History of TIE (2.1)

Agenda

History of TIE

Recap

Theatre forms: Kabuki, puppetry, Commedia dell'arte

• Theatre forms are dependant on various factors in society (what is happening in society). 
• The role of education is evolving.

- Why do people need to go to school?

1970s - go to school to learn skills to contribute to factor

NOW- ?

The world in the 1960s (US) which is similar to the UK. 

(Not the exact video)

The 1960s time - A LOT OF CHANGES

• The woman role changed GREATLY. They able to take contraceptive, able to control how many children they would like to have.

Their role in society will not just be to bear children and to not just serve their 'master' who is their husband. Now they can decide how many children to have, able to negotiate with their husband.
They have the woman;'s movement.

• Music and Film

Great songs and bands. Eg. The Beatles, Elvis and the twist

• Advancement in the Science and Technology

Going to the moon, medical science

• War (Vietnam)
• Rights 

Woman rights in equalities, rights of the blacks of equalities

• Great leaders being killed (Kennedy, Martin Luther King)
• HEATHCOTE WAS BORN
• FIRST TIE PROGRAMME WAS BORN IN 1965
• SINGAPORE (LEE KUAN YEW) WAS BORN
• THE ARTS COUNCIL STARED TO BELIEVE IN THE VALUE OF ART IN CHILDREN AND IN SCHOOLS.

*** READING IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Summary
Before this, theatre was just theatre. Theatre was meant for people to go watch, clap and then go. In this exciting time. The new assistant director went to ("BELVIC"?) theatre when he was a geography teacher, he had a background of a teacher. He started work in "BELVIC" Theatre as a assistant director, he knew a little about education, a little about theatre. He wondered why nobody had tried to merge this two and he tried to do that. Within the BELVIC theatre company which performs main season Theatre (perform for people to buy tickets and get revenue), they form another separate group specifically for TIE. For 20 years they did good work. For the first time this term "actor-teacher" was heard. In the past it never heard, you are either an actor or a teacher, you cannot be actor-teacher. They created it, they feel it is the best combination ever, you teach through teacher, you teach with theatre and so they toured school. This is different from Educational Drama. Educational Drama happens when a teacher is in class, weaving a story weaving the story together with the students. This people create performances and with the performances, they will try to teach something or explore something.

Confluence of factors

• Art Council (Their) = more money
• LEA (Local Education Units)

Because England is so BIG, such establishment had their own (educational authority) spending power.

• "BELVIC" Theatre
• School and teachers are very accepting of ideas like this.

GOOD TIMES! All these factos made TIE very possible and lucrative. They could earn money from the education ministry, arts council are willing to give money. Schools are open to it. 

QNS: WHAT ABOUT SINGAPORE? (USE ACSR/M)                                

- 1960 Arts Council 

They believed AT THAT TIME that there should be theatre specifically for children and young people. They set up a community to make sure that the young people had theatre. Good times for arts educator. 

They see the value work of young people including TIE and the paramount need to subside it (see it as important)!

- Performance did not stand alone. (Did not just perform and then go) 

It was part of a bigger package. 

PRE - PERFORMANCE

There will be a preview and a discussion with the teacher. Meaning, before the theatre company even go to the school, a month before the company will talk to the teachers. There will be a discussion. 

Eg. We are going to do bullying, what do you think about this? What are the occurrence here? If we do this, what do you think? Should we do a little rehearse with you beforehand to see if it will work? 

QNS: RIGHT NOW IN 2015 IS THIS POSSIBLE?

- It's possible to have a chat, a meeting. But is it possible to have a preview? 

There will be pre-work in the classroom. Before the programme company will go and see their participants. Play games with them, do work with them in relation to the topic. (It's not the performance yet) It's just to find out about them.  There was much research and devising. The company will make more than 1 visit. 

There was classroom work in between performances. While the company make their visit, the classroom will have contact with them. After the company, there will still be follow up work (able to come back for workshops).  VERY MEANINGFUL, VERY PROGRESSIVE

PROCESS

PRE- PERFORMANCE , PERFORMANCE, POST PERFORMANCE

1970S

• Gradual increase in interest

So much so, Local Education Authorities set up a TIE unit! (Education board even had their own TIE unit)(Like MOE set up a TIE unit) 

The company  did programmes which are better are more creative (form wise as it is theatre) each time. They are still discussing the importance of environmental issue.

 " THIS " is the key reason why TIE company wants to be there. It is very idealistic (sounds noble) but they really believe in it. 

1. Believe in good change
2. Believe in debate (Get students to talk/ disagree about things, regardless whether it will solving the issue or not)  

The 1980s (A bleak period)

• The stock market crashed. Many lost their jobs 

• Margaret Thatcher was Lee Kuan Yew's good friend. They admire each other in terms of leadership. 

She changed the education system and Lee Kuan Yew followed her (Similar education system on skills, numeracy, literacy) . The main aim was to provide for the industry. 

Her idea

- What you think doesn't matter.

- What for debate?

The UK had ...

• Standardization like standardized test, national curriculum and exams/test (like PSLE, O levels, A levels) 

• Offstats (similar to quality control) (like school ranking) 

• Common curriculum 

• 3 core foundation (subject) which they think is necessary. 

Once the national curriculum came in, teachers have to follow the same scheme of work. (Like Singapore) 

Previous, Golden Age 1960s
Teacher have the freedom to create curriculum that is specific to each class. 

>> Equal across Singapore (country) cause who are so small. It better to have equal or standardize learning.

Points

• If you categories someone at a young age, it would be easier to manage. 

The  school leaders are given a certain budget (limited), student have national curriculum to study. They probably won't want to spend money on TIE programme. Let's focus on education and test to raise themselves from the rank tables. 

** Singapore might be going back to this concept of skills and knowledge (Skill Future programme)

Skill future is a plan by MOE to tell Singaporeans that they need not all go to the university, because as long as you have the skills, you need not have the degree. The skill is more important. (BELIEVE PART OF IT, THE REST ... NOT QUITE SURE.)

QNS: If all of you are a TIE company and you still want to survive, you saw the golden age of 1960s. The school principal has given a limited amount of money, you won't be able to do what you did in 1960s but we still want you in. What will you do? What wil you cut?

• Cut pre-post
• Reduce manpower
• Less devising work
• A SHIFT (to your secondary school performance)

Everyone pack in the hall, TIE group perform, token participation, Interaction by asking some questions ("Who thinks that this character should ..." students raise hands), final (You know, you should not steal). 

It is not intimate, in the classroom, let's talk and meet the characters. (NO MORE) 

They still perform cause they believe in theatre. Hopefully, the audience can get the message.

TIE actors, who are actors after-all when back to mainstream performance as they are no work for them. 

The next best thing was to create the resource pack, cause no time to talk to class anymore. The teacher has the resource pack.  

The 1990s - Times are getting a little bit better.

The government now look beyond the education sector. (Who can we work with) Education in the larger sense of the word, not only in school but educate the general audience (like health). 

Structure

• Pre

Conducting some workshops with you

• Performance
• Post

Some more workshop

Less Distinct: It can merge' can do performance first and within that performance, there is a workshop element, site specific.

DEVISE 9000