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Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

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Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Extra-curricular activities

LAMDA examinations

27 replies

SAMS73 · 21/01/2009 16:51

My DD has been going to stagecoach but I have started to feel it is pricey for what they do there. Does anyone have had private lessons for spoken english/reading for performance for children. Any experience with LAMDA exam is welcome. She is a bright girl but lacks confidence in expressing herself in front of an audience. So I thought stagecoach would have been useful but it has proved otherwise.I lack confidence in many aspect although I am perfectly cabable of doing things or offering a better suggestion than anyone has suggested but keepquietbecause of it and I dont want her to be the same.

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Report

PuzzleRocks · 21/01/2009 20:40

Bumping for you.

PuzzleRocks · 21/01/2009 20:40

Bumping for you.

SAMS73 · 21/01/2009 21:26

sorry I am new to the board. What does bumping for you mean?

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whippet · 21/01/2009 21:32

DS1 has done Stagecoach (until he was 7) and now does LAMDA at school. They are very different to be honest.

If you found a group of e.g. 4-5 children who were working towards LAMDA that would probably be better than 1-1 lessons.

DS does it at school, but it's just one part of a wider speech & drama class (they also do improvisation etc).

How old is she? What about other non-drama activities like Rainbows/ Brownies or even singing?

SAMS73 · 21/01/2009 21:36

She is 8 years. I have checked the Lamda websit and they do lots of exams so I thought that by doing these exams she will have a sense of achievement and thatr will improve her confidence. What do they actually do in BrowniesnIs it religious ? One of my friend said that it was so I was not willing to send her just if it was too much for her. I thought you cant do singing lessons till your are in your secondary school.Why do you say group would be better than one to one.

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whippet · 21/01/2009 21:42

I just think a 1 to 1 with an adult is quite intense and less fun?

DS is 9 now, and his Speech & Drama group do things like paired poetry readings and solo verse etc. They are entered into all the local music/ drama festivals so get some good practice at speaking in public etc (in reality it's just a few parents in a dusty church hall!)

I don't think Brownies is overtly religious (like a church group would be, but it IS based on a Christian ethos I think - Cubs is, anyway)

DO you just want to raise her confidence generally, or make her a 'performer' as such?

I think some children just aren't natural performers, and find the whole 'in public' thing excruciating, in which case I think something else 'confidence-building' might be better?

SAMS73 · 21/01/2009 22:31

Thanks for all your adv so far.I dont want her to be performer(unless she wants to be one later in her life) but I was thinking more along the lines of boosting her confidence in general.What do you exactly mean by something else?

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PuzzleRocks · 22/01/2009 08:15

Hi there. Bumping puts your thread back into active conversations and to the top of the topic list so it hopfeully gets some responses.

whippet · 22/01/2009 09:41

Hi SAMS

By 'something else' I just meant another activity which might get her interacting with other children, and used to 'presenting' stuff to an audience (even if it is just other children).

With class sizes so big, we found that there were only limited opportunities to do the 'in front of an audience' thing at school, and we also found that the teachers tend to have their favourites, or just some children are more naturally gregarious and volunteer first before the slightly more shy children get a chance!

The only reason I suggested something like Brownies is because if it's like our Beavers/ cubs (for boys) then they get lots of chances to work together in small groups and do songs, plays, speak about things in front of the whole group, and it's not as pressured as say Stagecoach or LAMDA speech & drama exams.

What about music groups? Does the school not have a choir? Even performing with others helps to build confidence.
Can you get her to practice poems or songs and 'perform' to the family (we often have a Sunday afternoon post-lunch 'concert' for Grandpa!)

To be honest, although we are doing it, and I am proud of my DS's results, I think LAMDA is a bit stuffy, and only really prepares a child for taking speech & drama exams, rather than general confidence.

Is there a different, more relaxed drama group perhaps? I found Stagecoach to be rather geared towards the children (and their parents) who were real stage 'wannabes' .

