I have been thinking whether I should write down my thoughts and reflections on the seminar. I finally decided to do so because I would like to invite people who are working in DiE (no matter you're working with students or working with teachers education) to re-think deeply on the practice and some root beliefs or principles we have in DiE. If there is not any discussion or reflection on what we are doing and what the situation is like, there will not be further progress for the development of DiE here in Hong Kong. I strongly believe, as DiE practitioners and teachers, we have to be reflective.

Recently I have been studying in a programme. Two of the sessions were seminars by a drama pratitioner to share with secondary teachers what we can do with students in learning English through drama.

The whole 3-hour workshop drew my serious concerns because of the hidden agenda that might be unconsciously or subconsciously delivered to a group of teachers who are new to DiE.

Conerns:
1. Drama is about action and experience. But interestingly the 3-hour drama teacher development programme was set in a big lecture all with all 70 teachers sitting most of the time listening to the spokeperson talking.

From my experience, Drama is an experiential learning! How can teachers get to undestand it without getting to do it? It won't help Ts to have a new understanding and experience of what DiE can be done in class! There could be time for sitting down to talk and reflect on. But most of the time should be given to teachers to experience the process.

2. Throughout the 3 hours, the spokeperson kept acting out his students' responses to the lessons every now and then. Many scenes were stereotypical and generalized to the image of students.

The focus was shifted to watching his acting (although it was entertaining) but not getting teachers to understand what drama can do in class to help students learn English. The stereotypical images on students are of great concern as well.

The whole approach that the development course is done is worrying as it may further reinforce about the misunderstanding about drama.

3. DiE is expensive! It's a business!

The spokeperson owns a company providing pull-in service to school. He mentioned in his seminar that their service is expensive. But he was not coming to promote his company. 'Nevertheless, conincidentally' the tutor said in the end, 'The spokesperson is having 30 teachers in his company then. Whoever wants some help on drama teaching for the school, he/she can contact him.'

4. During the whole 3 hours, the spokeperson kept saying from his teaching experience, students are not able to do this, do that....we teachers should blabber......

Underestatminating students' potential could be tempting to some teachers.

But before I judge my students' ability, I would ask myself if have created space for students to explore their potential and expose their potential. Kids are not idiots. They can perform brilliantly even those less capable students if chances are given with proper support.

The matter is whether we teachers are willing to take risk to let students take risk? If we don't, why? Are we scared about losing our power control over the students that we teachers usually enjoy in the teachers-students relationship?

2. The spokeperson 's sharing on his drama teaching experience makes me reflect on again our role as a teacher.

In his sharing, he kept mentioning he would shout at students when they did not behave ...

Whether he said so was to make his speech more appealing to the teachers, or he personally did do so, I do find it disturbing even now. This is just a totally negative reinforcement of what we do not agree on in learning and teaching, especially in DiE. Classroom managment won't appeal to teachers' purely abusing students with their power like shouting at them, teasing them, punishing them. In my experience of DiE, I have never shouted at my students. A successful drama teaching is built on the mutual trust, safe and comfortable relationship, and negotiation with respect.

3.Another example shared on that day focuses on how to tackle less concentrating class, less co-operative students.

'In order to get students' attention and co-operation, I will bring a video camera to the class sometimes and tell them that I'm going to video-tape the lesson to report it to the Principal. But actually I'm not- It's only a trick to get them in shape in the lesson. Every time when I call 'Rolling', the kids will behave like sheep.' said the spokeperson.

What do you think, my friend, about this practice? What do you think if the students find that their teacher is lying to them? What kind of moral values has the teacher given to them? Is it what DiE suggesting us to do? Or is it again only a game that teachers abusing their power over students?

After that sharing, one of the classmates said he probably would do it because he was teaching band 3 students. What do you think? Should band 3 students also deserve some sense of respect and trust from their teachers? If they are band 3 students, should there be even more thoughtful considerations about what we do and say in class with them?

I feel really sorry for the classmates in my programme that they are actually limited to that narrow experience of what drama can help students to learn English. (this is not meant to be offensive!)

Since they've rarely got a chance to join more different kinds of DiE workshops and the information they can get is mainly from those tutors who also have a limited contact with DiE, about using drama as a pedagogy to teach and learn English, they do not have enough grounds to differientate from what can really help them in their teacher development in drama.

Teachers would think DiE is a luxury-- only schools with lots of funding can do it-- only teachers who are a really actor can teach it! But the fact is the opposite.

My friends (who are still working hard in promoting DiE), there's still a long way for us to go.... The more I talk to colleagues from different schools and do teacher education, the more I think we are seed sowers...The more we sow, the more this garden will become diverse and beautiful one day.... More chances should be given to these lovely teachers so that they can learn about what DiE can possibly help them and their students to learn English.

Most important of all, teachers can reflect on their own teaching practice from the perspective on how students learn.