Colloquium on English - Research Institute for Waldorf Education

Discussion: What Else Should English Teachers Be Doing?
Drama: most Waldorf English teachers are also drama teachers. Green Meadow has developed a sequence
for the drama curriculum. David Sloan’s Stages of Imagination is a rich resource. Several other schools have
drama blocks each year that may or may not result in performance. A typical program goes like this:
9 th grade: seven weeks of story building and improvisation usually as a track class
10 th grade: stagecraft including acting and design often using a Greek play such as Antigone. High
Mowing has a block on Greek drama in grade 10, always resulting in a play. There seems to be a great deal
of support for a regional Waldorf Greek Drama Festival along the lines of the eurythmy festival being held
at the Austin school with about nine groups attending.
11 th grade: continuation of design and acting usually resulting in a play or a series of scenes around
a theme or as a support for the Grade 12 play. High Mowing does a Shakespearian play each year in Grade
11.
12 th grade: all schools produce a senior play. Who chooses the play? What are the criteria? In most
but not all schools, the 12 th grade tends to choose its own play with direction from the teacher(s). The
senior play is a different experience than other plays. It can be difficult to manage in schools where there is
not a specific, constant director year after year. An adult consciousness has to ultimately carry the choice to
really look at the class and see what is needed. It is a good idea to begin by interviewing the class: what type
of play do they want to do? what kind of audience do they want? how many are expecting major roles? One
recommendation is to bring the students three plays and let them choose one. There is a natural tension:
seniors are drawn to something modern and avant garde while at the same time being aware that the play
should be a culmination of their entire career and a gift to the community; fourth graders need to be able
to watch it. The students have to consider what they want to give to the community. Green Meadow works
with the students to see if their choice of play would limit the audience. One class did Camino Real, which
was only appropriate for 9 th grade and up. There was much consternation among the parents. The same
thing was true of Spring Awakening at the Toronto school. In both cases the play was powerful and appropriate
for the class. Play reading and discussion typically spans six weeks of track class. It is difficult to find
a modern play for 20 – 30 students. It is also difficult to find something of some redeeming value. Recommended
plays include: The Grapes of Wrath adapted for the stage, Under Milkwood, any Thornton Wilder,
the Madwoman of Chaillot, The Crucible, J.B., Peer Gynt, Museum, Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest,
and Peter Pan.
Many schools also have a drama club as an after school or extra curricular activity that spans all four
grades. At Ann Arbor there is no drama teacher but the after school drama group is very popular. Anyone
from any high school class who wants to can take part without audition. Students and teachers write the
plays every year to accommodate the students wanting to perform; this year, for example, there are 39
students. Mary Emery described the plays as “Mystery Dramas á la Monty Python.” All the work is done
after school.
Schools differ on the question of whether all students are required to act. In many schools all
students are expected to be on stage; in others, students participate either by acting or taking part in
technical crews.
Most of us discourage the videotaping of any play.
How do we incorporate drama and speech into the curriculum? A simple and effective way that most
teachers use is to assign various parts for the students to read in short stories, novels, or classic works such
as the Iliad or Parzival. In the Grade 11 Shakespeare block, students are often asked to memorize a solilo-
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