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Distance Learning ideas vs Zoom or other video conference platform.

Tips on doing an online performance using a video conferencing tool such as Zoom.

If you’ve never done a first week in the drama classroom, how do you know what to expect? What to say? What to do? Let the New Teacher Primer be your guide. We’ve divided this toolkit into high school and middle school sections. There’s definitely a specific way to approach each level. However, there will also be some overlap between the two, so don’t be afraid to read it all and adapt for your situation.

10 Tips for Online Performances

There are 2 versions of the Drama Teacher School Year calendar. One is a monthly calendar with an inspirational quote and image per month; the second is a portrait-layout booklet version that can be customized to any school year.

An interview with Lauren Carr - discussing alternative performance options.

Your hosts: Matt Webster & Lindsay Price 00:00 Welcome 10:53 Keynote: Accept, Respect, Trust 32:09 PLC (Keynote Debrief) 51:20 Distance Ensemble Experiences 1:11:30 Online Tools (FlipGrid & EdPuzzle) 1:28:59 PLC - Online Tools 2:02:44 Adapting an In-Class Lesson 2:36:42 PLC - Adapting an In-Class Lesson 3:00:13 Alternative Performances Tips & Tricks 3:33:32 PLC - Alternative Performances 4:01:19 Wrap-Up

The experiences detailed here can be used during online sessions for Warm-ups, Collaboration, Cool Downs. Students experience the 21st Century Skills-Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, Communication and Collaboration (by distance).

Links to FlipGrid & EdPuzzle, along with extensions on how to use these tools in the drama classroom.

A collection of 15 scenes in which no two characters get within six feet of each other. Use them to explore the physical and emotional distance between people - what causes us to stay apart? Great for class work and competition, and where social distancing is required in class.

10 traditional drama activities, adapted for the virtual/online classroom.

When teaching classes via video conferencing, it’s good to think about what’s going on behind you. This doesn’t mean pets walking through your virtual classroom or visible piles of laundry in view of your camera, although those should probably be kept out of view as much as possible! Having an interesting and creative background can grab students’ attention, be a conversation starter, or make them laugh. It’s also fun to switch things up and create a fresh atmosphere for your virtual classroom.

Virtual productions are popping up everywhere now, specifically designed to be performed online, and they are a wonderful way to keep your students together and keep their love of theatre going – just in a different way. If you’re thinking about doing a virtual production, here are a few tips to help you on your way.

This resource takes common theatre games and adapts them for a social distanced classroom. You’ll find in many cases that the games are quite similar to their original counterparts. That’s intentional. We want to show how the games you know can be adjusted to fit your new circumstance. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, or create new material for your situation.

Lea Marshall kicks off the DTA Virtual Conference 2020 with a keynote: Accept, Respect, Trust. A PLC panel discussion follows.

Gai Jones leads this session on Distance Ensemble Experiences with ideas you can use for both students and educators.

An introductory video to using FlipGrid & EdPuzzle, followed by a panel discussion.

Lindsay Price leads a presentation on adapting an in-class lesson for distance learning, followed by a panel discussion.

Lindsay Price leads a presentation on alternative performances, including interviews with drama teachers and a panel discussion to help navigate the do's and don'ts of recording or streaming an online production.

You know how to run a traditional classroom. The virtual classroom is going to be a whole new learning experience. Theatres have been shut down many times over the centuries and have always returned. Theatre thrives with people who are flexible, excellent problem solvers, and creative thinkers. Theatre teachers, you will survive this! We hope this guide will help you adapt, observe, and engage with your students.