During out third lecture for Integrated Arts we focused on Room 13. This programme is run in a primary school in Fort William, it is pupil led and the children raise money through selling pictures to be able to buy different art materials(Room 13 International, 2012). By researching this project it showed the importance that arts have within a school setting and the positive effect it can have on children.
Throughout out drama input we were shown various pictures from the war as a stimulus and asked to act out different scenarios that may occur. We used various drama conventions such as voices in the head, still image and thought tracking. Along with this we also were given a stimulus of Grenfell and asked to act out a scene. Our group decided to act out a scene from after this tragedy occurred, we used voices in the head and each took turns in standing up and expressing how we believed the people and families would have been feeling in this situation. Within a class, I believe using a strategy such as voices in the head allows children to understand how others may be feeling in certain situations and encourages children to reflect on experiences they may have experienced (BBC Bitesize, 2019).
Within our visual arts input we were given different material such as wood, ribbon, wool etc and asked to make our own paintbrush which we would use later on. After making our paintbrushes we were then given a piece of A3 paper and asked to make a border, our lecturer then found a picture of the Scottish Highlands and read out to us what he saw allowing us to make our own interpretation of what we believed this picture would look like. This was a very enjoyable lesson which I would definitely use in a classroom as it allowed for each student to make their own image in their head and by using our own paintbrushes it ensured all pictures were individual and unique.
Both these inputs made me understand that although you can be given one stimulus or one picture how you interpret it can be very varied. Although we were all read the same picture the results were completely different, even in drama if we were given the same scene to act out they would all be different because of how each individual processes information.
References:
BBC Bitesize. (2019). Why voice matters in drama – Describing voice – GCSE Drama Revision – BBC Bitesize. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zqtgq6f/revision/1 [Accessed 29 Sep. 2019].
Room 13 International. (2012). About – Room 13 International. [online] Available at: http://room13international.org/about/ [Accessed 29 Sep. 2019].
