ABSTRACT
The idea for the lesson was a good one. The familiar story of The Pied Piper would be used as the basis for an improvised drama set in a modern context, a housing estate. Fifteen minutes into the lesson the scene is rather chaotic. Instead of the animated exchange between the mayor and residents that took place on the in-service course from which the idea came, the children have started to shriek and stamp on imaginary rats. One of them has decided he would make a good cat and is running around on all fours chasing the rats who are squeaking and making rat-like faces. Some of the rats and residents have started to fight, with one of the rats executing fancy karate moves. At a later point in the lesson when the pupils are asked to act out a scene showing a town bereft of children there is much miming of pulling champagne corks, drinking and dancing ( Fleming, 2011a: 19). Much later when reflecting on the lesson, the teacher finds consolation in the fact that the class have been exercising their ‘imagination’ and ‘creativity’. Once again these terms with their expedient lack of precision have come to the rescue as a form of self-deceptive sticking plaster.
