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The year is 1871, and Queen Victoria has passed the
Elementary Education Act, requiring all children under 12 to attend school. Miss Mary Hastie, a Scotswoman, has just returned to Britain from the North American Colonies, where she taught the children of gold-mining towns, and is making her skills and knowledge available to the Schools of the London area. HOWEVER! Victorian School Lessons will ONLY be available during the autumn until HALF TERM. Should you wish to book Victorian School Lessons during the Spring Term, please use the e-mail address provided (post November 2006). |
Interactive Educational Theatre
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When invited, Miss Hastie will visit your classroom and
transport your students back in time to give them a hands-on experience of life in a Victorian schoolroom. The programme runs for approximately 3 hours; the ‘day’ will begin with the traditional ringing of the school bell, and proceed in the manner of a typical Victorian school day, with students learning Reading from classic texts, ‘Riting in the copperplate hand on slates, and ‘Rithmetic using an abacus. They will also be taught Decorum, Deportment and Discipline, interspersed throughout the lessons, as well as History, Geography, Science and Religion, & Object and Spelling lessons. Miss Hastie will come in complete Victorian garb, and will bring all necessary items and artefacts; all you need to provide is the classroom, a teacher’s desk, a blackboard with chalk, and the willingness and imagination to enter into a ‘time gone by’! She will arrive an hour before class begins, and transform your classroom into a Victorian school room: arranging segregated seating; displaying a picture of Queen Victoria, an abacus, map and lettering charts; preparing slates and other items for use by your students. Students are invited to role-play with Miss Hastie as she imparts skills from Penmanship to Dramatic Gesture, and enlightens students as to the reasons behind Victorian rules and values. |
Bringing History to Life
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Michelle Lieffertz (who plays Miss Hastie) is an
experienced actor with a speciality in Living History & Historic Interpretation. She has spent years researching both the time period and the life of Mary Hastie - a woman who actually lived during the 19th century. Having learned a great deal about the life, rules and customs of the Victorian period, Michelle enjoys sharing her discoveries in a witty and informative way designed to provoke thought and further exploration. Her programme corresponds directly with the Key stage 2 curriculum requirements for “The Victorians”. If you would like Miss Hastie to visit your school and excite your students about history, please contact Michelle Lieffertz at the address / phone numbers below. If you have any concerns as to the length of the programme, the subjects covered, or any other aspect, please don’t hesitate to contact me and the programme can most likely be tailored to suit your school. |
29 Berrymead Gardens
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