Reflection #4

What? In class we learned about the elements and principles of drama. We also learned why drama is important for kids and we learned some theater games and activities that we can use in the classroom to get kids comfortable with drama.

So What? I think the activities we learned would be really helpful and I will use them in the classroom. I will use the interview method where the students pretend they are a character that you are learning about and then another student pretends to be the interviewer and asks them questions about what happened. I will also use the Character-as-One and Mantle of the Expert activities to get my students active and involved in learning.

Now What? I think creative drama is really good for kids because it gets them out of their comfort zone in a safe environment. It helps them learn to work with other students and talk to students they might not get to talk to normally. I found that when we did these activities in class, even as a college student, they helped me feel more comfortable with my classmates and get out of my comfort zone more that I normally would. I think that using drama is a good way to get students motivated and engaged in learning. For example, you could use creative drama in social studies. You could have the students pick a person that you are learning about and answer questions as if they are that person. It gets the students thinking more deeply, not just about facts and dates, but about how the character would really think and the things they believe in. It would help the students feel more involved in learning and understand about the person you are learning about so much more and in a fun way.