Theatre as a Teaching Tool: Examining Theatre’s Past, Present, and Future Roles in Education
Kelley Siart
Advisor: Javier Rivera
19 March 2012
Siart 2
Honors Capstone Abstract
Theatre as a Teaching Tool: Examining Theatre’s Past, Present, and Future Roles in Education
Abstract: The research for this study examined how theatre has historically been used as a teaching tool, current uses for theatre in education, and future possibilities for theatre’s implementation in the classroom. Historically, theatre has proven an extremely effective means of communication and tool for socialization by instructing members of society on social norms, religious teachings, and introducing new ideologies. Currently, theatre as a formal teaching tool has seen a recession as spending on arts programs has been cut from education budgets.
However, studies have shown that participation in theatre has incredible learning benefits, especially for early childhood and elementary education by facilitating play, creative problem solving, and collaborative work. Though most research on theatre’s educational benefits focus on early childhood and elementary education, theatre has also proven effective in secondary and adult learning by creating a space in which adults may exercise themselves both intellectually and emotionally. Ultimately, the wealth of emerging research regarding theatre’s close relationship to learning indicates that future implementation of performance art in classrooms may greatly improve the education system. Siart 3
Theatre as a Teaching Tool: Examining Theatre’s Past, Present, and Future Roles in Education
In modern education, the arts have been, more often than not, relegated to a position of unimportance. Though science and math are advocated as important areas of study, the study and use of the arts in the classroom receive very little attention. As the budget money available for education becomes increasingly sparse, the arts are often the first to be sacrificed. Merryl
Goldberg, author of Arts and Learning: An Integrated Approach to Teaching and Learning in
Multicultural and Multilingual settings, writes, “Historically, the most common form of arts education involves a specialist who teaches about the arts. […] Although this model has served education since the very beginnings of public education in the United States, we see its importance slowly diminishing in direct relation to diminishing educational budgets. The arts, often considered a ‘frill,’ have been cut as the ‘basics’ receive attention,” (Goldberg 5).
Unfortunately, this dismissal of the arts as unimportant has had detrimental effects on the United
States education system. Even President Barack Obama has noted the important impact of arts education, “[C]hildren who learn music actually do better in math, children whose imaginations are sparked by the arts are more engaged in school,” (Hulbert 1). Obama has also remarked,
“Studies in Chicago have demonstrated that test scores improved faster for students enrolled in low-income schools that link arts across the curriculum than scores for students in schools lacking such programs,” (Hulbert 1). Though all arts are important for education, performance art, in particular, has proven itself exceptionally successful as an educational tool. As such an important cultural factor, one must ask what is the impact of theatre’s diminishing role within education. By examining theatre’s role historically as an educating tool, investigating the implications of a lack of theatre in education, and exploring how theatre will be reintroduced into Siart 4 the classroom, theatre’s current and future roles within the United States education system may be established.
First, it is important to understand how theatre has historically been used as an educative tool in order to evaluate how it may be used in the future. Though the origins of theatre are much debated, it is believed that theatre is the most innate art form to the human experience. Michael
L. Greenwald writes in Stories, Rituals, and Theater: A Foundation for the Theatrical Arts, “Of all the arts, theater is among the oldest and the most instinctive. Though you may have never read or attended a play, you demonstrate an innate theatricality when you embellish your activities with symbolic words and gestures, or with such visual symbols as costumes and decorations,” (Greenwald 3). Theatrical practices are born out of a natural desire to imitate others and the world around us. Greenwald further explains Aristotle’s idea of mimesis, “Aristotle began his famous treatise on theater with the observation that ‘the instinct for imitation is implanted in man from childhood.’ On its simplest level we learn by imitating how others walk, talk, dress, behave, and so on,” (Greenwald 11). Theatre is based on the idea of imitation.
Humans use imitation to become properly socialized and to learn new skills. Similarly, theatre uses imitation to communicate ideas and lessons both to the participants and to the audience.
Theatre’s use as a formal teaching tool developed further in Ancient Greece. Often thought of as the birthplace of theatre, Greece deftly used theatrical craft to effectively communicate lessons to the public. Theatre during this time advocated the Grecian worldview,
“To the Greeks humans were godlike in their unlimited potential for greatness. Indeed, tragedy was devised to remind the Greeks that they were only godlike and not gods themselves,”
(Greenwald 110). Greek tragedians used theatre as a forum to educate the masses about the Siart 5 dangers of hubris, or excessive pride by depicting heroic figures that were highly respectable but suffered a major downfall because of their fatal flaw (Greenwald 51).
Moreover, theatre became a space for intellectual exercise. Playwrights’ works were informed by political debates, which were an integral part of Greek culture during this time,
“Greek dramas, which may have begun as religious affairs, became political events that promoted the general good. Predictably, they are filled with debates such as those between
Oedipus and Teiresias or Lysistrata and the Athenian commissioner.” (Greenwald 111). Though entertaining, the primary function of theatre in Ancient Greece was to serve as an educational force within society.
Theatre continued to be a powerful teaching tool in Medieval Europe. During a time when the Bible was exclusively printed in Latin, only clergymen—as the only educated individuals—could read the stories and teachings contained within the Bible. As a result, theatre became a useful and practical way in which Christianity could be communicated to the uneducated masses. In his book, Theatre History Explained, Neil Fraser traces the progress of theatre’s educational nature within Medieval Europe, “The development of religious drama followed this trend, the stories of the Bible moving from the voices of the clerics to the voices of the people in a quite logical, but nonetheless extraordinary way and making, as they did so, a journey from a medium of clerically spoken Latin to one of performance acted out in the common speech of the day,” (Fraser 33).
