Mantle of the Expert

Mantle of the Expert (MoE) is an approach by Dorothy Heathcote, based on the premise of treating children as experts in order to increase their confidence and engagement. The concept allows children to learn proactively together whilst encouraging creativity, teamwork, communication skills, critical thought and decision-making (Farmer 2012). The concept can be used in a singular role within a drama session, for example, but is most effective when used as a group activity. According to Aitken (n/a), teachers using MoE have different strengths depending on their prior teaching experience, this reflects heavily on how this concept relates to pupils within modern education.  

In the above video, the class have adopted the MoE framework for a session placing them into the roles of veterinarians. In the video, the children communicate together and use experiential learning to help them assume the responsibilities of a veterinarian. At 2:20, pupils list the animals needs such as “give him water’. As mentioned, using the MoE approach validates ‘prior learning and enable it to be applied in new contexts’ (Baldwin 2012 p.123) and as seen in the video, pupils who have experience of veterinary surgeries, animals or illness are able to provide a shared context with their partners who are able to modify and develop their learning independently. Vygotsky (1978 cited Cremin & Arthur 2014) identifies the importance of childrens development through role play,  it allows children to immerse themselves in problem solving within every day life.

Diagram 2.1 The three dimensions of Mantle of the Expert (Taylor, 2011 cited Collins 2013)

Allowing children to adopt the responsibility of a professional is allowing them to learn in a similar way to how adults learn in everyday contexts, enabling them to draw on and extend their existing expertise (Jesson 2012). The diagram below demonstrates the ‘three dimensions of MoE’, whilst incorporating drama through role play into the learning sequence, the children begin to link each stage together. Children are able to connect their experiential learning to the context at hand, and pursue a route of enquiry and apply their learning to future contexts (Wilhelm 2002)