What is this type of Learning Process?
Mantle of the Expert is a learning process which allows a group of students to take on the role as experts to solve a real world problem, make changes for the better, discuss solutions and interact with each other and teachers. Students are commissioned to undertake a role to discuss, analyse and find solutions in given scenarios and circumstances.
The students are cast within a fictional context as an expert team with responsibilities and the power to make decisions. They work for a client who sets standards and commissions them to perform specific tasks. These tasks are planned by the teacher to develop learning objectives from across the curriculum. (optimu-education)
Where students take on the role of an expert team which includes the responsibilities and expertise that would be expected by the students.
Students Are Commissioned By A Client
There is a fictional character who presents a scenario or problem for the team of experts to solve or make better. They are called the commissioner.
The expert team may come up with a variety of outcomes to ask for assistance to improve a situation, solve a problem, make a proposal or ensure a favourable solution is achieved.
For instance, students might want to write a letter to persuade a local council to change a certain part of their city such as chlorinated water back to its original state. Or students design ideas to fundraise for a local cause and create a bake sale, bikeathon, or make soups for public or fellow students to purchase.
But first the teacher in role as the commissioner proposes leading ideas, areas to pursue, discuss and work through. Often this is completed using a variety of drama conventions.
Mantle of the Expert can be an effective literacy/drama and Inquiry learning opportunity which employs certain drama elements or conventions within it’s processes.The use of various drama elements allows students to develop rich, meaningful, purposeful and engaging ways to learn about character development and events within certain circumstances.
Situations and scenes can be frozen in time, discussed and interacted and integrated with the ‘experts.’ Infact students can take on various roles from being in the freeze frame group to the experts trying to explore an issue.
Mantle of the Expert helps students develop confidence and develop tools to dig deep with characterisation, interactions, understanding of the large picture and complexities which often face adults in the wider society. But the process allows students to explore these ideas in a relatively safe way, where real world consequences aren’t a reality.
Creator Sees it as Students Taking on a Point of view
The MOTE was developed by Dorothy Heathcote who saw that it was important for students to take on a point of view of a character from a fiction piece and experience and act it out.
Not only are sessions thought out and planned, there is also a lot of discussion going on. There is also a lot of improvisation and ad libbing.
Students and teachers often use props and costumes to give context more authenticity, but many choose to use basic props and no costumes.
Premise:
Students operate as though they have the power to change events. They have power and responsibility to make meaningful changes to a given scenario.
Client: the students act for the client/commissioner.
The Client Commissions the team to carry out an activity or solve a problem.
Setting Up a Topic
You need to establish a safe working environment for yourself and the students. That means no put downs, laughing with not at others, allow students to take risks and encourage each other.
Introduce drama elements one at a time. The first one which could be helpful is ‘Hot Seating.’
Hot Seating allows students to take on the role of a character from a book, poem or song. The students surrounding that person seek to ask questions about the character, who, when, why, what questions. If you want a full run down how to use hot-seating, check out my other blog post.
The person being hotseated, answers the questions as though they are that character or are in a given circumstance. This technique allows students the take on the persona, and get inside the feelings or take on a life aspect of a character. It allows them to recall and experience an emotion and develop empathy and compassion.
Using a Novel, Picture Book or Poem
Your go to first sessions could stem from a book, or poem which allows students to read and listen to the elements of the story and build ideas about the characters themselves.
If using an article, it could be the perfect piece to draw debates, issues from various points of view. For instance if working with Middle school to Secondary School aged students, you could choose civil rights issues, elections, climate change, body image issues to discuss.
The class could be divided into points of view groups and they write down points of discussion. They can debate their issues with other groups. From here when all parties are listened to, each group can decide if they understood another group and if any issues have been resolved or parties expressed themselves.
Groups, can provide overall discussions, large picture ideas and the positive aspects of their experience.
Sophiscated Book Ideas for your Next MOTE:
- The Scribble Stones by Diane Alber
- Treasury by Roald Dahl
- Journey by Aaron Becker
- Here we are, notes for living on Planet Earth by Oliver Jeffers
- Migrant by Issa Watanabe
All of these books can be used for MOTE and expanded as you wish. There is so much opportunity to stem from.
