Page 40 - link magazine

40 The Link Magazine • December 2001
Shakespeare's stage to become a sack with help from The Link magazine
William Shakespeare will soon be learnt as never before, thanks to youngsters from Greendown School working with guidance from Neil
Griffiths, director of the National Story Sacks Project, with financial backing from The Link.
The students ranging in age from Each sack is based on a chil- that primary school children enjoy oping sacks for older children;
12 to 15 years are studying for dren's book and contains a game, a Shakespeare." Shakespeare's characters are won-
their GCSE Expressive Arts in an tape, puppets and scenery to illus- Neil is delighted that Green- derful and his stories are perfect to
after-school club and have set trate the story. down is taking up the challenge of be told this way. Tim and the stu-
themselves the task of building a They are used in pre-school and putting the bard into a story sack. dents have so much enthusiasm;
Story Sack based on Shakespeare's classroom settings to promote "I've always had a dream of devel- this is going to be fantastic."
Macbeth - the first time anybody early years' literacy. In other coun- Link publisher Roger Ogle hands Tim Noble a cheque to pay for the materials for
has attempted to present the bard's tries they have been developed to the Macbeth story sack, with Neil Griffiths, centre, and the ground breaking
work in this way. convey cultural messages. Shakespeare Sack crecc
Story Sacks, invented by former The Shakespeare Sack will be
Westlea School headteacher Neil aimed at primary school and year '%
with assistance from parent vol- 7 children and contain a model -1 ,
unteers, has become a world class Globe theatre, scenery such as ' ' t' j
education project and are now in Macbeth's castles, the famous wak 7'
use throughout the UK and sixty ing wood and puppets of the char }
other countries. acters so that children can act out
and understand the play. The stu • x ::
dents are also planning a video to
illustrate how the sack can be used.
Expressive Arts teacher Tim
Noble said the success of the West
Swindon Shakespeare Festival in
2000, which involved 15 schools
was the inspiration for the Story
The world's finest hearing aids Sack project. "The festival proved
at the most competitive prices. Teachers' `Oscars' recognise achievement
Home visits without charge
or obligation. Ironing a chore? Earlier this year eight year old Ellen Howard from Westlea School
nominated her class teacher Anne Wang for a Lifetime Achievement
Special terms for over 60s. Not any more! Award. Having won the regional section, Anne was invited to Lon-
Thirty day full money back guarantee. don for a weekend of celebration at the end of October, culminating
Ironing done in a smoke free
Tel: 01793 870047 environment at sensible rates in a ceremony at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Ian Howard, Ellen's
father, a teacher himself, recounts an excellent and inspirational
Call Jackie on 721878
6 Romney Way, The Laurels, evening.
Shaw, Swindon, SN5 5QB or Donna on 721719
Ellen and I left Swindon on Sun- the awards ceremony. It is so easy
day 28 October, full of excitement to be cynical about our achieve-
about the evening ahead. The traf- ments as teachers as we are there
/4't4 eat e&li (Z ctd ) fic was light and I was delighted to for the children and not ourselves.
be able to park on the street out-
A small selection of our quality used motor vehicles side the Ritz in Piccadily for free!
At the theatre we met Mrs Wang
00 W Vectra 1 .8 Club, 5dr, a/c, alloys, e/w, c/I, CD £8,995 who told us all about the weekend
99 V Ford Fiesta 1 .25 1 6V Ghia, met black, a/c, s/r £5,995 with its lunches, workshops and
99 S Proton 1.8 Coupe, met green, PAS, alloys £6,995 opportunities for the winners to
98 S Ford Ka 2, met blue, PAS, c/I, e/w £4,995 meet and exchange stories.
985 Peugoet 106 Zest 3, 3dr, met blue, PAS, e/w, c/I £5,495 The auditorium is very grand
98 R Vectra 1.8 GLSi, a/c, c/I, PAS, met blue, 34k FSH £6.495 and a fitting venue for the awards.
97 R Rover Ascot SE, 5dr, c/I, r/c, met blue, £2,995 Gradually the seats filled with
97 R Rover 214 Si, 5 dr, purple, 30k, 2 owners £4,995 teachers and dignitaries. Appro-
97 P Ford Escort 1.8 SI, 5 dr, white, PAS, e/w, c/I etc £4;695 priately education minister Estelle
97 P Citroen AX Spree, 3dr, 5spd, s/r, met green £2,695 Morris sat amongst us.
TV personality Carol Smiley
97 P Toyota Corolla 1.6, CD. 5dr, a/c, c/I, met blue £5,495
97 P Suzuki Baleno 1 .6GS Auto, PAS, red, 26k, FSH £3,995 compared the evening, making
everyone feel at ease. Celebrities
96 P Ford Escort 1 .3 Encore, 5dr, blue £2,995 were wheeled on to make the pres- People often say, "well it's a
96 P Peugoet 106 XND 1.5, red, 3dr, FSH £3,995 entations including Michael vocation isn't it?" But we need ap-
95 N Mondeo 1 .8 LX, 5dr, PAS, e/w, c/I, s/r, met green £2,995 Parkinson, Alistair McGowen, Sol preciation as much as anyone else
95 N Rover 416 Si, 5dr, blue, e/w, c/I, PAS £3,995 Campbell, Sue Johnston and Ralph and this is especially true after a
95 N Citroen AX Debut, 1.0 3dr, met green, 1 owner, FSH £1,995 Fiennes. generation of bashing and under-
95 M Mondeo 1.8 LX Auto, 5dr, blue, e/w, c/I, PAS £2,995 The evening went very quickly valuation by governments. We
94 L Mondeo 1.8 LX, 5dr, 1 owner, met blue, 61 k, FSH £2,995 with the ten awards given out and need to see that we are very skilled
93 K Volvo 940 2.0 Turbo Wentworth Est, 5 dr, red £4,995 some excellent speeches made. workers who hold a key position
92 J BMW 525 Tourer Est SE, manual, met blue, 5dr, a/c £4,995 Teachers rarely get the national for the next generation of young
91 J BMW 520 24v. Auto, Brockade met, 4 dr, alloys £3,995 stage to speak their minds and adults. I was inspired to try new
some pointed remarks were made and radical things that I had seen
103 Chippenham Road, Lyneham, Wiltshire as well as the usual thank you's. work in other parts of the country.
Mrs Wang did not win in her But above all, I will now look for
Tel: 01249 891400 category, neither did the two teach- opportunities to put forward col-
ers from Swindon's Kingsdown leagues inside teaching and others
Mobile: 07711 861978 Mobile: 07813 343436
School. However, this was not in different jobs, for awards that
e-mail: [email protected] • Http:/akerscarcentre.freehosting.net important as they had already been will affirm all that they try to do to
Most major credit cards accepted • Licensed Credit Brokers (details upon request) recognised by being there. . inspire those around them to even
I must say how inspired I was by greater things.