What is your enquiry catalyst?
How we can Maidstone Grammar School for Boys creatively explore areas of masculinity?
The school wishes to explore how different facets and models of masculinity are represented in the school and the wider world and how far they limit/enhance students’ creativity. They want to investigate prejudices and attitudes in relation to the fact that MGS is predominantly and traditionally a single sex highly academic school. We want the project to encourage autonomy and freedom, improve our students; ability to learn independently to a set brief. They want to use this opportunity to trial cross curricular working between art, film and media studies before we embark on the Diploma in Creative and Media. They want to generate a new learning environment for the boys to feel safe in discussing and exploring feelings of masculinity and what it means to be a pupil at the school.
The enquiry has begun with discussions between Martin Lang, Eileen Lewis and 20 students from Year 10 and Year 12. They have started to share ideas about taking the enquiry forward starting with looking at traditions of the school and male roles models. The project will take place over a set number of full and half days from January until Summer leading towards a film screening showcasing enquiry outcomes in the summer term. Students will work together in five small groups of 3 with a Year 12 student attached to each group. The role of the five Year 12 pupils will be to mentor and co –facilitate the younger pupils whilst having a valuable learning experience themselves. Each group will explore the idea of masculinity using film as a vehicle. Three short (2minute) films will be devised and produced by each group with one film focusing on character, one as complete open choice and one looking at symbolism ideally on location possibly in Brighton – all three films will have the over arching theme of masculinity and male identity. Parents and peers will be invited to the end of enquiry film showcase which will potentially be held externally from the school, in addition to the films there will be reflection of the experience by the students possibly using sound recordings. The enquiry fits very neatly with the Level 3 Diploma filmmaking units which include ‘Working to a Sensitive Brief’ and ‘Thinking about your Audience’ and ‘Digital Technology in a Commercial World.’
Outcomes and Sustainability
Hopefully the peers at the school as well as the pupils involved in the project will enjoy the filming and opt to take a diploma