Assessment
Rubric - Stereotypes Monologue
Learning Context/ Introduction
Students will gain knowledge about past and present cultures as expressed through theatre. They will
interpret how theatre reflects the beliefs, issues, and events of societies past and present. Students will
actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the art of theatre and
participate in various roles. They will respond critically to a variety of works in the arts, connecting the
individual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavor and thought. Students will
develop an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that shape artistic communication and how
the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society.
Instructional/Environment Modifications
- Limited English speaking or physically challenged students may participate through portfolio display and/or performance.
- Students who have a problem with writing, as in organizing thoughts to put on a page, should be encouraged to use a tape recorder for listening purposes and editing.
Duration
Planning :
- Each segment of the project requires careful consideration. Initially, one week of preparation should be allowed for planning the focus of the project. Several things depend on the direction you may decide will work in your given setting. You may want to approach the project from a different perspective.
- Scapegoating is one alternative and prejudice is another. You can determine the focus after some discussion with the students. There is a short black-and-white film called The Lunch Date. Depending on approach, the teacher must allow time for each segment of the project.
Initial planning - one week.
Introduction - one week, minimum, including students' “people watching” time.
Implementation:
- Three to five weeks should be allowed for implementation. Depending on how quickly the students grasp the initial concepts, teachers may tailor the project to his/her needs. Students learn the concepts at different speeds. The final videotaping may take a whole week; this depends on class size, length of monologues, etc.
Assessment
Each segment of the project should be assessed separately. Worksheets, vocabulary development, photo files, and journals should be checked as often as the schedule will allow. The journal can be a part of the working guide to each student's progress. The second or third videotaping is one piece of the assessment package. Students should be allowed to assess each other. A rubric follows that is student developed.
Rubric - Stereotypes Monologue
Assessment Tools/Techniques
Getting started:
- Have students begin by listing the phrases or comments that make them angry.
- Compile the list and show this to the students. Choose one or more comment from each student.
- Guide students to read their particular phrases to the entire class. Only that student can say the phrase clearly, so its meaning is clearly understood. All students enjoy this process. If you use scapegoating as your start-up, students will share instances of when this has happened to them or to someone they know well. The Lunch Date will engender a different type of discussion.
- Have students choose the phrases that are related to stereotypes. How and why questions must be asked. How is this stereotypical? Why do you think so? Has this happened to you?
- Lead the discussion.
- Encourage all students to speak. Allow each of them time to speak without interruption by other students. Keep the environment friendly and encouraging so that each student will participate.
Photo file/creating a character:
Aim: How can we create a character using a picture?
*Students will develop a monologue for a character on the basis of a photograph. They will do so using specific questions that will help them develop a character.
Procedure: Hold up a large photograph of a stereotype (e.g., an old woman or man, a biker, a flower child, a glamour girl, a nerd). The photo should show some facial expression indicating that stereotype.
Ask students the following questions:
- Who is he/she? (Define age, occupation, personal history from the picture.)
- What is his/her name? (Encourage specific answers.)
- What is special about him/her? (How does this person talk? walk? dress? Elicit specific character traits.)
- Where is he/she? (Ask students to be specific. Is this person at home? at a restaurant?)
- How does the person feel about being there? (Look at the face, particularly the eyes and mouth. Is the person happy? sad?)
- Why do you think so?
- What does this person want? need? dream about? (A boyfriend, job, a new walkman, bike?) What's stopping him/her from getting what they want? need? dream about? (They have no money, they have a police record, no one will hire them because of their appearance, etc.)
- Instruct the class that the central desire they create for this character will be the center of the monologue. The question becomes, “Will the character get what he/she wants, needs, or dreams about?”
- Monologues come about because a character has a need to tell something. What does the character want to tell you? How would the character tell you?
- Have students develop several characterizations orally this way. Allow students to choose from a group of photos chosen by the teacher. Have students complete one characterization by writing what he/she thinks the character should say in a monologue.
