Collaborate with the Performance in Education SIG

The Performance in Education SIG
“Collaboration is fundamental to our approach.”
The Performance in Education (PIE) SIG (founded in 2011 as the Speech, Drama, & Debate SIG) is involved with a myriad of teaching activities (still including drama and debate, but now much more!) that require students to cooperate and collaborate together, so it is natural that our SIG also participates in many collaborative activities with JALT chapters and SIGs.
In the beginning, we created events by ourselves, which established our SIG as a vibrant entity. We started collaborative ventures by providing speakers to chapters upon request (Tokyo, Fukui, Fukuoka, Gifu, Nagoya, Okayama, Hiroshima, etc.). Many of these collaborations grew into co-sponsoring whole conferences, which we have done several times with Yokohama Chapter since 2015, Okinawa Chapter since 2015, and Hokkaido Chapter since 2019. Ever-evolving, these conferences have become annual. We have also collaborated with other SIGs, such as the LLL SIG, the BRAIN SIG, and the Critical Thinking SIG. We do these projects to tap into the regional bases which attract many participants, but we also enjoy the synergy that comes from working with new colleagues with different skill sets.
Our most recent and successful collaboration was with Okinawa JALT for the 2nd Performance in Education Research & Practice Conference/Student Showcase/Film Festival held online, February 20, 2021. A large number of professionals joined from Japan and internationally for a day of presentations and workshops. In addition, over 120 students from across Japan and some from Serbia participated in student showcase presentations, performances, a Pechakucha-style night, and an all-day student film festival. Okinawa JALT played a critical role in the success of this conference. With their support, we could have the room hosting and online conference experience we needed for the new format. Also, with participants and performers from different backgrounds, many said the conference social was one of the most entertaining ever!
If you missed this wonderful event, don’t worry. Join us for the 3rd Performance in Education Research & Practice Conference/Student Showcase/Film Festival, to be held September 17-19, 2021 in Nagoya (face-to-face/hybrid, or online).
“We are more than just events and conferences. We are a community that supports each other.”
In 2020, the pandemic hit us like a hurricane and turned our world upside down almost overnight. The anxiety regarding our health, school/work, and the lack of social interaction quickly took its toll. A few members of our SIG began meeting informally on Friday evenings on Zoom to talk about the problems we were facing, share ideas, get help, and simply decompress. These weekly socials were open to all our SIG members and anyone else in need. They quickly grew in size when Okinawa JALT members joined us, and now members of the Teaching Young Learners SIG have also joined the Friday Social Hour, and the invitation is open to members of all SIGs.
Held every Friday from 7:30-9:30pm, we welcome anyone interested or in need of a place to interact with other teachers to drop in to this social event on Zoom. If you are curious, email us at jaltpiesig@gmail.com and we will happily send you the info! If you just want to listen, that is fine. Many people drop in for a short time, turn off their cameras while eating dinner, and just enjoy seeing and interacting with people other than students!
“We are always trying to grow and spread our message through collaboration with YOU.”
What draws many people to the PIE SIG are the amazing and effective activities described by SIG members, the creative talents of the teachers/performers, and most of all, the warm, friendly atmosphere that we work hard to create. We are useful and FUN. Want to collaborate with us?
Contact us at jaltpiesig@gmail.com if you are in the collaborative mood or come and see for yourself what we are about at the 3rd Performance in Education Research & Practice Conference, September 17-19, 2021 at Nanzan University in Nagoya (face-to-face/hybrid, or online).
For more information about the conference, call for papers, registration, and other upcoming events, check the PIE SIG Website: https://sites.google.com/view/piesig/home