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The Vision
To support educators and learners in their exploration of NZ drama texts and the NZ drama curriculum, through providing purposefully crafted playscripts and educational guides.
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This webservice is currently under phase 1 of Children's Playscripts Aotearoa development, being a pilot project from which to gather information to move into later, full service offer, phases. The online questionnaire will feedback vital information to assist in moving into later phases. It is hoped phase 2 will result in a collaborative enterprise, with playwrights and expert educators across Aotearoa, to achieve long term goals under a financially secure organisational structure.
The current service offer is playscripts and educators' guidelines, in future we hope to provide learners guides for year 3 upwards so they can follow instructions themselves. Also to provide drama skill building activities and hot tips sheets, for example;
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If you are interested in contributing to this project please contact us now. 
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THE RATIONALE
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The NZ curriculum offers flexible opportunities for primary aged akonga to explore a range of drama techniques, elements and performance skills. There are two main ways of approaching exploration, through devising drama or using drama texts, to rehearse for a performance. Children's Playscripts Aotearoa acknowledges the difficulty in educators accessing contemporary playscripts that reflect the New Zealand lives of their learners, and our country's unique diversity of cultures. Many teachers and schools do not want to have to enter into a full scale school production in order to simply explore the drama strands. Also, primary teachers come from many different backgrounds and expertise, not every educator is confident in their level of knowledge of drama elements, conventions and rehearsal processes. Short scripts that can be explored over a term, in small groups with a step by step suggested process, can be a much more manageable, fair and effective learning experience. Short skits can still lead to a variety showcase event at the end, if wished.
This project and service aims to fill the gap of there being no 'one stop shop' where educators can easily find quality, accredited NZ scripts, with basic guidelines, for use in kiwi classrooms. |
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The history & creator
Kia Ora, I'm Sarah Waterman, a longstanding professional drama coach of the NZ Speech Board syllabus and theatre practitioner, in the industry for over 20 years. I am also a Trinity College London examiner and qualified NZ primary school teacher. Over the years, I have taught many students in the art of speech, drama and performance skills, along with producing and directing, writing for theatre events. It was in the early years of private coaching that I continuously came across a frustrating problem with not being able to find short, or indeed long, drama scripts for my students to use for learning exercises or grade exams. Texts were either way out of touch with today's kids, were American or English based and had no, or little, quality assurance of content. So, I began writing my own scripts. It was when I saw how much the children enjoyed a more modern text, with fairness in line distribution and exciting characters they could relate to, with places they actually knew, that the idea for Children's Playscripts Aotearoa came about.
Ten years ago I began a research project to look into the lack of NZ kids drama texts and asses what the learners and educators would want from new scripts, and any learning guides, to help bring them to life. The research continues to expand and will form the basis of a Doctorate in Education, commencing 2021. This pilot website is an important phase in the long term goal of Children's Playscripts Aotearoa to provide a nationwide 'one stop shop' for NZ based playscripts, and their guides, for all year levels.
Ten years ago I began a research project to look into the lack of NZ kids drama texts and asses what the learners and educators would want from new scripts, and any learning guides, to help bring them to life. The research continues to expand and will form the basis of a Doctorate in Education, commencing 2021. This pilot website is an important phase in the long term goal of Children's Playscripts Aotearoa to provide a nationwide 'one stop shop' for NZ based playscripts, and their guides, for all year levels.
aknowledgments and thanks
Children's Playscripts Aotearoa would like to acknowledge and thank those who have assisted in the creation of this website and phase 1 of the project. Creator Sarah Waterman much appreciates their voluntary contributions and support in time and expertise.
Special mention goes to the children photographed for their time and enthusiasm.
Many thanks for the editing, proofreading and Maori language guidance of editor John Patterson.
Many thanks for the contribution of " The Nerve of Her" & "Travel Machine" playscripts, from Alexis Reeves.
Many thanks for those educators who have given feedback on the website and materials.
Special mention goes to the children photographed for their time and enthusiasm.
Many thanks for the editing, proofreading and Maori language guidance of editor John Patterson.
Many thanks for the contribution of " The Nerve of Her" & "Travel Machine" playscripts, from Alexis Reeves.
Many thanks for those educators who have given feedback on the website and materials.
