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The 33 Drama conventions
I'll admit that this can be a bit hard to interpret at first (or even second) reading, but basically it's a list of drama tools you can use when working in role. Here's a link to their detailed explanation on the MoE site, but to give you a very simplified flavour...For example, one convention is to use the overheard conversation, which can be staged 'live' between two adults to take the story forward - it's intended that the children overhear this; or it can be a one-sided telephone conversation that they also overhear. Another convention is the fairly commonly used, but nontheless effective, received letter, note, email, etc. - something written that also provides extra information to take the story forward. Another is 'the role in effigy', which might for instance be a character in a situation acting as though we cannot see or hear them, but we can move around them, assessing the situation, talking about what we think is happening, etc. Some are easier to get to grips with than others, but they are worth taking time to understand, probably just one at a time, as they add considerably to the success and enjoyment of the frame you are working in.
The Mystery Bag
I'll admit that this can be a bit hard to interpret at first (or even second) reading, but basically it's a list of drama tools you can use when working in role. Here's a link to their detailed explanation on the MoE site, but to give you a very simplified flavour...For example, one convention is to use the overheard conversation, which can be staged 'live' between two adults to take the story forward - it's intended that the children overhear this; or it can be a one-sided telephone conversation that they also overhear. Another convention is the fairly commonly used, but nontheless effective, received letter, note, email, etc. - something written that also provides extra information to take the story forward. Another is 'the role in effigy', which might for instance be a character in a situation acting as though we cannot see or hear them, but we can move around them, assessing the situation, talking about what we think is happening, etc. Some are easier to get to grips with than others, but they are worth taking time to understand, probably just one at a time, as they add considerably to the success and enjoyment of the frame you are working in.
The Mystery Bag
A good starting point for newcomers to Mantle. Select a bag and choose a number of items to put into it. The items are clues to the identity of the bag's owner, so you may choose both bag and objects to be male, female or appropriate for either. You can 'design' your mystery character, or choose fairly random items. In role as a police officer, tell the class that the bag has been found in the playground and because the Head has told you about their powers of deduction - that they are known to be good detectives - you have been given permission to ask them to help you find out who the owner might be.
Hand the bag to one child and ask them to take out an object, describe it to the class and see if anyone has any ideas from this about a possible owner. Repeat with the other objects & make notes as you go along. And what clue is in the bag itself? Where you go from here is up to you - the children could discuss in pairs who they think the owner could be, they could draw an 'identikit' picture, write a description, build up a character portrait.
Of course, they will know you have put the bag together yourself - but this is Mantle of the Expert - suspend disbelief!
First time
Some time ago I visited a primary school in a small Suffolk village, to view their practice. I couldn’t quite understand what was going on as the children began to come into the classroom to start the day. I’d noticed, of course, that the room wasn’t set out in the normal way – in fact it looked as though they were in the middle of some sort of reorganisation, with tables and chairs piled up higgledy-piggledy around the room. There was no obvious register being taken, and many of the children went straight up to the teacher to share some apparently serious information with her – I was too far away to hear their conversations. One or two others picked up the same exercise book, to write something in. Eventually all the children seemed to have arrived, with some sitting on the carpet and others on stools, cushions or seats nearby. The teacher addressed the class: ‘Have any of you seen the tiger this morning?’ Answers came thick and fast – ‘I think I saw a glimpse of it across the field’. ‘I heard that someone had seen it last night, but they thought it might have been injured.’ ‘I definitely heard it on my way to school.’ The teacher considered all this before saying ‘Well, that’s interesting, because I also heard it might be on the other side of the field, somewhere behind the hedge at the bottom. Do you think we should go and have a look?’ Yes – they agreed that would be good idea. ‘But we shouldn’t just go over there without thinking about it’ one child interrupted. ‘Quite right’ said the teacher, ‘What do you think we should do?’ Several suggestions were forthcoming, and I noticed during the exchange that the teaching assistant had put on her coat and left the room. Finally, in pairs and small groups, the children put on their coats, one or two took notebooks and pencils, and very very quietly they left the classroom and headed across the lane to the school playing field. I followed. Two boys who were last to leave, started to giggle. The teacher stopped – so did everyone else. Very sternly, she said, ‘If you can’t be quiet you will either scare the tiger, or endanger us – so either be quiet or go back to the classroom.’ Immediately the boys were silent. Quietly, the groups of children crept towards the bottom of the field, where a figure could be seen in the distance. As we got closer, we could hear the woman having a conversation on her mobile phone. ‘Yes, I think it’s injured...I’m not sure, it might not be safe. Can you send someone? Well, I don’t know, maybe a tranquiliser. No, there’s no evidence of that, but I can see something that might be dried blood...’ The teacher signalled that we should leave, and just as quietly we returned to the classroom.
This had been my first experience of ‘Mantle of the Expert’.
The Black Hole
I've shared this idea with many people, and everyone enjoys it. It's a great 'toe-in-the-water' if you - or your class - have never done any Mantle of the Expert work, and can last for half-an-hour or a week!
Before the class come in, make a space in the room and lay a large black circle of sugar paper on the floor. As the children come into the room, ask if they know anything about it - what is it? where has it come from? Ignore any obvious responses 'It's a circle of sugar paper innit?' and if no-one comes up with anything imaginative, offer the suggestion yourself - 'I think it could be a black hole of some kind', or 'It looks like a hole to me - I wonder where it leads to?' Gather the class around the hole, and initiate a discussion about what might be down there. They WILL go along with you. You must be alert to the best ideas and responses and pick up on them. At some point, make the suggestion that someone might be brave enough to look down into the hole. As they crawl towards it, say 'Be careful! The edge may not be safe!' What do they see when they peer down? How deep is it? Can they see the bottom? Can they hear anything? What's down there?