Theatrical practices in Medieval Europe began with tropes, which were short passages from the Bible presented in Latin set to music and were performed within the church (Greenwald
410-11). Eventually, vernacular plays (so named because they were performed in the vernacular of the day) developed and were presented outside the church in public locations such as open Siart 6 fields or town squares. These dramas portrayed the biblical cycle from Creation until the Day of
Judgment and, as a result became referred to as the Corpus Christi cycles because they were performed with the Feast of Corpus Christi (Greenwald 411).
Other, secular, forms of theatre were formed during this time period in order to teach the morals of Christianity. Though these plays had an overtly religious motive, they were considered secular because they were not literally passages from the Bible as the other religious dramas had been, “In addition to the biblical epics, anonymous Christian dramatists also portrayed the dilemmas of ordinary men and women tempted by the world, the flesh, and, of course, the devil.
These allegorical works, called morality plays, instructed the faithful in correct behavior,”
(Greenwald 411). The lessons of the morality plays and religious dramas were communicated through an easy to understand and entertaining vehicle. Theatre was purposefully, and very successfully, used as an educational tool in Medieval Europe.
The Renaissance witnessed a movement away from religious theatre and more towards secular works. First and foremost the Renaissance is characterized by a revival of the classics,
“Throughout Europe, and in Italy in particular, a reinterpretation of all things classical took serious hold, and began to influence fine art, literature and drama; the interest in the classical was the spur for what we call the Renaissance,” (Fraser 47). Though theatre was no longer being used to teach religious values and ideas, theatre was still serving as an intellectual and educational space. As Greek texts were being rediscovered and studied, scholars and artists were implementing what they learned through the plays of Ancient Greece into the theatre of the day
(Fraser 47-8). Theatre served as an educational tool in a variety of ways during the Renaissance: as a medium for study and revival of the classics, as a space for new innovation and discovery, and as a tool for communicating social norms and beliefs. Siart 7
Though theatre has grown and changed greatly throughout its history, it has continued to play an important educational role within society. As a means of communication and a tool for teaching social, political, and religious ideology, theatre has not only reflected but also helped shaped cultural change. Neil Fraser writes about the emergence of contemporary theatre explaining, “The twentieth century […] saw an enormous diversification of human activity.
Political, social, sexual and artistic barriers were questioned, and many broken down. Science moved forward at an ever-increasing pace, and the arts reacted accordingly,” (Fraser 185). As culture became increasingly complicated and technology made information and communication more accessible, many social movements and revolutions, such as the civil rights movement, the feminist movement, and—more recently—the advocating of gay rights—arose that used theatre to teach their ideas to other members of society.
After examining theatre’s historical role as a teaching tool, the present need for theatre in the classroom may now be more effectively evaluated. Just as Aristotle observed the natural tendency of humans to imitate the world around them in order to learn and grow, Lev
Semenovich Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist, has also noted the importance of environment and interaction on childhood development. In their book, Vygotsky’s Legacy, Margaret E.
Gredler and Carolyn Claytor Shields explain that, according to Vygotsky’s theory, “the child’s environment is not restricted to physical features. Instead, the environment is social and is characterized by a variety of social interactions,” (Gredler 155). The child’s potential for development is partially dictated by his or her environment. However, children may only benefit from the developmental possibilities of their environment through direct interactions. Social interactions allow children to observe and later mimic the behaviors they see, “This view explains the central role of adults, or ‘ideal forms,’ who interact with the child’s more Siart 8 rudimentary behavior […]. This interaction with adults is critical because the child learns to master her own processes of behavior ‘from the example of how an adult masters it’,” (Gredler
155). To encourage this learning through interaction, Vygotsky advocated controlled and moderated play that uses these interactions to foster development. The type of play to which
Vygotsky refers is not the frivolous, past time sort of play which is typically considered better suited for the playground than the classroom. Vygotsky’s play requires social interaction and role-playing that allow children to develop through experience. According to Vygostky, play allows children to develop “tools of the mind” or higher cognitive abilities that laid the foundation for future learning. According to the article “Tools of the Mind: Philosophy” by the
Metropolitan State College of Denver, “He [Vygotsky] believed that just as physical tools extend our physical abilities, mental tools extend our mental abilities to enable us to solve problems and create solutions in the modern world,” (Tools of the Mind: Philosophy 1).
Though Vygotsky developed his theories about the importance of play in the early twentieth century, his ideas have been gaining more importance recently as education systems have moved away from play based learning and have witnessed negative effects as a result of this shift. According to the Alliance for Childhood article, Crisis in the Kindergarten by Edward
Miller and Joan Almon, early childhood and elementary education has become unilaterally focused on education for the purpose of meeting standardized testing requirements. As a result, play has been removed from the classroom and the children’s development has suffered. Miller and Almon write, “The importance of play to young children’s healthy development and learning has been documented beyond question by research. Yet play is rapidly disappearing from kindergarten and early education as a whole,” (Miller 1). Miller and Almon continue to explain that students raised through a play-free educational system suffer from stunted learning Siart 9 development, increased aggression and even “high rates of psychiatric disturbances” (Miller 3).
