Week 1 Blog Assignment

        My name is Stephanie Platko, and I grew up in Matawan, NJ. I am a graduate of the Theatre Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign with a BFA in Theatre. After graduating, I moved back to New Jersey and completed the Alternate Route Training program through the NJ Department of Education to receive my teaching certifications in both Theatre and English. I began teaching Theatre and English at Manalapan High School in Manalapan, NJ, where I stayed for two years. I spent one year teaching English at Colonia Middle School in Colonia, NJ, until I was transferred to Colonia High School to restructure their Theatre program. I have been teaching Theatre, Public Speaking, and English at Colonia High School for the last 23 years. I am also the director of their theatre program, which produces two mainstage shows per year plus one student-directed, cabaret-style fundraiser. 

        I live in Matawan, NJ with my husband, Jason, and our son, Joshua, who is turning 17 this year. I am a volunteer and an Adoption Screener for a local dog rescue that specializes in the Siberian Husky breed. I have four dogs, all adopted from Husky House, and a cat. Part-time, I work as a Travel Agent for Magic Awaits Travel, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, and while the agency's focus is the Disney Vacation product, I book destinations worldwide. In my rare, spare time, I travel the country following my son who is a nationally ranked, competitive rock climber in the USA Climbing Youth and Elite circuits. I am currently pursuing my Masters of Education in Curriculum & Instruction in both English and Theatre Pedagogy through Southeastern Oklahoma State University and will graduate in 2027. As far as my educational goals are concerned, I have never had any interest in administration as a career path and will continue to serve in the classroom. However, I have worked on several curriculum committees and spent two summers being the sole creator of the Theatre Curricula for the Woodbridge Township School District. In the future, this degree will allow me to chair curriculum committees within my district.

        The ISTE Standard I selected was 4b: Innovative Designer which states that students will be able to select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that considers design constraints and calculated risks. Within my grade 10-12 Theater Production course, we explore scenic design as a process. Students, in small groups, select a well known, published play to complete a dramatic analysis, determine an overall design concept, and select a type of stage to design for. They complete the steps in the design process beginning with a ground plan and then go on to draw both a standard elevation and a color rendering. With the incorporation of technology, students can utilize free online technology such as SketchUpFree, FreeCAD, LibreCAD, SelfCAD, Wings 3D, Shapr3D, or OnShape to complete both the standard elevation and the ground plan. Each design will need to address the potential problems that arise in a typical set design answering the question, how do we create a believable locale that will accurately represent not only the time of the play, but also the characters who inhabit this space. 

        This project-based lesson addresses the Creating: Anchor Standard 1: Generating and conceptualizing ideas in the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Visual and Performing Arts:

• HS Proficient, 1.4.12prof.Cr1a (Research to construct ideas about the visual composition of devised or scripted theatre work) and 1.4.12prof.Cr1b (Explore the impact of technology on design choices in devised or scripted theatre work)
• HS Accomplished, 1.4.12acc.Cr1a (Investigate historical and cultural conventions and their impact on the visual composition of devised or scripted theatre work) and 1.4.12prof.Cr1b (Understand and apply technology to design choices for devised or scripted theatre work)
• HS Advanced, 1.4.12adv.Cr1a (Synthesize knowledge from a variety of theatrical conventions and technologies to create the visual composition of devised or scripted theatre work) and 1.4.12adv.Cr1b (Create a complete design for devised or scripted theatre work that incorporates multiple elements of technology)

        This lesson most definitely fits in with Liz Kolb's Triple E Framework and addresses each of the categories, Engage, Enhance, and Extend. Using the free online tools, allows students to get excited and engaging them in the process as many students do not enjoy drawing by hand. It allows them to visualize and define their scenic design concepts using an interactive and hands-on method. This encourages the student to be motivated "active social learners" in that they will work in their small groups as well. This use of technology enhances the lesson in that it allows for experimentation and creates flexibility in the design process in contrast with hand drawing which lacks flexibility at times and requires a complete redo if something doesn't quite work. This is an example how the technology can create an understanding of the content in a way that they could not accomplish with "traditional tools." Lastly, this lesson extends the students' knowledge by applying technology in a real-world context which prepares them for possible careers in scenic design as CAD and online drafting/design programs are what is used most often in the world of theatrical design.