Younger Students Could Explore Simple Issues
Using the well known tale – Cinderella
Session One:- Freeze Frame
Have students stand around in a large circle. After listening to the frist chapter or section of the book, the teacher will ask students to form a freeze frame of a scene from the chapter.
For example: In a group of four, make a freeze-frame of the scene when the ugly sisters and mother are leaving Cinderella to work at home, while they are off to the ball.
Once students are frozen into place, questions can be asked about each as you move through the scenes. This is the same as hot seating.
The action can be forwarded, to the ball itself, and we ‘hear’ what the characters are thinking while at the ball in a freeze-frame stance.
While a Cinderella cold be ‘hot seated in the next scene. Students can ask her how she if feeling after being left behind to do all the work. (students should be able to identify unfairness, loneliness, frustration, etc).
Others Ideas for freeze-frame:
- Choose a part of the chapter where a character was confused
- Choose a part of the chapter where there were interactions with others
- Choose a part of the chapter which expresses an emotion
- Choose a part of the chapter which expresses a conflict.
Teacher in Role
The teacher often takes on the role of the commissioner. But in some cases she or he needs to step in to the story or narrative to forward on the action or guide it into a desired working area.
Using a part of a scene from the book, the teacher may ask questions while in the character of for example the Fairy-God mother. She can interact with Cinderella and then switch to become the narrator or commissioner.
- How might this scene change if we didn’t have a certain character such as a handsome Prince? Maybe he was unattractive?
- What would have happened if the shoe fit one of the ugly sisters?
- What would have happened if the Prince saw Cinderella change into her peasant clothes right in front of him? How might he react?
- She could ask the students if they think the Prince is worthwhile to marry. And she/he will ask them why they think the way they do. Questions to challenge the status quo about certain stories which children and adults tend to take for granted.
In general terms, the commissioner or teacher asks provocative questions which challenge the status quo and allow students to see issues that they might not have thought about before.
Infact- students could take on the role of the prince and his courtiers looking for their princess among people. He may find that this is a silly way to find a wife after all.
The Fairy Godmother may be re-written by the students themselves where she gives advice in how Cinderella should take her time and find a suitable man to marry, is the Prince worth her time after all?
Students could write explanations, reasons why Cinderella should marry the prince and why she shouldn’t. They could rewrite the ending of the story in a way that reflects their overall thoughts after exploring character points of view and their own personal views.
With the teacher in role…they guide the learning, ask the questions which need to be discussed. Challenge issues which need addressing, all the while in role.
Learning Opportunities
The learning opportunities for students are potentially huge.
Students develop the creativity and imaginative skills in a safe learning environment.
Students develop confidence and the wherewithal to work with various personalities and navigate around potential obstacles. This does reflect the real world issues adults often face.
They expand on problem solving and working with their higher order thinking skills.
Students become better with negotiating outcomes. They also develop compassion and empathy skills due to them experiencing a snapshot of what others may think and feel.
They enjoy experiencing make believe scenes which allow them to take on personalities and experiences which they wouldn’t normally be able participate in.
They develop team working skills. Students can use each other’s strengths to solve a problem.
Students have the opportunity to develop their own voice collectively and individually. They can establish their own understanding of their role in a scene and personal power to reach conclusions and solve real world problems.
Advantages for Teachers
The advantages for teachers range from seeing their students become fully engaged in make believe play.
They experience for themselves what it is like to roleplay alongside their students, developing trust and understanding.
They develop confidence working within another genre to develop literacy/Inquiry/Drama skills.
The enjoyment seeing students fully participate in a whole class activity.
In Conclusion
Mantle of the Expert is a great way to allow students to explore characters, roles, ideas, issues in simplistic and complex circumstances.
They interact with adults and teachers exploring relevant issues and making decisions which help develop confidence in negotiation and social skills. They gain an understanding of the power within their own hands to navigate their world and other worlds both make believe and real life situations. Mantle of the Expert is a great way for students to stretch themselves and retain learning for years to come.
A good Book to Teach students the conventions of drama.
Google resources site: Mantel of the Expert video.