Clearly, play is an essential element within education and, “the stifling of play has dire consequences—not only for children but for the future of our nation,” (Miller 1). A strong, early- childhood education is of utmost importance for continued learning into adulthood and, therefore, for the overall well-being of the economy and national productivity.
Despite play’s obvious importance in the classroom, educators must understand how to properly implement it in order to be truly effective. Using the arts in education is particularly successful because art facilitates creativity and play. In the formerly mentioned, Arts and
Learning: An Integrated Approach to Teaching and Learning in Multicultural and Multilingual
Settings, Merryl Goldberg describes the crucial integration of arts not just within educational curriculum in general, but as an integral part of the teaching methodology for every subject,
[T]he traditional model does not take into account the full potential of the arts in relation to knowledge and intellectual development. Taught as a subject unto itself, the arts reveal many aspects of human nature and give students multiple outlets to express their innermost thoughts. Keeping the arts separate from other subjects, however, severely limits their potential as a methodology for teaching and learning in general. As taught in traditional settings, the arts allow students to travel to places of mystery, dreams, adventure. Left separate from the sciences, math, social studies, or language arts, the arts are limited in their potential and practical use in the classroom. (Goldberg 5).
All art forms foster creativity, but theatre especially facilitates the collaboration and social interaction that Vygotsky advocates as essential to childhood development. In his book, Free
Play: Improvisation in Life and Art, Stephen Nachmanovitch advocates the importance of collaborative play when he writes, “There is no one idea of creativity that can describe it all.
Therefore, in collaborating with others we round up, as in any relationship, an enlarged self, a more versatile creativity,” (Nachmanovitch 95).
The unfortunate lack of collaborative play in education has resulted in children’s inability to participate in and understand play. Researchers Sarah Smilansky and Leah Shefatya describe Siart 10 in their book, Facilitating Play: A Medium for Promoting Cognitive, Socio-Emotional and
Academic Development in Young Children, their process of investigating play in Israeli pre- school aged children, “We began to be interested in this form of play when we realized that entire groups of children either did not develop this type of play behavior [Sociodramatic play] or did so in a most limited way,” (Smilansky xi). Smilansky and Shefatya begin their research by describing the different types of play that children experience throughout their development: functional play (experiential play that exercises their muscular and sense memory), constructive play (sensory-motor activity with a preconceived play that results in creation), games with rules
(table games and physical games), and, finally, dramatic play (Smilansky 1-3). Smilansky and
Shefatya write of dramatic play, “Dramatic or symbolic play allows the child to experience human relationships actively by means of symbolic representation. Sociodramatic play, allows the child to be an actor, observer and interactor simultaneously, using his abilities in a common enterprise with other children,” (Smilansky 3). Dramatic and sociodramatic play are essential to intellectual and social development for children. Smilansky and Shefatya argue that sociodramatic play is particularly important explaining, “It is social interaction which makes the difference; it facilitates exchanges of ideas and collective elaboration of the play theme in flexible, open-ended ways,” (Smilansky 21). Authors Miller and Almon of Crisis in the
Kindergarten also support the relevance of socio-dramatic play, writing, “Research shows that children who engage in complex forms of socio-dramatic play have greater language skills than nonplayers, better social skills, more empathy, more imagination, and more of the subtle capacity to know what others mean. They are less aggressive and show more self-control and higher levels of thinking,” (Miller 2). For this reason, not only is play itself essential, but dramatic, performance play based on interaction and creative imagination is truly crucial within early Siart 11 childhood classrooms. Therefore, the use of theatre in early childhood and elementary education is necessary.
The beneficial effect of using theatre as a teaching tool is the basis of the educational reform called TIE (Theatre In Education) that exists in Britain and Wales. In his book
Contemporary Theatre in Education, Roger Wooster explains that drama is seen as incredibly useful because of its ability to be applied across all curriculum and to develop speech, movement and confidence skills in every child in order to help them reach their full potential (Wooster 6).
Furthermore, Wooster explains, “By 1950 ‘improvisation’ was acknowledged as a useful tool in drama and there was ‘the first consideration of the special role of the teacher as an encourager’, a person who is ‘a provider of ideas and stimulus rather than pedant or authority’,” (Wooster 7).
This understanding of drama as a cultivator of ideas and creativity was the driving force behind both DIE (Drama In Education) and TIE, which were established in Britain and Wales in the
1960s (Wooster 6).
While the value of drama has been widely observed, the actual implementation of theatre in education varies widely. In her article, “Drama and Education: Subject or System?”, Dorothy
Heathcote writes “Drama in education can be sub-divided ad infinitum depending upon how many persons happen to be discussing it at any one moment and what interests they profess to.
The terms are only too familiar—the precise meanings too vague. I refer to divisions such as improvisation, role-playing, dance-drama, socio-drama and so on,” (Heathcote 42). Many different forms of theatre may be used within education. However, what is important is that some mode of dramatic enrichment is integrated into education curriculum at all levels of education.
This is the very logic that lead the educational organization, STEM (Science Technology
Engineering and Mathematics), to incorporate a fifth element—art—and change their name to Siart 12
STEAM. In her article, What is the point of STE@M? - A Brief Overview, Georgette Yakman of
STEAM explains the recent inclusion of art to the “hard sciences club”, “the arts contain all of the divisions that interact with the pure possibilities of the other fields to shape the direction of development,” (Yakman 5). The inclusion of the arts, especially theatre, into all aspects of education has become increasingly more important to fostering creativity and more analytical learning.
