Unit 5 - Collective Creation
Lesson 2 - The Collective Process

Introduction:
The purpose of the collective is to use all the ideas students have learned during the year to complete and original drama production.

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Background Notes:

Collective Creation: What is it?

It is important for everyone involved to listen well to the members of the group and allow the process to unfold accordingly.

Principles:

1. It is a Group Process: everyone must agree to work together, contribute ideas, remain flexible.
2. It is Collaborative: there is a sharing of power and decision making, everyone has a voice, respect one another.
3. It Requires Rigorous Thinking: engage in a world of ideas and concepts; explore ideas through image, music and metaphor; it involves creative and critical thinking.
4. It Requires Trust: building an atmosphere of trust and support is the most important task of the teacher or facilitator.
5. It is Aesthetic: an aesthetic experience occurs; the need to think as artists; emphasis must remain on the work, decisions that make the play stronger (not catering to individual egos).
6. Document the Process: this is invaluable to reflection and evaluation.

Dramatic Elements to consider:
focus
tension
contrast
symbol
rhythm
mood

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View sample materials mask, video or collective process on "Learning How To Fly" ( teacher resources) Web Site: "Learning to Fly" North Battleford Comprehensive High School collective documentation (pdf) Learning to Fly, script (pdf) So Fair and Foul, exerpt, Carpenter High School collective, script (pdf) Collective Creation (process handout)

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The Collective Process: (pdf version of process)

Theatre, by definition is about communicating meaning to an audience whereas Drama education is about finding meaning for oneself through personal exploration. The Collective Creation is a way to successfully bring together both into one meaningful experience. You will answer the question,"What shall we do a play about?" by following the steps outlined Preparing for a Collective. It is important to do at least one activity from each step - pick and choose as you wish.

If you choose to do the lesson on getting ideas for the collective, some of these activities will be redundant. You may wish to start at Activity 6. There you will be working writing, rehearsing and performing.

Preparing for Collective Activities 1-5

Writing, Rehearsing, and Performing Activities 6-9

Evaluation:
Evaluation should be developed by the students and the teacher in cooperation, but over-all weighting and general categories should be preset. A sample of evaluation weighting is found below:

A) Individual
- participation /50
- acting or directing /75
- reflection and self-evaluation /50

B) Group
- collective scripting /75
- group work skills and use of time /50
- rehearsal process /75
- production /25

Overall /400

Note that the evaluation considers both group and individual work, and that final production is not worth much of the mark. Collective development is about process not product, so marks should be weighted far more heavily on process. Within each category, specific expectations and mark allocation will need to be established.