I haven’t
had time to write for several days because my life has been a circus act,
juggling various extracurricular commitments at NISV and preparations for my
future in the “real world” after my fast-approaching graduation:
Juggling
ball #1: Pre-vacation Theatre Workshop
Originally
I designed the curriculum for the theatre workshop to revolve around the issue
of bullying since I have noticed that this is a serious problem within this
school. However, when I received the class list for the workshop, I noticed
that all of the students enrolled in my program are the type of individuals who
befriend those being bullied and are more sensitive to the social dynamics of
the school. So then I thought about widening my unit to “The Appreciate of
Diversity”, but the construction of lessons around this theme seemed forced and
contrived. Therefore, I decided to give the students the opportunity to choose
an issue that is meaningful and relevant to their lives that they would like to
explore through theatre. The six participants, in grades 6, 7, and 9,
brainstormed the following issues that they felt affected them as students of
NISV and residents of Baroda: bullying, TB, act of littering and use of
plastic, polluted lakes, air pollution from burning tar, slums, disaster
management, traffic hazards, and smuggling drugs. The general consensus was to
focus the workshop on health issues, so we used a variety of theatre devices to
prompt discussion and emotions about this topic.
My
assessment of the workshop also changed during the short six-day period. The
original plan was for the students to write and enact their own script and they
had been working on a pirate theme with a plot where Captain Hook was throwing
garbage and oil into the ocean and causing the death of sea horses. However,
two days before the final performance for their parents, the participants stood
divided and were struggling to agree on a plot that would generate interest for
a wide array of ages. So I made
the executive decision to find a script already written to preserve time that
was quickly fleeting; the first text that came to mind around
health/environment issues was “The Lorax” so the students and I collaborated on
the most important parts of this story and began to cast characters and enact
this children’s book. The students truly internalized the characters and plot
and as a director I was extremely proud of their dedication and talents that
were showcased in their performance.
Juggling
ball #2: Boarder’s Concert – Hip Hop Routine and One-Act Play
When
I lived in Ghana and something malfunctioned or went awry, the phrase that was
used by Ghanaians was, “This is Africa!” Well similarly, the teachers have used
the sarcastic phrase, “Welcome to India,” several times after I have been assigned
to additional rehearsals for the Boarder’s Concert. Rehearsal times were originally
from 2:15 – 4 pm Monday thru Friday and then Saturday was slowly added to the
schedule. Then Sunday rehearsals were also added in addition to daily night
practices from 7 – 8 pm before dinner. This concert was a giant vortex that
sucked all of the time out of my days, but I appreciate the extra opportunities
to interact with the students. To my surprise, the boys involved in the hip-hop
routine were extremely enthusiastic about learning the dance and requested that
they incorporate some of their own choreography into the piece.
There
was also a surge of participation from male students in my one-act play; the
script was actually modified three different times to accommodate the
additional actors, which came to a total of 12 boys and one girl. Most of these participants had never
been involved in dramatics previous to this experience, but I was impressed at
their genuine interest in the process and production. The rehearsals were
filled with both joy and frustration as a director [which I believe is quite
normal] because the actors immediately memorized their lines and seemed to be
committed to their roles outside of rehearsal, but then when we were actually
together in the space, the actors were completely unfocused and played the
drums offstage or sat down onstage when they finished their dialogue, etc. It
was evident that the actors needed basic lessons about character interaction,
cheating-out onstage, voice projection/use of diaphragm to breathe,
differentiation of tone, moving with purpose, and using the entire body to
express oneself. Upon reflection,
I realized that I should have been giving more support in these aspects of
theatre by going beyond my explanations to the provision of more examples, but
it is a learning process for all, including myself. The day of the final
performance for their parents was a dramatic improvement from previous
rehearsals and my heart swelled with pride at their hard work and effort in the
production.
Juggling
ball #3: Job Applications
Up to date, I have applied for English/Language Arts
teaching positions at SEVENTEEN different school districts in Wisconsin: Fort
Atkinson, Elmbrook, Franklin, Menasha, McFarland, Twin Lakes, Waunakee,
Platteville, West Bend, Howard-Suamico, Kimberly, Lake Geneva, Milton, St.
Croix Falls, Stanley-Boyd, Wittenberg-Birnamwood, and Seymour. I appreciate the fact that there is a
plethora of job openings in my chosen field, but this whole process of tailored
cover letters, resumes, and extra district questions is getting old . . . fast.
However, I have become re-inspired about my profession due to researching a
variety of schools and reading that many mission statements include global
awareness and appreciate of diversity. My top preferences for school districts
are those in the surrounding Green Bay area or around the Milwaukee or Madison
area so that Sefah and I can live near a larger city with more nightlife and
cultural programs.
It is
ironic that my first month in India was weighed down with boredom and now I
have so much to accomplish with little time to do it.
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