Role Play for Class Parent Meeting.
Using Scripts
This role play can be for anywhere between 10 and 20 people (a
medium sized class parent meeting). It is helpful to have a few
observers outside the role play whose “job” is to provide
observations and reflections to the role play participations at the
end of the exercise. This way, even larger groups (such as full
faculty or everyone at staff development days) can be involved in
this activity
1. Choose people to be involved in the role play circle and
others who will observe and take notes. Both roles are
active;
2. Select a topic form the list below or create your own topic
which might realistically be the subject of a parent
discussion at your school;
3. Cut along dotted lines of the script cards on the attached
pages and give one card to each person in the room. Note
that there is an observer card as well. Print enough
observer cards and/or “be yourself” cards for everyone to
be involved;
Some of the script cards are blank to allow you to make up
some new scripts that fit other archetypal behavior that
presents during a parent-teacher evening.
A person’s card becomes the “script” from which they
operate during the meeting. People say whatever makes
sense in the flow of the discussion and in character with
their script.
4. Nominate a class teacher (This is one of the script card
options);
5. Set a time limit for the role play which allows for a
reasonable discussion time as well as some reflection. One
of the observers will keep time (The time keeper role is also
listed on the script cards). This person will also lead the
discussion at the end of the role play.
6. GO!!
Role play the conversation for the set time limit. Try not to
come out of role for the entire time. This may be
challenging when some of your colleagues say things out-oftheir own character or deliberately provocative, but pause
for the laughter (that’s what makes this fun) then press on
without commenting.
7. At “Time” first the observers, then the participants share
their experience of this role play and lessons learned.
Notes:
Don’t play these roles too dramatically – the idea is that most
parents are reasonable people; they sometimes have narrow lenses
through which they view the world. The idea is to engage in a
normal conversation where people can (hopefully) reach some sort
of agreement despite the myopia of their lenses.
Observers, this is an active role. Yours is a facilitation role and you
will be able to provide some significant learning from your
observations outside the circle. Watch for the dynamics of the
conversation, posture changes such as stiffening or relaxing, turning
points in the conversations – note what was said and what response
it received. At the end of the time, your notes will form the basis
for discussion.
Where there are more people than there are cards, create extra “be
yourself” cards or think of other stereotypical modes of operating
that exist in your community which create “interesting” social
dynamics. Include a new card that speaks to the heart of this
stereotype.
By sticking to the “script” on the card, role play participants can
enjoy the flow of the conversation without having to stress over an
elaborate scenario or character.
Possible Topics for a Class Parent Evening:
•
Anticipatory meeting to come up with agreements around
birthday parties (you can play this out for whichever grade
you like);
•
Conversation about movies and other media when a
problem already arose at an “overnight/sleepover”
between girls in the class;
•
Explaining the 9 year change and anticipated developmental
challenges in the home and school;
•
Talking about Bullying & Teasing that has been escalating
amongst the children for a few months;
•
Dress code and parent support for standards which have
been slipping.
Be yourself
Engage in the conversation with the same tone,
manner and energy level you would use at any other
time.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Be yourself
Engage in the conversation with the same tone,
manner and energy level you would use at any other
time.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Be yourself
Engage in the conversation with the same tone,
manner and energy level you would use at any other
time.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Be yourself
Engage in the conversation with the same tone,
manner and energy level you would use at any other
time.
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Be supportive of the teacher
no matter what he or she says
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Choose one other person in the conversation and
agree with that person all the time,
no matter what he or she says
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Be someone who really wants to understand the
school’s perspective on this question.
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You are the class teacher:
Be yourself & engage in the conversation with the
same tone, manner and energy level
you would use at any other time.
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Choose one other person in the conversation and
disagree with that person all the time
no matter what he or she says
(don’t be too obvious about your disagreement)
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Be concerned about your own child’s experience and
oblivious to the needs of other children
with respect to this question or concern.
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Be someone who hates all this talk about social
dynamics and other questions. You are here
to find out about the curriculum and
your child’s academic progress.
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Be someone who believes it is really important for the
whole class/community to have some agreements
about the issue (even if they are not exactly
what you want for your own child)
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Say nothing unless you are asked
directly for your input.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Be someone who really doesn’t understand what all
the fuss is about. Your child thrives
without the restriction of too many boundaries and
you don’t understand why other parents are
concerned about this.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The school is not blameless in this situation.
You are concerned with things happening at school
that are inconsistent either with stated policy or
with the agreements we are attempting to
achieve through this conversation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------When you talk, go on and on for ages
without really making a point.
Stop after three minutes or so if no-one
stops you first.
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You are an observer:
This is an active role outside the circle of the roleplay. Observe the dynamics of this conversation &
peoples’ postures – do they seem comfortable, anxious
on-edge? Make notes about turning points in the
conversation and what happened at those points,
what was said?, how was it said?. Observe questions,
statements, non-verbal gestures, anything which
affects the mood, tone and flow of the conversation.
At the end of the time frame, you will be asked to
share these observations as part of the de-brief.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------You are an observer:
This is an active role outside the circle of the roleplay. Observe the dynamics of this conversation &
peoples’ postures – do they seem comfortable, anxious
on-edge? Make notes about turning points in the
conversation and what happened at those points,
what was said?, how was it said?. Observe questions,
statements, non-verbal gestures, anything which
affects the mood, tone and flow of the conversation.
At the end of the time frame, you will be asked to
share these observations as part of the de-brief.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------You are an observer & time-keeper:
This is an active role outside the circle of the roleplay. Observe the dynamics of this conversation &
peoples’ postures – do they seem comfortable, anxious
on-edge? Make notes about turning points in the
conversation and what happened at those points,
what was said?, how was it said?. Observe questions,
statements, non-verbal gestures, anything which
affects the mood, tone and flow of the conversation.
At the end of the time frame, you will be asked to
share these observations as part of the de-brief.
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