Though the effect of a lack of play and arts based learning on early childhood development is well noted, it is also important to examine the effects of an absence of theatre based education in adulthood. First, the scarcity of dramatic arts in secondary education and adulthood learning is detrimental to the exercising of creative skills. This lack of creativity causes harm to intellectual development and ultimately puts young adults at a disadvantage for competing in an ever-changing economy. According to Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New
Mind, “people have to be able to do something that can’t be outsourced, something that’s hard to automate and that delivers on the growing demand for nonmaterial things like stories and design.
Typically these are things we associate with the right side of the brain, with artistic and empathetic and playful sorts of abilities,” (Miller 4). Creativity tends to remain absent in adults who never exercised their imaginative abilities in childhood. Miller and Almon admonish, “No human being can achieve his full potential if his creativity is stunted in childhood. And no nation can thrive in the 21st century without a highly creative and innovative workforce,” (Miller 2).
However, imagination and creative play tends to become more difficult to foster in adulthood as author Stephen Nachmanovitch explains, “The adventures, difficulties, and even suffering inherent in growing up can serve to develop or educe our original voice, but more often bury it,”
(Nachmanovitch 116). This development in adulthood, however, is essential to recreate—despite Siart 13 developmental obstacles that may have occurred in childhood. The major question raised, therefore, is how theatre based education may be incorporated into secondary education and adult learning so as to increase creativity and innovation.
Fortunately, theatre has proven a useful tool in encouraging creativity in adult education.
Howard Gardener, author of Multiple Intelligences, explains, “With the hegemony of high-stakes testing in the first decade of the twenty-first century, quality arts education seems under siege in all but the most well- resourced public schools,” (Gardner 147). For this reason, Gardner introduces the idea of Arts PROPEL, which outlines curriculum and assessment for arts education at a high school level (Gardner 148). According to Gardner, history has proven two different methods of training human intelligence: first, through demonstration, observation and participation, and second, through formal scholastic settings and formats that include lectures, readings and memorization (Gardner 151). Though today’s education system clearly prefers and utilizes the scholastic approach, Gardner advocates a return to student participation, “According to my analysis, the scholastic approach has come to dominate our thinking about learning and to exercise a near stranglehold on school activities. Yet people can also train intelligences— including a much wider band of their intelligences—through informal or nonscholastic regimens,” (Gardner 151). Through the use of artistic pursuits, students may use many different forms of intelligence at once and therefore expand their learning capabilities more fully in one activity. For example, through performance, a student may use her analytical skills in building character, problem solving skills in directing, mathematical skills in building a set model, and research skills in defining the context of the performance. Active participation in theatre will foster creativity and intellectual stimulation in secondary and adult learners. Siart 14
Author of Learning Through Theatre, Tony Jackson, explains specifically how theatre has been used to teach a variety of subject matter to learners of all ages. Jackson writes,
A class of secondary school pupils is watching a play about HIV and AIDS; a group of young parents is using Forum Theatre techniques to explore problems relating to parenthood; and a cast of elderly people is performing a play about keeping warm in winter. These three different experiences, for three different audiences, have one thing in common; they all use theatre as a medium for learning about health. (Jackson 227)
Each of these different groups benefit from the educational value of theatre. They are all learning about and exploring important topics through a combination of observation of and participation in the theatre. Furthermore, the cast of elderly individuals performing a play about keeping warm in the winter demonstrates that one is never too old to learn through performance.
Interestingly, Jackson explains how these performances are used both to impart factual knowledge on the audiences and participants, and also to encourage critical thinking and analysis of the issues being presented. For example, Jackson writes that Inner Circle, the play about HIV and AIDS presented to secondary schools, tells the story of four high school students. One of the students, Mark, becomes infected with HIV and develops AIDS. According to Jackson, “The play incorporates information about HIV and AIDS and includes facts about prevention. The follow-up workshop brings the three friends back together and through hot-seating encourages the students to examine how the characters have come to terms with Mark’s death,” (Jackson
231). The emotional context of the play enriches the learning experience in a way that a standard lecture about health and safety cannot accomplish.
Though the students watching Inner Circle learned through observation of theatre, the parents and elderly cast both learned from participation in theatre. First, Jackson describes how the parents developed new parenting strategies and solutions through their workshop based on
Augusto Boal’s Image Theatre: Siart 15
The participants produced a still image (or tableau) based on their perceptions of one of the worst aspects of being a parent. They were then asked to produce a second image which showed an ideal way of solving the problem. A third transitional image illustrated the way in which the parents could move from the ‘worst’ to the ‘ideal’ image. This still image work provided an accessible and economic form for expressing ideas and acted as a stimulus for discussion about different parenting strategies. (Jackson 230).
In this example, the parents themselves created the theatre and learned through their active participation in the performance. Not only did their participation solve real problems, it also served as a therapeutic release for their stress and worries.
Similarly, Keep Warm, Keep Well, and improvised performance by pensioners performed in conjunction with Age Exchange—a theatre company and publisher that works to improve the quality of life for elderly people—was devised to help elderly people explore the importance of staying warm and the dangers of hypothermia (Jackson 232). According to Jackson, “The short play, which toured to groups of older people, was followed by a discussion, led by the actors out of role, in which the issues raised in the play, including the status of old people in society, levels of benefits and the reluctance which many old people have in claiming benefits, were explored,”
(Jackson 234). For both the parents and the elderly people, theatre provided a forum through which they could discuss, explore, and solve real issues that were important to them. The performances also provided them with new information and allowed them to learn about their health and well being.
