SAY, MEAN, MATTER
Journal 1
For chapter one, find four ideas, phrases, concepts that are new to you and write it under the SAY section. Then write
what it MEANS in your own words. And lastly, express WHY this concept, idea, phrase is important to you and your
teaching.
The purpose of this exercise is to move beyond literal-level thinking (Blau 2003).
1. Say_____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important)___________________________________________________________________
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2. Say_____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important)___________________________________________________________________
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3. Say_____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important)___________________________________________________________________
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4. Say_____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important)___________________________________________________________________
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SAY, MEAN, MATTER
Journal 2
For chapter two, find four ideas, phrases, concepts that are new to you and write it under the SAY section. Then write
what it MEANS in your own words. And lastly, express WHY this concept, idea, phrase is important to you and your
teaching.
The purpose of this exercise is to move beyond literal-level thinking (Blau 2003).
1. Say_____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important)___________________________________________________________________
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2. Say_____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important)___________________________________________________________________
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3. Say_____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important)___________________________________________________________________
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4. Say_____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important)___________________________________________________________________
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SAY, MEAN, MATTER
Journal 3
1. Richard Courtney says, “play is the principal instrument of growth.”
Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important to you and your teaching)_____________________________________________
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2. “Ritual is a creative resource for drama”
Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important to you and your teaching)_____________________________________________
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3. “Adam Blatner and Allee Blatner listed the benefits of play as applicable to four important areas of life: the personalemotional, the social, the educational, and the cultural.”
Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important to you and your teaching)_____________________________________________
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SAY, MEAN, MATTER
Journal 4
1. “[M]ovement and body language are part of creative drama. It is the combined mental, physical, vocal, and emotional
involvement that distinguishes creative drama from all other art forms and gives it special value.”
Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important to you and your teaching)______________________________________________
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2. “Ironically one backlash of the creativity craze has been the neglect, the ignoring of imitation with all of its
implications in human learning and art.”
Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important to you and your teaching)______________________________________________
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SAY, MEAN, MATTER
Journal 5
1. “[R]hythmic movement becomes dramatic when the participants make use of it to become someone or something
other than themselves.”
Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important to you and your teaching)______________________________________________
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2. “Again, let it be stressed that, particularly in working with children, the activities suggested should be ones in their
environment.”
Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important to you and your teaching)_____________________________________________
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SAY, MEAN, MATTER
Journal 6
1. Younger children, players for whom English is a second language, or older students who lack self-confidence will
usually wait until they are urged to try adding dialogue. The teacher will not expect too much and will accept whatever is
offered, knowing that more will be forthcoming the next time.”
Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important to you and your teaching)_____________________________________________
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2. “The teacher must accept all ideas, giving the boys and girls a chance to express themselves without fear of
disapproval. “
Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important to youj and your teaching)______________________________________________
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SAY, MEAN, MATTER
Journal 7
1. “Children believe in and care about their puppet characters. For less secure children, puppets are the actors behind
whom they can hide.”
Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important to you and your teaching)______________________________________________
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2. “Unlike some curricular materials, puppets are not limited to any one area of study. They can be used to teach any
subject, ranging from the language arts to science and math.”
Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important to you and your teaching)______________________________________________
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3. “Masks provide an extension of the drama lesson; they reveal aspects of a culture in which the mask is an important
artifact; and they release the wearer from his or her inhibitions.”
Mean (explain in your own words) _____________________________________________________________________
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Matter (express why this is important to you and your teaching)_____________________________________________
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