RefleXions@Xinmin

“3, 2, 1 Lights!”

It is a signal that is familiar to all Xinmin students. It is a signal of anticipation. It is a signal to our students that they are going to lead their audience into worlds that they have created and facilitate them in thinking about community and global issues, themes and topics in the performance.

Belief:

We believe that drama is the window through which students explore the way other people think, feel and communicate. The learning through Drama allows our students to imagine a world that is different from their reality, thus enabling them to empathise and see possibilities.

Approaches:

RefleXions@Xinmin is our signature lower secondary drama programme that is offered to every student in Xinmin. Students will get to:

• develop an awareness of, and apply the routines in a drama classroom using games, and purposeful play,

• learn about the elements of drama, and apply basic performance skills to communicate a range of situations, roles, and relationships,

• tap on the creative potential of a range of drama-based pedagogies that aim to foster curiosity, empathy, and critical thinking,

• share viewpoints on issues and themes explored in drama lessons,

• collaborate with their peers to complete in-class tasks and develop performances for presentation,

• critique each other’s performances in a respectful manner.

Through these processes Xinmin students learn to build connections with people, develop empathy, compassion and critical thinking skills in an atypical classroom setting.

Providing students with opportunities to make drama presentations.

Students collaborating and rehearsing for their performance.

Developing students’ performance and presentation skills.

Students’ reflections on their own performance and that of their peers.

Students learning to analyse and critique performances.

Connecting community and global issues, themes and topics that are age-appropriate, relevant and of interest to students.

Sharing of different viewpoints in a safe space.