Theatre’s historic use as a teaching tool has proven its relevance in modern education systems. Unfortunately, however, the focus on testing and scholastic learning has largely removed theatre from the classroom—to the detriment of the students and society. As a result, learning development is stifled and creativity is scarce among both children and adults. In order to resolve this issue, theatre must be reintroduced to learning from early childhood education through to adult learners. Theatre does not become irrelevant at any age, even for the elderly. Siart 16
Through a combination of observation and participation in theatre, students may greatly enrich their learning experience and their intellectual development. Siart 17
Works Cited
Fraser, Neil. Theatre History Explained. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire: Crowood, 2004.
Print.
Gardner, Howard. Multiple Intelligences: New Horizons. New York: Basic, 2006. Print.
Goldberg, Merryl Ruth. Arts and Learning: An Integrated Approach to Teaching and
Learning in Multicultural and Multilingual Settings. White Plains, NY: Longman, 1997.
Print.
Gredler, Margaret E., and Carolyn Claytor. Shields. Vygotsky's Legacy: A Foundation for
Research and Practice. New York: Guilford, 2008. Print.
Greenwald, Michael L. The Longman Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Drama: A
Global Perspective. New York: Pearson Longman, 2004. Print.
Heathcote, Dorothy. "Drama and Education: Subject or System?" Drama and Theatre in
Education;. By Nigel Dodd and Winifred Hickson. London: Heinemann, 1971. 42-72.
Print.
Hulbert, Ann. "Drawing Lessons." The New York Times. The New York Times, 27 Apr. 2008.
Web. 17 Mar. 2012. t.html>. Jackson, Tony. Learning through Theatre: New Perspectives on Theatre in Education. 2nd ed. London ; New York: Routledge, 1993. Print. Miller, Edward, and Joan Almon. Crisis in the Kindergarten: Why Children Need to Play in School. Publication. College Park: Alliance for Childhood, 2009. Print. Nachmanovitch, Stephen. Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1990. Print. Siart 18 Smilansky, Sara, and Leah Shefatya. Facilitating Play: A Medium for Promoting Cognitive, Socio-emotional, and Academic Development in Young Children. Gaithersburg, MD: Psychological & Educational Publications, 1990. Print. "Tools of the Mind: Philosophy." Academic Affairs: Extended Campus. Metropolitan State College of Denver. Web. 28 Feb. 2012. Wooster, Roger. Contemporary Theatre in Education. Bristol, UK: Intellect, 2007. Print. Yakman, Georgette. What Is the Point of STE@M? - A Brief Overview. Rep. STE@M, 2010. Print. Siart 19 Theatre as a teaching tool—Practical Component Advisor: Javier Rivera Kelley Siart 2 April 2012 Siart 20 Introduction As part of my Honors Capstone, I have been investigating theatre’s use as a teaching tool. This process has included heavy research on the validity of theatre’s presence in the classroom as well as implementing performance practices in an actual workshop based on my research. In my third and final component of my capstone, I aim to plan how I may contribute to both theatre and education in my future beyond graduation. Having spent the past four years studying theatre performance at American University, I plan to use this next phase of my life to gain education experience with the hope that I may better fuse these two studies later on in my career. Therefore, I have investigated and applied to several post-undergraduate teaching programs and researched multiple graduate programs that I will consider applying to in the future. I hope that the research I present here may also serve as a guide to future students who share my interests both in theatre and in education. Siart 21 Teaching Programs Teach For America Of course, the first organization to be put on my list was Teach For America. With their undeniable reputation for working to close the achievement gap in education and their well-known connections with graduate schools, it would be impossible for me to ignore Teach For America. Therefore, TFA was the first organization I researched and applied to. Below are some facts about TFA and their application process. Mission: Teach For America seeks “to provide an excellent education for kids in low- income communities”. What they do: TFA places corps members in high needs schools across the country. TFA members attend an intensive summer training program located in their region before beginning teaching in the fall. While teaching, corps members are provided with support through TFA. TFA is a two-year commitment and has the option of leading to teacher certification for an additional tuition cost that varies by region. Who they look for: TFA accepts applicants from all backgrounds and disciplines. You may be a recent college graduate or a professional who has been working for several years, but as long as you have demonstrated leadership and a commitment to helping TFA achieve its mission, you are a strong candidate. TFA is a famously selective program, however, accepting only about 11% of applicants. Where they work: TFA has locations all over the country, therefore you may participate in TFA in many different communities from extremely rural to extremely urban. Deadlines: TFA has five application deadlines. This year these deadlines were: August 19th, September 16th, October 26th, January 6th, and February 10th. The different deadlines each Siart 22 have different timelines for interviews and other application materials. Though you are equally likely to be accepted whether you apply by the first deadline or the last, you have the advantage of planning for housing early if you apply to one of the first few deadlines. Process: Teach For America is very strict about the confidentiality. Therefore, I may not share any more about the application process than is listed online. The application includes a 500-word essay and an online application form to be filled out. A few weeks after submitting the application, you will be notified if you have been selected for a phone interview. There is another elimination following the phone interview. If you are selected for a final interview, you must make arrangements to meet at one of their onsite locations. There are many locations available, however, so you will most likely be able to find a site that is a convenient commute. Before the final interview, you must fill out transcript information, obtain two recommendations, and submit your regional and subject preferences. After the final interview—which includes a sample lesson plan and personal interviews—you will be notified if you have been selected and where you have been placed. Additional Benefits: As a TFA corps member, you will make a standard teacher salary with benefits. You may also have a portion of your loans forgiven and apply for transitional funding to aid with any moving costs associated with joining the program. General