The Power of Performance Cal Bray cjb@hiltoncollege.com

Head of Dramatic Arts Hilton College

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International Boys’ Schools Coalition Action Research Program 2014 - Boys & Character Education

Key Findings and Discussion

•  Perserverance scored highest in the character strengths that the boys admired in teachers and significant others

•  Boys learned a great deal about needing to persist at their task and to be thoroughly prepared for a performance

•  Lively discussion and sharing of ideas definitely helped some of the boys to persist at their task

•  A general feeling of camaraderie helped some of the boys to persist

•  Group dynamic can negatively affect a

group’s ability to persist at a task •  All groups had persisted to varying degrees and showed a growth in confidence and accountability for their

efforts

Key Readings

Barseghian, T. (2013). How to foster grit, tenacity and perseverance: An educator’s guide. MindShift. http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/02/how-to-foster-grit-tenacity- and-perseverance-an-educators-guide/ Costa, A. L., & Kallick, B. (2008). Learning and leading with habits of mind: 16 essential characteristics for success. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. McNiff, J. (2002).Action research for professional development: concise advice for new action researchers. http://jeanmcniff.com/ar-booklet.asp Reichart, M., & Hawley, A. R. (2013). For whom the boy toils. New York: International Boys Schools Coalition. Reichert, M., & Hawley, R. A. (2010). Reaching boys, teaching boys: strategies that work and why. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Tough, P. (2012). How children succeed grit, curiosity, and the hidden power of character. Old Saybrook, Ct.: Tantor Media, Inc.

Further Information The full report of this project and an online copy of this poster are available at http://www.theibsc.org/.

Introduction Can performance help boys learn the need for and the value of persistence? Does persisting at something long enough and hard enough achieve excellence? As a teacher relatively new to teaching boys, I discovered that some boys lacked a real resilience and determination to finish a task to the best of their ability. They tended to leave things to the last minute and appeared to be content with mediocrity. I decided to use the medium of performance as a challenge that the boys would need to persist at in order for them to see and achieve the results of which they were capable.

Conclusions

•  We talk about the importance of the need to persist, but unless we actively do it we will not reap the benefits.

•  The boys appeared to have learned the value of persistence through these two tasks and this, I hope, will have a positive effect on their approach to learning and life experiences.

•  Although some boys did not work as persistently at the tasks as did others, they all appeared to learn a great deal about persistence.

•  The boys enjoyed the camaraderie, the discussion of ideas, shared creativity and working as a team in the performance process.

•  The beauty of action research is that it is an ongoing process. I will definitely implement a similar project with my next cohort of Grade 10 pupils The Research Question

How can planning and preparing performance pieces in Drama help develop

persistence in Grade 10 boys?

The Research Action

The task was divided into two sections: •  A group piece (dramatised prose) which would be performed on stage for an

audience •  An individual piece (monologue) to be performed under examination

conditions

Participants

•  Grade 10 Dramatic Arts class (13 boys) •  I wanted to inculcate the habit of persistence as early as possible in their

Dramatic Arts course •  The Dramatic Arts course is implemented over three years •  Results gleaned from this research could be built on in following years

Data Collection •  Initial character strengths survey questionnaire •  Individual interviews during the rehearsal process •  Angela Duckworth’s Grit Scale Questionnaire •  Photographing the rehearsal process •  Collaboration and moderation with a dramatic arts colleague •  Post-performance questionnaire

Data Analysis

•  Recurring character strengths which the boys admired (survey) •  Results from the Angela Duckworth questionnaire •  Boys’ responses to persistence or lack thereof in group and individual tasks •  My colleague and my observations of persistence in each boy and group

Research Context

Hilton College is an independent all-boys full boarding school situated just outside the small country suburb of Hilton in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa. The College sees education as a process which incorporates all aspects of a boy’s life, and considers personal and social growth, the development of character, independence, confidence and spiritual development to be as important as the intellectual and physical components which contribute to an excellent education.

“determined “, “never

gives up” “pushes you

to be your best”

“I’ve learned that you need to get things done, you can’t procrastinate because by the time you have to get on stage and you

are not ready, it makes it that much harder.”

“You can disagree but you have to persevere until the

group agrees.” “It’s fun, you get to share ideas and hear other people’s opinions.” “You get a lot more ideas and you don’t have to only rely on yourself.” “Groups help

you to improve and

build morale.” “I like to have my own ideas and not have them changed…if I

need advice I will ask for it.” “We formed a good group

bond”

“I have learned to be more confident. When we walked on to the stage it was as though nothing could stop us. Coming out afterwards you realise it’s actually not so bad and if you are ready and prepared and you’ve done everything you’ve been asked to, you get up there and it’s a lot easier.”