EXAMPLE APPLIED THEATRE TEACHING PROJECT
In four one hour workshops, a class of no more than 30 6th grade students will explore the topic of bullying through interactive theatre techniques. I will focus on three types of bullying (physical, verbal, exclusionary) and the individuals involved (bully, target, bystander). The students will participate in games and exercises rooted in the work of Augusto Boal—Brazilian theatre practitioner who developed the techniques of Theatre of the Oppressed. Students will explore the social relationships around bullying and practice possible solutions to bullying encounters. Students will play, write, and discuss – considering themes on the topic of bullying. Students are evaluated each day through discussion and application of learning in exercises. By the completion of this residency, students should be able to identify bullying behaviors, have a vocabulary with which to speak of said behaviors, and examine choices and consequences related to bullying situations from multiple perspectives.
ABBREVIATED WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION]
DAY ONE:
Goals:
· To get to know each others
· To become familiar with bodily-kinesthetic activity and communication
· To learn vocabulary associated with bullying behavior: target, bystander, bully.
· To define Bullying in its three different aspects - physical, verbal, exclusive
· To identify the participants: target, bystander, bully
· To explore these concepts through image work, writing, discussion.
Introduction – Who I am and what we will be doing together.
Name and Gesture – Students create a gesture to go with their name and share in various performative ways.
Big Wind Blows—Students stand in circle and move based on shared similarities thereby getting to know about each other further.
Vote With Your Feet— Students take a stand (Yes / Maybe / No) by moving to designated areas of the room. Questions flow from simple questions to questions related to bullying.
What is bullying?
1. Power Journaling - Write for 5 minutes on the them “Bullying.”
2. Tableau Work – 5 groups get one prompt each, create still images of physical, verbal, or exclusionary bullying.
3. Discussion—Identify types of bullying from each still image: target, bully, bystander. Students brainstorm list of examples of each type of bullying while I scribe on the board.
4. Three Wishes—Which of the still images seemed realistic to you? This picture is on its way to the a bad ending. How can we change it so it is on its way to a happy ending? Make physical changes, and hear thought bubbles (the thoughts that are going on inside each character in the tableaus head).
5. Cool Down—Students stand in circle and pass clap around the circle.
6. Conclusion – Brief review and reflection.
DAY TWO:
Goals:
· To explore the points of view of target and bystander
· To brainstorm interventions strategies for targets and bystanders in bullying situation
· To share intervention ideas through embodied practice.
Intro and statement of objectives: What we will be doing together.
Review of Day One—Sculpt images of Target, Bully, Bystander in episode of verbal bullying (discuss)
Clap Hop—Theatrical warm up adding complexity to the game.
Focus on the Target:
1. Visualization Exercise with Still Images: Tell story of bullying from target’s perspective, include physical, verbal, and exclusionary bullying. At any point in the story, students can yell freeze and we will create a frozen picture of that moment in time.
2. Look at the final frozen image from the cliff-hanger ending of the story.
3. Review Character and Wants: Ask students: Who’s the bully, target, bystander? What does each of them want? Write answers on the board.
4. Consider Examples of Interventions: We’re going to focus on the target now. What is something that Target could do, at any moment in this story, to make what he/she wants happen? (Students share a couple of examples verbally). What’s something that the Bystander can do to make what he/she wants happen?
5. Worksheet on Interventions: Students individually complete step one of intervention worksheet. (Writing things the target and bystander could do to get what they want). Students complete step two. (Writing positive things that could happen because of each choice and negative things that could happen because of each choice). Check in. Keeping in mind the pros and cons, put a star by the one the like best for the target, and the one they like best for the bystander.
6. Model Tableau into Scene: Ask for an intervention example. Students sculpt myself and a volunteer into a frozen picture right before this intervention takes place. Improvise a scene showing intervention as an example for the class.
7. Acting Out Suggestions: Students break into groups. In small groups of four, students choose one intervention on the worksheet to share with the class. Half the group will work on bystander interventions, Half will work on target interventions. Present scenes, recording interventions on the board, Ask students watching for positive things that could happen because of the suggestion and negative things that could happen because of the suggestions. Record on the board.
