East Lothian. The pupils were brilliant and really looked great in their Dress code and made their first public outing as the new student council at Knox. I’m sure the Queen was happy!

In previous posts I have spoken of the great work the final year students of the Drama and Theatre Arts course have done with the Drama pupils at Knox in the Mussel-In project. Today seen their efforts recongised as they performed right in front of HRH Queen Elizabeth (she was sitting in the front row and one wrong kick from dancing chip man in the play could have caused damaged!)

It’s not everyday you get to perform for Royalty and the pupils from Knox Academy shone in their role and the Queen seemed to enjoy it giving them a round of applause after their production.

I would like to thank once again the Students from QM who have worked so hard with our pupils, thank you. I would also like to thank every Knox pupil who represented their school today on stage or off. We may not all be Royalists but at least this is a memory we won’t forget.

(on a different note… very sad to be back as an ex graduate knowing that the school of Drama is no more but also interesting to see that most visual displays were all from the School of Drama! mmm interesting!)