•To run a successful drama class, the teacher must foster an environment that is open and understanding. This way, students will feel comfortable sharing ideas and expressing themselves. This will make the experience will be more meaningful to students. The arts is a powerful gateway to the emotions.
• As teachers, it is important that we create safe spaces for students to express themselves and feel comfortable sharing that with their peers in order to evoke emotion and develop a sense of empathy within our students.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: This model describes the needs of human beings. This model is represented in a pyramid because the needs at the bottom must be met before the needs near the top can be met. The safety needs of students must be met before their social needs (love & belonging) can be attended to. The safety needs of students include creating a safe space in the classroom where students also have the right to pass and are comfortable enough to share their thoughts. Drama is enhanced when students feel safe in the classroom to explore topics and strategies and work together to accomplish a goal.
Strategies:
Syllable Clap: Begin by having students stand in a circle. One at a time, each student will clap the syllables of their name and say their name out loud. The crowd will repeat the name and clap each time. Next, have students clap the syllables of their name while the crowd says their name out loud. Finally, have students organize themselves to create a syllable pattern using the syllables of each student's name.
HOW CAN I USE THIS?
This game is useful for the teacher and students to learn each other's names. Learning the names of peers is important for fostering an environment that feels welcoming for each and every student.
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Sharky Fin: Have students stand in a circle. Name one student sharky and one student the caller. The shark's goal is to attack one student (no contact of course!) by moving closer to that student and pretending to attack! Jaws sound effects and sneaky shark movements are encouraged! The caller's job is to protect the students by calling out the name of a student who the shark is trying to attack!
HOW CAN I USE THIS?
This is another example of a game to learn student's names. This game gives students the opportunity to begin exploring the idea of acting a role as they take on the role of sharky and move and make sounds to represent that. It also allows students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with one another in a fun way!
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Hot-Seating: Student sits on a chair in front of the class (in role) while the other students ask questions to the character.
This strategy could be used in response to issues related to the students experiences. This strategy could also be used for students to ask questions to a specific character from a book. This type of questioning technique helps students understand specific scenarios from a variety of perspectives in order to develop a sense of empathy.
The topics explored would differ between grades and would need to be age-appropriate for the students.
The topics explored would differ between grades and would need to be age-appropriate for the students.
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Embodied Scale: Have students line up in a specific order after being given specific instructions (finger length, birthday month, etc.)HOW CAN I USE THIS?
This strategy forces students to communicate with their peers for a specific purpose. This requires students to work together to reach a common goal. Activities such as this could be used to foster a sense of teamwork and collaboration among students.
Position Mapping: Place an object in the middle of the room (chair) to represent a specific topic being explored (homelessness, feelings toward a specific subject, etc.). Have students position themselves around that object in order to represent their overall comfort level with the specific topic. Students share their opinions on the subject as they are tapped in by the teacher.
HOW CAN I USE THIS?
This strategy can be used to introduce a topic to students in understand student's previous exposure to the topic. This strategy allows students to share their personal perceptions on a topic. As student listen to the thoughts of their peers, they are encouraged to empathize with them. As a teacher, it's important to use probing questions such as, "how do you think that made him/her feel?"
After participating in this activity in session 1, I thought that it was a great way to have students begin talking and thinking about a specific topic in an open and accepting way without feeling like an opinion is wrong.
In session 1 we used this strategy to discuss feelings about drama class. I was very nervous about this drama class given that it had been so long since I had participated as a part of one, so I did not stand especially close to the chair. This activity helped me realize that I was not the only one who was feeling nervous or insecure. Through this activity, I was able to understand why some individuals were confident with drama and why others were more hesitant. Through this, I was able to find my place in the classroom.
After participating in this activity in session 1, I thought that it was a great way to have students begin talking and thinking about a specific topic in an open and accepting way without feeling like an opinion is wrong.
In session 1 we used this strategy to discuss feelings about drama class. I was very nervous about this drama class given that it had been so long since I had participated as a part of one, so I did not stand especially close to the chair. This activity helped me realize that I was not the only one who was feeling nervous or insecure. Through this activity, I was able to understand why some individuals were confident with drama and why others were more hesitant. Through this, I was able to find my place in the classroom.
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Tableaux: students create a still image using their bodies to represent a scene. HOW CAN I USE THIS?
I think that this is a useful strategy to create a safe space in conjunction with the position mapping strategy. Students create a tableaux (individual or in partners) to convey emotions or personal reactions to a certain event or topic. Sometimes, students are simply uncomfortable participating in drama activities. Tableaux's provide these individuals with the opportunity to participate in the activity without having to speak aloud. I enjoyed participating in this activity during the first week of class. It allowed me to express my feelings toward drama without having to verbalize them.