SAMS73 · 22/01/2009 10:56

Well said whippet. The children who get oppurtunities in stagecoach and their parents are wannabes and my dd only gets to stand in the crowd most of the times. I have enquired about the brownies in our area as well.In classroom as you said, there are some very confidant children who always get chances and she is always bending backwards to please those children so she can be included.She reads very well and has good memory so I might ask her to do the poems as you suggested and read to someone(Dont have family nearby). We have lot of friends who have their children in private school I noticed that although my dd is as good as them , they seem to be more confidant in speaking and presenting themsevles to others. Unfortunately our local school dont have any music groups and as I work fulltime, she learns cello privately.

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NovelGazing · 22/01/2009 12:34

So, is Stagecoach (and the like) not recommended for relatively quiet children then?
What things other than Brownies are good for helping children feel more at ease when doing things in public then?

SAMS73 · 22/01/2009 14:58

We have been going to stagecoach for 6months not seen any big difference TBH.
Our local brownies meet on mondays, si I am going to go along and see what they are doing.

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UniS · 22/01/2009 20:14

DAnce class might be worth a try. Doesn't have to be Ballet. maybe she would like to try Tap or modern or irish or cheerleading or street dance. at 8 shes little young for a youth theatre and most of the younger drama groups will be similar to stage coach I'd think.

Brownies or Woodcraft Elfins are more general group activities, a bit of singing, a bit of craft, some games and maybe a project on a theme.
Seme people recomend Martial arts ( judo, etc) as good for confidence building in kids, very strutured and levels to work for, as well as being good physically for co-ordination etc.

Scorta · 22/01/2009 20:15

Lamda examinations breed clones

SAMS73 · 22/01/2009 22:18

Never thought of martial arts. I have paid fees for stage coach this term so would let her do it but definiteively think of stopping after easter term.

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islandofsodor · 24/01/2009 23:04

I both work at Stagecoach and enter children for LAMDA exams. My dd also does both along with ballet.

They are different and some do both. There are two ways to approcah LAMDA, the identikit way (copy the teacher,gets good results) but I prefer to let the child find their own interpretation of a piece guided of course and given techniques by the teacher.

At Stagecoach I have seen somevery quiet, shy children come out of themselves, equally there are some who have bags of confidence and are sometimes too loud.

No group is going to have an instant effect. My ds goes to gymbobs and he was very reserved and unsure ingroups. Howevere he loves it and has really started to blossom but it took a while.

SAMS73 · 25/01/2009 00:08

islandofsodor As a person who works in stagecoach may I ask you what do they exactly do for 3 hours. Do you think having sppech and drama class privately would help her.There is a drama teacher who is willing to do private lessons and again someone suggested group lessons are better and private lessons would be overwhelming for a small child.I am happy to be patient and wait for some more time provided it will have some positive effect on her. She is very musical and plays instrument and sings well and is aware that she is good in the things she is doing and her reading/writing and mathematical skills are good. I know it is a difficult question to answer but approx how long will it take for a quiet child to out themselves.

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SAMS73 · 25/01/2009 00:08

islandofsodor As a person who works in stagecoach may I ask you what do they exactly do for 3 hours. Do you think having sppech and drama class privately would help her.There is a drama teacher who is willing to do private lessons and again someone suggested group lessons are better and private lessons would be overwhelming for a small child.I am happy to be patient and wait for some more time provided it will have some positive effect on her. She is very musical and plays instrument and sings well and is aware that she is good in the things she is doing and her reading/writing and mathematical skills are good. I know it is a difficult question to answer but approx how long will it take for a quiet child to out themselves.

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Scorta · 25/01/2009 13:12

I have no time for Stage Coach - it is breeding little darlings who expect to become 'stars' one day

SAMS73 · 25/01/2009 17:03

Why do you say that.Did You have any of your DC in stagecaoch and why do you say Lamda examinations are for breeding clones?

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SAMS73 · 25/01/2009 17:03

Why do you say that.Did You have any of your DC in stagecaoch and why do you say Lamda examinations are for breeding clones?

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Scorta · 25/01/2009 18:23

I see kids on the other side who have to be worked with to get out of such terible habits and taught to be themselves again.

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Scorta · 25/01/2009 18:24

I think there are loads of other thigns a quiet child can do - as noted belwo by others

SAMS73 · 25/01/2009 19:02

do you mean brownies, gym etc.,

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SAMS73 · 25/01/2009 19:03

and whats wrong in being a confidant, outspoken person

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