Notes: TFA’s online application portal makes the process extremely easy. They are also incredibly punctual with their notifications, which was really nice. Everyone I spoke with from TFA was very helpful and friendly. The interviews were not only not stressful, but actually fun. (All information presented here was taken from my own personal experience and teachforamerica.org) Siart 23 The New Teacher Project The next four teaching programs I applied to are all encapsulated under the umbrella of The New Teacher Project (TNTP). Like TFA, TNTP is a non-profit organization that hopes to provide quality education to all students regardless of income. The main difference between TNTP and TFA is that TFA is a short-term, two-year commitment whereas TNTP seeks to recruit and train teachers who will hold long-term positions in high needs schools. TNTP does this through their academy that trains teachers who demonstrate the potential to be effective educators. The TNTP academy trains teachers in many different cities across the country through various fellowship programs within cities. Though similar and all associated with TNTP, these fellowships each have slight variations and separation application processes. DC Teaching Fellows, TEAChNola, Philadelphia Teaching Fellows, Arizona Teaching Fellows Having studied in DC for the past four years, established relationships here and become very familiar with the city, staying in DC is extremely appealing. Therefore, DC Teaching Fellows was the second program I applied to after TFA. I did, however, also consider and apply for teaching fellowships in other cities that I found appealing. For years, my family and I have been travelling to New Orleans for vacation (we own a time share there) and I have fallen in love with that city. Though beautiful, New Orleans is an undeniably troubled city and I felt compelled to aid this gorgeous corner of the United States by helping to improve the education system. Arizona is my home—I was born and raised in Phoenix and had never lived anywhere else until coming to college, so returning to the sunshine and warmth of my home was quite a tempting option. Philadelphia is a city Siart 24 that I have casually visited but very much enjoyed and had an interest in becoming more familiar with. Because their processes are all comparable, I will describe them together as one and make special notation of significant differences. Mission: As part of TNTP, DC Teaching fellows, TEACH NOLA, Philadelphia Teaching Fellows and Arizona Teaching Fellows all aim to train highly effective new teachers to serve high needs schools in the public school system. What they do: The Teaching Fellows programs select individuals who demonstrate essential skills necessary for teaching and place them in summer training. After successfully completing summer training, fellows are then aided by the fellowship programs in finding teaching positions within the public school system. After securing a teaching position, fellows enroll in the TNTP Academy and attend classes while teaching. At the end of their first year, fellows are then evaluated by the public schools and must receive a rating of effective or highly effective in order to receive certification. If rated as minimally effective, fellows have one more years to achieve a rating of effective or highly effective before being terminated from the program. Who they look for: The fellowship programs specifically look for candidates who have no training in teaching or education. You may not have a degree or minor in education, have completed a teaching certification program, or worked as a full time educator in order to apply to a fellowship program. This is notably different from TFA, who will accept education majors or former teachers into their program. In selecting candidates, each of the fellowship programs look for these essential traits: Siart 25 *The belief that you can become an excellent teacher and lead high-need students to high levels of academic achievement, including students with disabilities and those who are performing below grade level *The demonstrated ability to incorporate feedback to rapidly improve *The ability to think critically, make sound judgments, and generate multiple solutions to challenges *Exemplary professionalism, including reliability in meeting commitments and deadlines, professional oral and written communication skills, and professional interactions with others. From: http://dcteachingfellows.ttrack.org/ *Though this information has been taken from the DC Teaching Fellow site, each of the fellowship programs emphasize the importance of these traits on their website. Additionally, the fellowship programs hope to cultivate these “fast start skills” during the summer pre-service training programs: *Clearly communicating academic content *Ensuring that class time is used well *Ensuring full and purposeful student engagement at all times during a lesson *Ensuring that student behavior is positive, respectful, and productive Siart 26 From: http://dcteachingfellows.ttrack.org/ *Though this information has been taken from the DC Teaching Fellow site, each of the fellowship programs emphasize the importance of these traits on their website. Where they work: Unlike TFA, each of these programs are specific to their individual cities. Though I only applied to four of the available programs, there are many more cities that have teaching fellowship programs. I found each of these programs through a simple search for “teaching fellowships in ______”. Other locations I found with teaching fellowships include New York, North Carolina, and Atlanta. Process: In order to apply to any of the teaching fellowship programs, you must create an account through TeacherTrack. Though each of the fellowships use TeacherTrack, you must create a separate account (you may use the same username and password for each) and fill out separate applications for each program you apply to. There is an online application form that must be submitted as well as three 200-400 word essay responses to questions provided. Some of the fellowship programs, though not all, required application fees (each were around $25-$35). I submitted application fees for DC Teaching Fellows and TEACHNola. After submitting your application, you will be notified within two weeks (though I was notified within just 2 or 3 days) if you have been selected for a phone interview. However, not all of the fellowship programs require phone interviews. I had phone interviews for Philadelphia Teaching Fellows, TEACHNola, and DC Teaching Fellows, but not Arizona Teaching Fellows. You may sign up for your 30 minute phone interview time slot through your TeacherTrack account. After the phone interview, you will be notified if selected for a final interview. The final interviews (like TFA) are all day, onsite interviews. You are required to attend the interview in person and must