- Have students read their monologues to the class. Note in each what the individual had to say and what the dramatic question was. WHAT DID THE CHARACTER NEED or WANT THAT WE ARE WAITING TO SEE THEM GET OR NOT GET?
- Students should begin their stereotype photo file with their descriptions.
Your monologue should include the following:
- _____ An expression of a human experience/dilemma
- _____ Background information that brings the subject to the dilemma
- _____ Emotional conflict for subject
- _____ Use of language/slang/nuance of stereotype
- _____ Costume/dress/personae of the stereotype
- _____ Physical changes or acquired habits of the subject (slouch, smoke, drink)
- _____ Strength of character's belief in his/her side of the dilemma
- _____ Wants of your character/stereotype?
- _____ Changes the character undergoes in order to achieve his/her desire.
A taping and viewing of the first presentation of the monologue is very helpful to the student and teacher in assessing the progress of the monologue and its development. The above checklist should be employed here. Viewing allows student to make changes and helps in final production. Students can also assess each other in this first taping/viewing. As students are given feedback on the above checklist, students should make necessary changes and incorporate the following list for the rewriting process if a whole or partial rewrite is mandated.
Rewriting Work Sheet:
- What do you like about this work?
- What is the major conflict? How strong is it?
- Does your monologue ask a question, present a dilemma, or present a need?
- Is the monologue confusing?
- Does this character sound familiar or is he/she different from your personality?
- Will the audience have a clear picture of your character's problem?
- How can you make the character stronger?
- Did you complete the monologue? Is there anything introduced that seems to drift away? The questions and checklists are guides. Teachers may modify any of the above for his/her specific circumstance or teaching situation.
After final taping and viewing by the class, and ask this final question:
Did your monologue portray the stereotypical characterization using the gestures, facial expressions, need, choice, or dilemma set forth in the opening statement?
Prerequisite
- Students need some previous study of monologues and their development.
- Students need several lessons on creating characterizations, through observation, research, interview, personal reflection, etc.
- Students need to explore social perceptions and risk taking in class setting.
Procedure
- Students will develop a list of stereotypes indigenous to their high school and societal experiences, including typical, ethnic, and teenage descriptions. Students will use the basic elements of theatre (speech, gesture, costumes, etc.) to articulate societal beliefs, issues, and events in their original monologues, presentations, and evaluations.
- Teacher initiates subject of stereotypes. (This can be done by showing photographs or magazine pictures to the class. Try to use black-and-white photos of ordinary—not famous—people, matted and mounted or framed for easy handling and viewing in-group setting). Begin a story about one of the pictures, and have students complete the story orally. Let each student add to the story. This is important, as you want each student to participate.
- Classroom discussion of the many stereotypes is essential. How to create a life for a particular face or expression is done orally, and collaboratively, with teacher as guide. Teacher encourages students to verbally create a life (family, environment, economic status, etc.) for one face, and then specify a dilemma this character is having in his life. For example, the character does not want to go home for the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. A possible reason for this is that the character:
- has had a disagreement with parent
- views Thanksgiving dinner as an unpleasant social gathering of unhappy relatives
- is now a vegetarian
- cannot contribute to the feast
- has no use for family tradition
- dislikes the fact an older family member (if pictured) usually is dumped on as meal preparer.
*Students will continue the process in the above manner.
- Teacher has students write the thoughts of the character and try to solve the dilemma individually.
- There will be as many different thoughts for the character as there are students.
- Students will work individually to develop written descriptions of the stereotypes discussed in class, and will enter these into a journal/portfolio.
- Students will create a photo file of their stereotypes, using old magazines and cutting and pasting the pictures into their files to coincide with their written descriptions.
- Teacher should limit the number of stereotypes used in the journal and photo file to five or six. The teacher may choose to bring into the classroom magazines for the purpose of the photo file. Give each student an opportunity to display his/her work for entire class.
- Teacher should allow for discussion of files in collaborative setting. Encourage students to include a wide range of stereotypes in their photo file.