8. Closure for Target and Bystander Section: Review interventions listed on the board.
DAY THREE:
Goals
· To review both vocabulary and the decision-making process
· To understand the bullies are people too.
· To consider why bullies bully
· To explore the behavioral options that individuals who bully have.
Intro and statement of objectives – What we will be doing together.
Review of Day 2—Sculpt final image of Target, Bullies, Bystander from Day 2’s story. Identify vocabulary, verbally review the decision making process.
1. Identify what the characters want.
2. Identify possible actions that the characters could take to get wheat he/she wants.
3. Think about good things and bad things that could happen as a result of the action.
Theatrical Warm-up: Play Clap Hop gradually adding new challenges to the game.
Focus on the Bully:
1. Process Drama—Set up: Bully is in the office talking to Principal, saying she’s sorry and that she wants to change. I (Representative of the Arkansas Stage Bully Squad) set students up as experts on bullying situations. The students will give advice on how the bully can change her behavior because she says she wants to change but she doesn’t know how. There is a series of pieces of evidence that will shed light on the situation and help you figure out what’s going on. Present clues to the whole class. Teachers read evidence aloud.
o Clue 1 - Wadded up sheet of paper with diary entry on it.
o Clue 2 – File with behavior reports.
2. Role on the Wall – Examine what we know or can guess about the bully. Start with outside pressures and on the inside wants.
3. Identify wants- Students identify what the bully wants. Is she using bullying to get what she wants? What other ways might she get what she wants?
4. Write a letter of advice – Using what you know about this situation and person, write a letter to the bully recommending how she can get what she wants with other actions beside bullying.
5. Review Characters and Wants: Ask students who are the bully, target, and bystander? What does each of the want? Write answers on the board.
6. Real to Ideal: Students think about the emotions the bully is feeling right now in the principal’s office. Create an image of the bully a right now. Perform all at same time. Think about one of your suggestions for new actions she can take. Create a second (ideal) of the bully. Perform all at the same time. Move through transition between images in slow motion. Perform all at same time.
7. Closure for Bully Section: Review the day’s events and outcomes.
DAY FOUR:
Goals
· To review both vocabulary and the decision-making process
· To give students opportunity to apply what they have learned through participating in Forum Theatre.
· To evaluate the workshop sessions by comparing bullying journaling from Day 1 to the same topic on Day 3.
Intro and Statement of objectives – What we will be doing together.
Review of Day 1, 2, & 3 – Review the bully’s situation, identify vocabulary, and examine decision-making process.
Theatrical Warm-up: Clap Hop.
Focus on the Forum
1. Introduction: perform (with teacher and/or other students) a couple of rehearsed scenes that show a bullying situation. After we’ve run through the scenes once, we will present them a second time. This second time students may raise their hand and say ‘freeze’ when they see a moment where a problem is happening.
2. Present Form Scenes: Run through scenes once fully. Run through scenes again, exploring interventions and noting something positive for each intervention.
3. Ending the Forum: The original actors return to the scene, and it ends with the protagonist positively addressing the bulling situation.
Focus on Closure and Fun:
1. Power Journal: Students write for five minutes on the topic of Bullying.
2. Final Celebration: Honor students and celebrate as a class everyone’s participation in the workshop with certificates.
2) Describe one or two specific experiences that qualify you to be successful in a preK-12 educational setting. Limit to one page.
For the past 11 years, I have studied the art and science of teaching in a wide variety of experiences. This study has taken the shape of four years as a Theatre / Speech Education major in college, three years of graduate study (MFA) in the field of Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities at UT-Austin, and the past four years working as a certified public high school teacher at Parkview Arts/Science Magnet High School. Throughout my education, I have worked as a teaching artist with a wide population including elementary students, high school special education students, senior adults and GT students.
3) Describe how you would work with classroom teachers/group leaders after you have left the school/community in order for them to continue or follow-up on activities that you initiated to maximize the impact of the residency. Limit to one page.