Inevitably, there will come a moment when either you or a child will suggest going down the hole. 'Yes! Great idea! Let's go!', but then immediately hesitate. 'Hang on...we don't know how safe it might be. I don't feel like going down there without making a few preparations'. At this point, you can get the children to pair up and make their plans for going down the hole. What might they need to take? How will they get down - and back up? Should they phone someone to tell them what they're going to do? (The phone call is a great tool in MoE). This process can take quite some time, and they can make lists, or diagrams, whatever, as reminders.
Eventually, you will go down the hole, working in role, describing what you see, hear, smell, feel, etc. Who knows where this might lead? You must be willing to follow the best leads. Will you get out today? In order to leave the world of the Mantle and return to the world of the classroom, have a signal, for returning to being a teacher, but maybe with the promise of going back to the adventure later. You could use this as a pre-cursor to descriptive writing in some form, but don't feel you have to - it can be an end in itself.
Another day, put the black hole on the ceiling - then see where you end up!
Garden for the blind
I started this frame with a letter requesting the expert assistance of my team of garden designers (of course, the letter was written by me, and my team of experts were the children in my class, most of whom didn't know a weed from a flower!) The letter-writer, working on behalf of a school for the blind, had heard of the wonderful designs the team had already produced and felt sure they would be able to design a garden suitable for blind children, taking health and safety matters into account, of course.
I asked the children to tell me about some of their previous garden designs, prompting them by asking 'Wasn't that special World Cup garden one of yours?' and of course someone responded that it was and their ideas flowed freely. They had apparently created gardens based on the Olympics, Disney, Jamaica where one of their families originated, and so on...(none of course were actual gardens!) When I asked how they had come to be a company of garden designers they had many tales to tell - one had previously been a taxi driver but got fed up so took up gardening. Three had met at gardening college - one originally working in the cafe there, but joined forces with two of the other students!
We brainstormed ideas for this particular commission, considering the special needs of blind people, and took a blindfold walk around part of the school grounds to get a real feel for what might be needed. They eventually came up with the idea of scented plants, plants which felt different, but that were not spiky. Guide ropes would be needed along the paths, and inclines would need to be very gradual. And so it went on. We visited a local allotments for more ideas, and eventually the plans were drawn, with annotations. There was lots more of course, but I hope this has given you something of the flavour of what was a very successful Mantle of the Expert project.
The Black Hole
I've shared this idea with many people, and everyone enjoys it. It's a great 'toe-in-the-water' if you - or your class - have never done any Mantle of the Expert work, and can last for half-an-hour or a week!
Before the class come in, make a space in the room and lay a large black circle of sugar paper on the floor. As the children come into the room, ask if they know anything about it - what is it? where has it come from? Ignore any obvious responses 'It's a circle of sugar paper innit?' and if no-one comes up with anything imaginative, offer the suggestion yourself - 'I think it could be a black hole of some kind', or 'It looks like a hole to me - I wonder where it leads to?' Gather the class around the hole, and initiate a discussion about what might be down there. They WILL go along with you. You must be alert to the best ideas and responses and pick up on them. At some point, make the suggestion that someone might be brave enough to look down into the hole. As they crawl towards it, say 'Be careful! The edge may not be safe!' What do they see when they peer down? How deep is it? Can they see the bottom? Can they hear anything? What's down there?
Inevitably, there will come a moment when either you or a child will suggest going down the hole. 'Yes! Great idea! Let's go!', but then immediately hesitate. 'Hang on...we don't know how safe it might be. I don't feel like going down there without making a few preparations'. At this point, you can get the children to pair up and make their plans for going down the hole. What might they need to take? How will they get down - and back up? Should they phone someone to tell them what they're going to do? (The phone call is a great tool in MoE). This process can take quite some time, and they can make lists, or diagrams, whatever, as reminders.
Eventually, you will go down the hole, working in role, describing what you see, hear, smell, feel, etc. Who knows where this might lead? You must be willing to follow the best leads. Will you get out today? In order to leave the world of the Mantle and return to the world of the classroom, have a signal, for returning to being a teacher, but maybe with the promise of going back to the adventure later. You could use this as a pre-cursor to descriptive writing in some form, but don't feel you have to - it can be an end in itself.
Another day, put the black hole on the ceiling - then see where you end up!
Garden for the blind
I started this frame with a letter requesting the expert assistance of my team of garden designers (of course, the letter was written by me, and my team of experts were the children in my class, most of whom didn't know a weed from a flower!) The letter-writer, working on behalf of a school for the blind, had heard of the wonderful designs the team had already produced and felt sure they would be able to design a garden suitable for blind children, taking health and safety matters into account, of course.
I asked the children to tell me about some of their previous garden designs, prompting them by asking 'Wasn't that special World Cup garden one of yours?' and of course someone responded that it was and their ideas flowed freely. They had apparently created gardens based on the Olympics, Disney, Jamaica where one of their families originated, and so on...(none of course were actual gardens!) When I asked how they had come to be a company of garden designers they had many tales to tell - one had previously been a taxi driver but got fed up so took up gardening. Three had met at gardening college - one originally working in the cafe there, but joined forces with two of the other students!
We brainstormed ideas for this particular commission, considering the special needs of blind people, and took a blindfold walk around part of the school grounds to get a real feel for what might be needed. They eventually came up with the idea of scented plants, plants which felt different, but that were not spiky. Guide ropes would be needed along the paths, and inclines would need to be very gradual. And so it went on. We visited a local allotments for more ideas, and eventually the plans were drawn, with annotations. There was lots more of course, but I hope this has given you something of the flavour of what was a very successful Mantle of the Expert project.