- Students then choose a stereotype that they do NOT consider to be their personality or type. Students must be encouraged to take a risk and choose a character they are LEAST like. They research the stereotype, using library resources, observation, personal interview, television, movies, etc.
Monologue Instructions:
When students begin the monologue, the following checklist should be included as a guideline:
Your monologue should include the following:
- ____ An expression of a human experience/dilemma
- ____ Background information that brings the subject to the dilemma
- ____ Emotional conflict for subject
- ____ Use of language/slang/nuance/essence of stereotype
- ____ Costume/dress/personae of the stereotype
- ____ Physical changes or acquired habits of the subject.
- ____ Strength of character's belief in his/her side of the dilemma
- ____ What does your character/stereotype want?
- Students will memorize their creation and perform their monologues with appropriate costume; performance will be videotaped for assessment and analysis.
- Teacher must keep students focused on the project. Long discussions of the descriptive terminology may have to be limited due to time constraints. Do not allow students too much time between the study of monologues and their development of the stereotype characterization.
- Teacher should encourage students to give their character an inner and outer life—one that is as far removed from their personality as possible.
- When the monologue is completed, a final taping of the character study is done and viewed by class and the student. Students may choose to make this a part of their performance repertoire.
Materials/Supplies
For student use:
- Notebook for journal writing
- Magazines or pictures for stereotype search
- Separate folder for photo file (if desired)
For teacher use:
- Video camera
- VCR and television
- Large, framed photos of typical stereotypes (try to use faces that are not famous). These photos should be taken from magazines and should be printed in black-and-white. Faces are more easily defined in black-and-white.
- Recent articles about scapegoating, if available. Students usually know someone who is a victim. Or perhaps they themselves are victims of this singling-out process and will volunteer to talk about it.
- A ten-minute black-and-white video of The Lunch Date (a short clip about prejudice).
Reflection
The development of ideas for the monologues depicting stereotypes evolved after a student angrily entered the room saying, “You have so much hair, it makes you look like a ‘Jungle Barbie.'” She was joined by several other students announcing the taunts that upset them. The conversation that followed revealed that students often find themselves stereotyping each other. The thought of how often it's done and how it causes such unhappiness became a topic to be explored.
As the stereotype monologue idea began to unfold, it became apparent that the students would benefit greatly from a workshop in monologue development. A former student and graduate of the State University of New York at Purchase agreed to a five-day workshop with the theatre arts students during class. Students described that experience as “awesome” and inspirational, and said it added a new dimension to their task.
This lesson really brings stereotypes into the forefront of students' minds. It makes them focus on being less judgmental about the differences in people and more open to their similarities. “Walk a mile in my shoes” becomes a familiar phrase. Students broaden their outlook and become more tolerant. Students learn to be more open-minded and less judgmental in their own lives, especially when meeting new people, or when confronting new situations.
This series of lessons teaches students to think and solve problems in creating characters and monologue writing. Students spend time creating, writing, researching, and performing a characterization that stretches their imaginations, teaches them to focus, and helps them to “walk in another person's shoes.”
It is suggested that students be encouraged to write everything in their journals, including unused, edited monologues. Most students keep their journals and do not part with them. Some part with only the photo files. The final draft is on videotape and written in the journal.
Students learn to evaluate their work and learn that rewriting is not rejection. They learn to embrace their differences, listen carefully, observe astutely, and believe in themselves.
Since completing these lessons on stereotyping, students have caught themselves in mid-sentence with “I'm stereotyping,” with a gesture that indicates that it is inappropriate and harmful. Some students have found themselves considerably friendlier to new students and much more open to friendships with students unlike themselves. I have found that there is an increasing diversity among the students now auditioning for the school productions and they are warmly welcomed into the fold.
Author
Carolyn Black
Ossining Union Free School District (retired)
Source
Black, Carolyn. "Developing Characterizations by Creating Stereotypes." Theatre: A Resource Guide for Standards-Based Instruction. New York State Education Department, 64-70.