A collaborative relationship established during the process of a residency is an important first step for the program’s sustainability and overall self-sufficiency. As a teaching artist, I am sensitive to recognize and integrate student and teacher knowledge into the planning and implementation of a project. I enter the classroom as a partner—someone willing to share educational experiences. Beginning a residency, I initiate conversation with cooperating teachers about their long-term goals and how I might function to see these long-term goals achieved. During this conversation, we also determine how to evaluate our success. Throughout the process, I will share information about techniques, resources, and activities, so the teacher may continue to the work I’ve begun. By entering the classroom as a partner, I also may leave the classroom as a partner. After my residency, I will continue to make myself available via email, phone, and follow-up visits as the teacher or institution and I determine necessary.
Goals:
· To get to know each others
· To become familiar with bodily-kinesthetic activity and communication
· To learn vocabulary associated with bullying behavior: target, bystander, bully.
· To define Bullying in its three different aspects - physical, verbal, exclusive
· To identify the participants: target, bystander, bully
· To explore these concepts through image work, writing, discussion.
Introduction – Who I am and what we will be doing together.
Name and Gesture – Students create a gesture to go with their name and share in various performative ways.
Big Wind Blows—Students stand in circle and move based on shared similarities thereby getting to know about each other further.
Vote With Your Feet— Students take a stand (Yes / Maybe / No) by moving to designated areas of the room. Questions flow from simple questions to questions related to bullying.
What is bullying?
1. Power Journaling - Write for 5 minutes on the them “Bullying.”
2. Tableau Work – 5 groups get one prompt each, create still images of physical, verbal, or exclusionary bullying.
3. Discussion—Identify types of bullying from each still image: target, bully, bystander. Students brainstorm list of examples of each type of bullying while I scribe on the board.
4. Three Wishes—Which of the still images seemed realistic to you? This picture is on its way to the a bad ending. How can we change it so it is on its way to a happy ending? Make physical changes, and hear thought bubbles (the thoughts that are going on inside each character in the tableaus head).
5. Cool Down—Students stand in circle and pass clap around the circle.
6. Conclusion – Brief review and reflection.
DAY TWO:
Goals:
· To explore the points of view of target and bystander
· To brainstorm interventions strategies for targets and bystanders in bullying situation
· To share intervention ideas through embodied practice.
Intro and statement of objectives: What we will be doing together.
Review of Day One—Sculpt images of Target, Bully, Bystander in episode of verbal bullying (discuss)
Clap Hop—Theatrical warm up adding complexity to the game.
Focus on the Target:
1. Visualization Exercise with Still Images: Tell story of bullying from target’s perspective, include physical, verbal, and exclusionary bullying. At any point in the story, students can yell freeze and we will create a frozen picture of that moment in time.
2. Look at the final frozen image from the cliff-hanger ending of the story.
3. Review Character and Wants: Ask students: Who’s the bully, target, bystander? What does each of them want? Write answers on the board.
4. Consider Examples of Interventions: We’re going to focus on the target now. What is something that Target could do, at any moment in this story, to make what he/she wants happen? (Students share a couple of examples verbally). What’s something that the Bystander can do to make what he/she wants happen?
5. Worksheet on Interventions: Students individually complete step one of intervention worksheet. (Writing things the target and bystander could do to get what they want). Students complete step two. (Writing positive things that could happen because of each choice and negative things that could happen because of each choice). Check in. Keeping in mind the pros and cons, put a star by the one the like best for the target, and the one they like best for the bystander.
6. Model Tableau into Scene: Ask for an intervention example. Students sculpt myself and a volunteer into a frozen picture right before this intervention takes place. Improvise a scene showing intervention as an example for the class.
7. Acting Out Suggestions: Students break into groups. In small groups of four, students choose one intervention on the worksheet to share with the class. Half the group will work on bystander interventions, Half will work on target interventions. Present scenes, recording interventions on the board, Ask students watching for positive things that could happen because of the suggestion and negative things that could happen because of the suggestions. Record on the board.
8. Closure for Target and Bystander Section: Review interventions listed on the board.
DAY THREE:
Goals
· To review both vocabulary and the decision-making process
· To understand the bullies are people too.
· To consider why bullies bully
· To explore the behavioral options that individuals who bully have.
Intro and statement of objectives – What we will be doing together.
Review of Day 2—Sculpt final image of Target, Bullies, Bystander from Day 2’s story. Identify vocabulary, verbally review the decision making process.
