![]() ChangeĬhange is a necessary part of Drama. We can easily add multimedia, sets, costume and lighting to a dramatic piece or production, but the human character remains the focus of our enquiry whether it be a Broadway musical extravaganza or a quiet little avant-garde production in a country town. Character is one of the central drama elements because the actor’s creation of character is the primary function of drama education. Without the ability for students to create works, either individually or collectively, the subject of Drama would not exist. Creating performances of some kind lies at the very heart of drama education. We should never forget that unlike every other subject, Drama is in the unique position of involving the study of the human being at its core – the human being as both Drama student / actor and the human being as character. In both role-play and performance, Drama students can receive feedback from their peers. Even before the performance stage, Drama students have the advantage of using role-play and improvisation to test out various scenarios of good citizenship. When it comes to civics and citizenship, Drama differs from other subjects at school because students can interpret their knowledge and research and then enact this in performance. ![]() Curiosityĭrama teaches students to be better citizens. ![]() Name me another subject at school that offers students the opportunity to develop confidence more than Drama does! 9. Don’t you think it is strange that confidence is not part of the lexicon of drama education? It is such an important skill for students to acquire, and yet because it is not particularly Drama-specific, it is never part of the language of Drama. I’ve told many a Year 9 Drama student over the decades that her grades don’t matter this semester, the important thing is she walks away at the end of the course a more confident young woman. Many students find Drama challenging because they lack the necessary confidence to feel comfortable, yet it is by undertaking these challenges in Drama class that their confidence will develop. Some students undertake Drama classes so they can acquire greater confidence along the way, while others possess too much confidence upon arrival! The great irony of drama education is that one needs to undertake Drama in order to acquire increased confidence, but that this very confidence is essential in order for Drama to be effective. Some argue creativity must include the making or inventing of something new, others argue it is the creation of an original or novel idea, while some claim creativity is the ability to think outside the box and apply current knowledge in new and valuable ways.Ĭonfidence is a necessary life skill that lives at the very core of drama education. Students of drama education constantly need creative and enquiring minds to do their work. CreativityĬreativity is most definitely a skill that can be strengthened with practice. They try out ideas, compare two different versions of the same scene and then explain and use questioning and reasoning to evaluate which is better? Plus, there is no greater skill than interpreting when drama students read and perform scripts written by others. Testing occurs during the rehearsal process, especially when students are developing their own work. ![]() Skilled drama students understand they don’t just need to be imaginative and creative, but they must also use the left side of their brain and think critically and analytically. Critical ThinkingĮxamples of critical thinking include interpreting, analysing, evaluating, explaining, reasoning, comparing, questioning, appraising and testing – and drama education uses these in spades. Learning to compromise is a vital skill for students’ learning in drama. This is no different to the professional theatre where a scenic designer may need to reach a compromise with the director or lighting designer who may have competing needs or demands, yet all parties are striving to achieve a common goal. When students communicate, cooperate and collaborate to create a drama product, they must also learn to compromise, as not everyone’s suggestions will make the final cut, or at least make it in the way initially intended. CompromisingĬompromising is a key skill in drama education that, importantly, is also a life skill. Cooperating in drama can see different students working on multiple tasks simultaneously. Student groups are highly focused, criteria are satisfied and tasks are sometimes treated vertically with greater efficiency due to the division of labor. Cooperation between students in small group tasks in drama differs from collaboration in that is it often closely controlled by the teacher.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |