• Drama provides teachers with an outlet for discussing sensitive issues in an open and safe environment where students are free to express personal opinions and critically consider the perspectives of others. Empathy is certainly a characteristic that we should want our students to possess, especially in such a diverse world. Drama is a way for teachers to help students look at issues from alternative points of view.
Dwyer's Learning Theory: according to Dwyer, student's learning is enhanced when they are able to experience the learning themselves through exploration and investigation.
Student's remember:
• 10% of what they hear
• 20% of what they read
• 30% of what they see
• 50% of what they write
• 80% of what they do/experience
• 90% of what they teach to others
Drama gives students the opportunity to develop a sense of empathy as a result of sharing experiences and considering alternative perspectives of characters in books and stories. As students explore sensitive issues in drama class, they examine issues that they have likely not explored too deeply before. Hopefully this exposure to new issues and the empathy that students feel will inspire students to think critically and make a change.
Strategies:
Positional 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?
Positional mapping can be a useful strategy when dealing with sensitive issues. Positional mapping allows students independent time to reflect on a certain topic and analyze their own personal feelings toward it. This is a great way to get students thinking about certain issues and for teachers to understand a general comfort level among students.
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Voices in the Head: students make a tableaux and are encouraged to say their thoughts or feelings aloud. This can be come by tapping the student on the shoulder. Alternatively, students can speak the thoughts aloud for a character. HOW CAN I USE THIS?
Voices in the head is useful when dealing with sensitive issues because it gives students the opportunity to express their feelings while hearing the feelings of others. It also helps students consider the perspective of a character who may be facing a sensitive dilemma. This can help students relate to certain issues and feel empathy.
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Conscience Alley: students form two lines facing each other. One person takes on the role of a character (from a book or story read previous). Students on either side speak a piece of advice to this character as he/she walks between the lines.
HOW CAN I USE THIS?
Conscience alley is a useful strategy when dealing with sensitive issues because it gives students the opportunity to consider the point of view of a character in order to provide him/her with valuable advice. This is useful when dealing with issues relevant to students such as peer pressure to do drugs and drink alcohol. Students can then reflect on that experience and consider their own advice when faced with peer pressure themselves.
After participating in conscience alley during session 3 of this class, I realized how conscience alley could be useful in the classroom. This strategy helps students see things from the a variety of different perspectives even if they do not agree with them. In class, this strategy was used to deal with issues of self-confidence and bullying. By using this strategy, it was easy to see how bullying can decrease a student's self-confidence. We described how the character being bullied must feel, and how the bullies must feel. I think that this perspective is important for students to recognize and consider to become critical thinkers.
After participating in conscience alley during session 3 of this class, I realized how conscience alley could be useful in the classroom. This strategy helps students see things from the a variety of different perspectives even if they do not agree with them. In class, this strategy was used to deal with issues of self-confidence and bullying. By using this strategy, it was easy to see how bullying can decrease a student's self-confidence. We described how the character being bullied must feel, and how the bullies must feel. I think that this perspective is important for students to recognize and consider to become critical thinkers.
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Collective Draw: in small groups, students gather information on a particular topic (polar bears) or think about their own feelings and perceptions toward a certain topic (home). Students draw this information onto a piece of chart paper.
Graffiti: class stands in one circle and puts their chart paper in the centre. At random, students can step forward and "graffiti" (act as if you are actually spray painting a wall!) one idea that they had drawn on the chart paper (word or sentence). Students tempo, dynamics and beat should reflect their personal views on the topic.
HOW CAN I USE THIS?
Collective draw and graffiti and useful strategies because not only are students encouraged to draw their ideas (as opposed to writing), but students are then asked to give voice to their drawings and express their message.
Used in conjunction, collective draw and graffiti allow students to think about issues that they may not have thought about before. Some student's opinions may be stereotypical or untrue, however this activity acts as a catalyst to examine issues further depending on the needs of the class.
