James Hunt

About me:

I am a part-time EdD student at Exeter, studying a professional doctorate, whilst teaching English at Torquay Boys' Grammar School.

My research interests have moved towards creativity in the classroom and how creative approaches to teaching can nurture creative and plural thinking in students. The joy of studying literature is the limitless discussions, interepretation and recreation that can come from a book: all too often, usually because of an end exam, teaching has moved towards linear, one-dimensional, 'correct' interpretations.

As Head of English, I was keen to bring in a range of media and drama experiences to open up approaches to text. Most recently, this has seen the English department develop active approaches to teaching Shakespeare. Now, as Assistant Headteacher, part of my role is community outreach; I am keen to develop our Shakespeare pedagogy working with a network of feeder primary schools, and through this community, make Shakespeare exciting and accessible for all students.

I am exploring the relationship betwen using physical methods in the teaching of Shakespeare, which allow embodiment of the text, and creative thinking. The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), has been working with schools to develop a rehearsal-room pedagogy, that is taking the methods a director would use with actors to bring a play to life in a rehearsal studio, into the classroom to allow students (as actors) to find meaning in a play through physical interaction with it. The RSC research has widely found that engagement and enjoyment for both students and teachers has significantly increased with this approach, as opposed to traditional-pedagogies which involve line-by-line explanation. I am exploring, through a creative methodology, how such an approach can also develop plurality of thinking within student interpretation and analysis. Shakespeare is a core requirement of the English National Curriculum, and is heavily examined at the end of compulsory secondary school: as a result, much teaching leans towards telling students what each line means, and what features Shakespeare has used to convey that meaning. I am exploring the ways active pedagogies can change that and turn compulsory Shakespeare into an enabling constraint, by freeing up dialogue about possibilities within meaning and analysis.

For my MEd, I explored creative spaces and writing. Since then, through school-based, and partner school networks, I have been exploring assessment, metacognition and reflection. However, the pre-thesis phase of the EdD has led me to become interested in enabling constraints, complexity and plurality, looking at the ways education can open up and liberate creative thinking, rather than provide linear pathways through subject content, such as a literary text.

January 2017 January 9999

University of Exeter

EdD

January 2006 January 2009

University of Exeter

MEd

January 2005 January 2006

University of Exeter

PGCE English

January 2002 January 2005

Cardiff University

BA (Hons) English Language