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| Story Suspension/Forum Theatre |
In this class we explored drama integrated with character education and well-being. Some effective strategies for this are story suspension and forum theatre. In story suspension, which we have used previously in classes, the teacher reads a story aloud and suspends the story at suspenseful parts in order for students to interpret meaning through drama. The teacher can choose a social justice issues, in this example we focused on bullying, to create a forum theatre, a strategy which uses drama as an open forum for teaching people how to change their world.
These strategies were impactful to me because it allows for students to role play portrayals of the social justice topic. The teacher asks students to recreate the scene, and then recreate it differently as a means to promote justice, by selecting a character to change. In this example, we changed the bystander to stand up for the character that was being bullied. Another strategy that can be used in Alter-ego, where the character has to make a choice to act based on what both good and bad sides are telling him (similar to angel and devil on your shoulder).
We also explored Finding Common Ground document, which says that a quality education is more than academics, it is the whole person. Learning cultures and communities must be caring, safe and inclusive.
Character development is about self-awareness and doing what is right because it is the right thing to do.
Integrating drama with character development allows students to meet the needs outlined in Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Character development ensures safety and security in a positive school climate, friendships, heightened self esteem and respect of others, and also acceptance for who they are.
We also explored Finding Common Ground document, which says that a quality education is more than academics, it is the whole person. Learning cultures and communities must be caring, safe and inclusive.
Character development is about self-awareness and doing what is right because it is the right thing to do.
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| Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs |
Lastly we discussed how to include students with selective mutism. Selective mutism stems from an anxiety disorder, students are stiff, withdrawn, turned away, rarely smile, and show an inability to speak or communicate. To include students with selective mutism you would want to allow them to reflect on the drama in other ways, such as writing a script for a forum theatre, or written reflections on the story. They could also use drawings to depict scenes of the story or to describe how the scene could change.
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