Critical Questions. What are they, and why are they important? The examples the text gave were:
Who is the author and what is the purpose?
What creative techniques are used to attract and hold attention?
How might different people understand this message?
What lifestyles, values, and points of view are represented?
What is omitted?
The beauty of the above critical questions is that they are open-ended; this means that there is more than one answer to each query. Because of that, interpretation can take place, and students will, more than likely, become personally involved or interested in what is being discussed. These critical questions, when used in my classroom, would inspire debate, participation, and analysis. Instead of just memorizing information, students would interpret and comment upon what is being presented and discussed. Because there is no wrong answer, fear and uneasiness is reduced, and students become more willing to participate. My classroom environment will become open because the questions are open.
Each of the five questions presented will be used often in my own classroom. For example, each question can and should be utilized whenever the class approaches a script, performance, design, or image. Each of the above questions directly relates to theatre; and each question should be asked when creating, viewing, or critiquing a performance, because inevitably, asking those questions will enhance your experience, and that of the other viewers as well. Instead of just scratching the surface of a production, students will begin to understand possible themes, motifs, and motivations that are embedded within the play; new worlds will open and suddenly the things they are studying will begin to connect to their own lives in powerful and dramatic ways. For example, when studying Hamlet, students may find that they understand Hamlet’s actions because they too feel trapped in some way.
Asking those questions will also bring other questions to the forefront; often, this will clarify what message you as a creator are trying to get across, or what message the actual creator is trying to express. It can also highlight possible problems. One example of both scenarios can be seen in the question, “What is omitted?” A question that naturally follows that is, “Why was that omitted?” Another question – “Was it omitted purposefully?” And yet another – “What would have changed if it hadn’t been omitted? All these questions are open-ended, and as they are discussed and answered in a class, ideas, opinions, and excitement about the text, performance, etc. will begin to flow.
I actually don’t think these questions need to be modified too much for the goals and requirements of a drama classroom setting. I think they could be made a bit more specific, but other than that, they are excellent starting questions for almost anything in the theatrical world.
As for the “Seeing and Writing” readings, I think asking those five critical questions would be an excellent place to start, whether looking at the Homeplace essay, or the Restrospect images. Those questions apply to both (as well as pretty much anything found in that book), and when answered will lead the students to a better understanding of what the author was trying to create, the things that they themselves infer, the power that media has in our culture, and the power that we can gain when we comprehend it.
In short, critical questions open doors because they are open.
Who is the author and what is the purpose?
What creative techniques are used to attract and hold attention?
How might different people understand this message?
What lifestyles, values, and points of view are represented?
What is omitted?
The beauty of the above critical questions is that they are open-ended; this means that there is more than one answer to each query. Because of that, interpretation can take place, and students will, more than likely, become personally involved or interested in what is being discussed. These critical questions, when used in my classroom, would inspire debate, participation, and analysis. Instead of just memorizing information, students would interpret and comment upon what is being presented and discussed. Because there is no wrong answer, fear and uneasiness is reduced, and students become more willing to participate. My classroom environment will become open because the questions are open.
Each of the five questions presented will be used often in my own classroom. For example, each question can and should be utilized whenever the class approaches a script, performance, design, or image. Each of the above questions directly relates to theatre; and each question should be asked when creating, viewing, or critiquing a performance, because inevitably, asking those questions will enhance your experience, and that of the other viewers as well. Instead of just scratching the surface of a production, students will begin to understand possible themes, motifs, and motivations that are embedded within the play; new worlds will open and suddenly the things they are studying will begin to connect to their own lives in powerful and dramatic ways. For example, when studying Hamlet, students may find that they understand Hamlet’s actions because they too feel trapped in some way.
Asking those questions will also bring other questions to the forefront; often, this will clarify what message you as a creator are trying to get across, or what message the actual creator is trying to express. It can also highlight possible problems. One example of both scenarios can be seen in the question, “What is omitted?” A question that naturally follows that is, “Why was that omitted?” Another question – “Was it omitted purposefully?” And yet another – “What would have changed if it hadn’t been omitted? All these questions are open-ended, and as they are discussed and answered in a class, ideas, opinions, and excitement about the text, performance, etc. will begin to flow.
I actually don’t think these questions need to be modified too much for the goals and requirements of a drama classroom setting. I think they could be made a bit more specific, but other than that, they are excellent starting questions for almost anything in the theatrical world.
As for the “Seeing and Writing” readings, I think asking those five critical questions would be an excellent place to start, whether looking at the Homeplace essay, or the Restrospect images. Those questions apply to both (as well as pretty much anything found in that book), and when answered will lead the students to a better understanding of what the author was trying to create, the things that they themselves infer, the power that media has in our culture, and the power that we can gain when we comprehend it.
In short, critical questions open doors because they are open.
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