Drama

 HOD: Anita Imlach   Email: a.imlach@papakurahigh.school.nz

Welcome to the PHS Drama website. 

My name is Anita Imlach and I am the HOD for Drama at PHS. I have been teaching for 18 years. I started my career teaching primary and intermediate and 6 years ago transitioned into secondary teaching.

I have had a passion for Dance and Drama from a young age and it has always been a part of my teaching career. In my early days, I taught Dance as an extra curriculum and was the first Arts Academy teacher at Rosehill Intermediate where I directed their school production in 2017 of High School Musical Jr. 

In 2018 I came to PHS where I now get to teach my passion subjects all day long while still dipping my toes into other curriculum areas when needed. 

2024 is going to be a big year. I will be heading the school's production of Moana Jnr which will be the focus of Semester 1 projects for me. This year is the first year of the new level 1 drama standards. I am sure all my level 1 (Year 11) drama students will do well and support me as I learn new ways of collecting evidence for their learning. 

Connections: Who is drama for?

Drama is for everyone.

We all have stories to share.

We all enjoy interacting with others on a social learning level.

Drama helps us to make sense of the world and find our place in our community.

It celebrates and explores our heritages and helps us to prepare for the future by challenging us to explore the attitudes and beliefs of characters from other worlds.

Through drama, students develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others.

Drama is for the students of today who will be the adults of tomorrow – adults with an appreciation of who they are in relation to others, where they come from, and what kind of world they would like to live in.

Purpose: Why study drama?

Drama explores who we are, where we have come from, and where we could go.

Drama builds students’ confidence to physically express thoughts, feelings, and desires.

Drama draws on the richness of diverse cultures to create new dramatic works.

In drama, students can make connections between the real world and virtual worlds. They can use online platforms to explore their ideas and access worldwide audiences. Creating virtual characters and situations online challenges students’ ability to comment on, challenge, and ultimately transform society.

Drama students demonstrate high engagement in their learning because it allows them to have fun while taking creative risks within a safe environment. They quickly learn that they are responsible for themselves and for others.

Drama examines and challenges established ideas and prejudices. It encourages critical and creative thinking and innovation. It generates new ideas and reflects on trends in society.

Through drama, students develop confidence in expressing their ideas as they seek to communicate with a variety of audiences and thereby influence society.