therefore make travel arrangements if interviewing in a city outside of the one you currently live Siart 27 in. Like TFA, the final interviews consist of info sessions, teaching samples, and personal interviews. Unlike TFA, the teaching fellows programs will give you feedback after your initial 5-minute teaching sample and allow you time to re-plan the lesson and teach it again. After the final interview, you will be notified within two to three weeks of your admission status through the TeacherTrack account. Benefits and Disadvantages: The fellowship programs do not provide housing or payment during the summer pre-service training. Therefore, it is the fellows’ responsibility to financially plan for moving and living expenses during the summer. Some (but not all) of the fellowship programs provide a $2000 stipend for the summer, however, this payment is received with the first paycheck in October (TEACHNola offers the summer stipend and DC Teaching Fellows just recently began offering the stipend as well). Additionally, fellows must pay $150 for materials (though if an application fee was required, this fee counts towards the $150 materials fee) and tuition to the TNTP Academy. Tuition for the TNTP Academy varies by city (for example, the tuition is $4,200 in DC and $4000 in New Orleans) but is usually around $4000. This tuition fee may be paid all at once or over the course of the first year of teaching through an installment payment plan. Additionally, the fellowship programs do not assist with loan payment, although loan forgiveness is available to teachers who teach in high needs schools for five or more years. The amount of loans forgiven varies by subject and may be up to $17,500. However, there are some eligibility requirements. For more information about loan forgiveness or cancellation, go to studentaid.ed.gov. Furthermore, you must take and pass the Praxis I and II examines required for your subject (requirements vary by state). The Praxis I may be substituted by sufficient ACT, SAT, and/or GRE scores. Both the Praxis I and Praxis II must be completed before June 1st. Note that some subject areas require multiple Praxis II exams, which means you Siart 28 must plan your testing dates in advance. Additionally, testing registration fees must be paid. Fees for the Praxis I are either $50 for the paper delivered test or $130 for the computer test and about $80 for paper delivered Praxis II tests or about $110-$150 for computer delivered Praxis II tests, however, prices vary by test (http://www.ets.org/praxis/about/fees). The advantages of the fellowship programs are that fellows receive full teacher salaries and benefits and receive official teaching certification at the end of the program. As opposed to TFA, the fellowship programs are better suited for individuals who intend to make teaching their career rather than a short-term occupation. General Notes: Like TFA, everyone I interacted with from the fellowship programs was very friendly and helpful. The TeacherTrack system is extremely efficient and easy to use. Additionally, each of the fellowship programs works quickly to notify you of interview dates and/or admissions. Any questions I sent to the various programs through TeacherTrack were answered within a 24-hour period. (All information presented here was taken from my own personal experience, http://dcteachingfellows.ttrack.org/, http://philadelphiateachingfellows.ttrack.org/, http://teachnola.ttrack.org/, http://arizonateachingfellows.ttrack.org/, http://tntp.org/, and http://www.ets.org/praxis) City Year—DC The sixth and final program I will discuss is City Year. Like Teach For America, City Year is an organization that attracts recent college graduates who are uncertain about their next steps and are looking for a way to contribute to the education system in the United States. Though City Year serves many communities (23 different locations) across the country (and Siart 29 even abroad), applicants apply to one specific location they would like to work in. Since my hope was to stay in DC after graduation, I chose to apply to City Year—DC. Mission: To provide academic support, positive encouragement, and improve attendance ratings that will ultimately lower the number of students who drop out of school before their high school graduation. What they do: City Year recruits corps members who will serve as tutors in elementary, middle, or high school settings. City Year corps members are assigned a team of students to be tutored regularly. Who they look for: To apply to City Year, you must have your high school diploma or a GED and have a college degree or have attended some college. You will be required to have a background security check and must be able to make at least a 10-month commitment. Where they work: City Year has 23 locations across the country and abroad. The majority of locations are in the Northeastern region of the US, however, there are also opportunities in Washington state, California, Texas, and other areas in the Midwest and Southeast. Process: To apply for City Year, you must fill out an online application that includes two 300- word response questions. You must also obtain two recommendations. Like TFA, City Year accepts applications at multiple deadlines, the last of which is April 30th. Benefits and Disadvantages: As part of AmeriCorps, City Year provides a number of benefits. Though you will not be earning an actual salary, you are provided with a stipend (which varies depending on location), $5500 in higher education funding, federal student loan deferment, health insurance, childcare, uniform, and cell phone service provided by Samsung with T-Mobile Siart 30 service (https://www.cityyear.org/benefits.aspx). The main disadvantages are that you do not have a salary and will not hold an actual teaching position or receive teacher certification. General Notes: City Year’s application process is extremely easy. I had some trouble with the portal (one of my recommenders was not sent the information necessary to complete her online recommendation and I had to contact the City Year office for assistance) but, generally, my experience was a positive one. My main reservation about City Year is that I would like to gain real teaching experience and obtain a teaching license, which I cannot do through City Year. (All information presented here was taken from my personal experiences and https://www.cityyear.org/default_ektid22283.aspx) Conclusions After applying to each of these programs, I was invited to final interviews for each of the fellowship programs and Teach For America. As of right now, I have not heard back from City Year since I applied for the April 30th deadline. I have been accepted into the DC Teaching Fellows Program and, though I completed the TFA final interview, will not know my admission status until April 12th. However, considering my desire to teach as my career and obtain a license