1. Identify what the characters want.
2. Identify possible actions that the characters could take to get wheat he/she wants.
3. Think about good things and bad things that could happen as a result of the action.
Theatrical Warm-up: Play Clap Hop gradually adding new challenges to the game.
Focus on the Bully:
1. Process Drama—Set up: Bully is in the office talking to Principal, saying she’s sorry and that she wants to change. I (Representative of the Arkansas Stage Bully Squad) set students up as experts on bullying situations. The students will give advice on how the bully can change her behavior because she says she wants to change but she doesn’t know how. There is a series of pieces of evidence that will shed light on the situation and help you figure out what’s going on. Present clues to the whole class. Teachers read evidence aloud.
o Clue 1 - Wadded up sheet of paper with diary entry on it.
o Clue 2 – File with behavior reports.
2. Role on the Wall – Examine what we know or can guess about the bully. Start with outside pressures and on the inside wants.
3. Identify wants- Students identify what the bully wants. Is she using bullying to get what she wants? What other ways might she get what she wants?
4. Write a letter of advice – Using what you know about this situation and person, write a letter to the bully recommending how she can get what she wants with other actions beside bullying.
5. Review Characters and Wants: Ask students who are the bully, target, and bystander? What does each of the want? Write answers on the board.
6. Real to Ideal: Students think about the emotions the bully is feeling right now in the principal’s office. Create an image of the bully a right now. Perform all at same time. Think about one of your suggestions for new actions she can take. Create a second (ideal) of the bully. Perform all at the same time. Move through transition between images in slow motion. Perform all at same time.
7. Closure for Bully Section: Review the day’s events and outcomes.
DAY FOUR:
Goals
· To review both vocabulary and the decision-making process
· To give students opportunity to apply what they have learned through participating in Forum Theatre.
· To evaluate the workshop sessions by comparing bullying journaling from Day 1 to the same topic on Day 3.
Intro and Statement of objectives – What we will be doing together.
Review of Day 1, 2, & 3 – Review the bully’s situation, identify vocabulary, and examine decision-making process.
Theatrical Warm-up: Clap Hop.
Focus on the Forum
1. Introduction: perform (with teacher and/or other students) a couple of rehearsed scenes that show a bullying situation. After we’ve run through the scenes once, we will present them a second time. This second time students may raise their hand and say ‘freeze’ when they see a moment where a problem is happening.
2. Present Form Scenes: Run through scenes once fully. Run through scenes again, exploring interventions and noting something positive for each intervention.
3. Ending the Forum: The original actors return to the scene, and it ends with the protagonist positively addressing the bulling situation.
Focus on Closure and Fun:
1. Power Journal: Students write for five minutes on the topic of Bullying.
2. Final Celebration: Honor students and celebrate as a class everyone’s participation in the workshop with certificates.
2) Describe one or two specific experiences that qualify you to be successful in a preK-12 educational setting. Limit to one page.
For the past 11 years, I have studied the art and science of teaching in a wide variety of experiences. This study has taken the shape of four years as a Theatre / Speech Education major in college, three years of graduate study (MFA) in the field of Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities at UT-Austin, and the past four years working as a certified public high school teacher at Parkview Arts/Science Magnet High School. Throughout my education, I have worked as a teaching artist with a wide population including elementary students, high school special education students, senior adults and GT students.
3) Describe how you would work with classroom teachers/group leaders after you have left the school/community in order for them to continue or follow-up on activities that you initiated to maximize the impact of the residency. Limit to one page.
A collaborative relationship established during the process of a residency is an important first step for the program’s sustainability and overall self-sufficiency. As a teaching artist, I am sensitive to recognize and integrate student and teacher knowledge into the planning and implementation of a project. I enter the classroom as a partner—someone willing to share educational experiences. Beginning a residency, I initiate conversation with cooperating teachers about their long-term goals and how I might function to see these long-term goals achieved. During this conversation, we also determine how to evaluate our success. Throughout the process, I will share information about techniques, resources, and activities, so the teacher may continue to the work I’ve begun. By entering the classroom as a partner, I also may leave the classroom as a partner. After my residency, I will continue to make myself available via email, phone, and follow-up visits as the teacher or institution and I determine necessary.