as well as stay in the DC area, I have already decided to accept the DC Teaching Fellows position and will enter their summer pre-service training this coming June. Siart 31 Graduate Schools I am not planning on attending graduate school several more years, however, I thought it would be relevant to begin planning which programs I might be interested in applying to in the future. The following is a tentative list of graduate programs I am considering given my interest in education. (Personal preferences, such as where I would like to live and my desire to attend schools I am familiar with as well as my financial abilities, have also affected the schools chosen for this list). American University Since AU is the university from which I will receive my bachelor’s degree, I am already very familiar with the school and the surrounding city. I know that I like both American University and Washington D.C. and have had positive experiences here during my four years in undergrad. Therefore, I am confident that I will have the same great experience in a masters program at AU. Degree: The degree I would seek at American University would be a Master of the Arts in Special Education. I am interested in special education because I will be teaching elementary special education next year through DCTF. Throughout the application and admission process for DCTF, I became familiar with the high need for teachers with training in special education and therefore wish to continue learning about this subject. Admission Requirements: In order to be admitted to the program, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, a minimum of a 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale), and sufficient GRE scores as well as passing (as specified by the District of Columbia) Praxis I scores. If applying online, applicants must pay a $50 dollar fee as opposed to the $80 Siart 32 paper application fee. Students are also required to submit two letters of recommendation, a resume, and a statement of purpose. Deadlines: Students are accepted on a rolling basis, but to be considered for merit scholarship awards students must apply before February 1st. Degree Requirements: The degree requires 36 hours of coursework (though some of this course- work may be waived if applicable), a comprehensive examination, and completion of the Praxis II exam. (Information from http://www.american.edu/cas/admissions/apply.cfm) George Washington University George Washington University is also an appealing option because it is located in the heart of DC and offers a number of masters degree programs in education. Degree: The degree I would seek at George Washington University would be a Master of Arts in Education and Human Development in Early Childhood Special Education. Admission Requirements: Applicants must submit transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, GRE scores, a resume, a statement of purpose, and two recommendations. Deadlines: Students must submit applications before April 1st for fall admission (January 15th to be considered for merit scholarship awards), October 1st for spring admission and March 1st for summer admission. Program Details: I had difficulty finding the exact information about degree requirements for this program, however, I was able to find a detailed description of the program’s purpose. Siart 33 Students studying Early Childhood Special Education at GWU will learn how to work with children both children who are typically developing and those with disabilities as well as their families. Students may concentrate their studies on infants, children from birth to age 3, children from 3-5, or kindergarten through third grade. (Information from: http://www.gwu.edu/learn/graduateprofessional/findagraduateprogram/fulllistofprograms/early childhoodspecialeducation?searched=yes) Boston University Though I am remise to leave DC—especially for the bitter cold of Boston—Boston University has a number of excellent masters education programs. Degree: BU offers a Master of Arts in Education with various different specialties. I would plan on concentrating on special education. Admission Requirements: Applicants are required to submit an application form, a $70 application fee, two letters of recommendation, transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, GRE or MAT scores, a resume or CV, a statement of qualifications and objectives, supplemental essays for scholarship consideration, and an optional essay (if desired). Deadlines: Applications are due January 15th for fall admission and September 15th for spring admission. Program Details: Over two semesters of full-time study students will complete 36 credit hours of course-work. Students may choose a specialization within the program. Specializations include: students with moderate disabilities (pre-K-Grade 8 or pre-K-Grade 8 combined with Siart 34 elementary educations Grades 1-6), students with moderate disabilities (Grades 5-12), students with severe disabilities (ages 3-12), special education teaching licensure and social work, special education administration, disability studies, and disability studies and social work. (Information from http://www.bu.edu/sed/academics/graduate/edm/specialed/) Harvard University Harvard University if of particular interest because it offers a program that specializes in the study of arts in education. Degree: Master of Education: Arts in Education Admission Requirements: Applicants must submit an $85 application fee, resume, three letters of recommendation, official transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended, GRE scores, and a statement of purpose. Deadlines: Applications must be submitted by January 4th. Program Details: Students studying Arts In Education explore both the use of arts within education settings and the actual implementation of arts education. According to Harvard’s website, “Recent graduates of our program have gone on to careers in: museum education, community-based arts education and administration, research into and assessment of exemplary arts curricula, and projects in arts-based school reform. Non-arts teachers have returned to their classrooms with new ideas for incorporating the arts into education. Veteran arts educators have enriched their practice or found new directions for their work including doctoral level study and the creation of arts programs for youth who have been placed at risk.” (Information from http://www.gse.harvard.edu/academics/masters/aie/index.html) U Penn Siart 35 U Penn also has a well know Graduate School of Education. Penn’s graduate studies in education focus more on the research of education and policy. Though teaching is currently my primary focus, I would consider studying education policy and practices after more experience in the field. Therefore, I have done some research on U Penn’s graduate programs as future possibilities. Degree: Education, Culture, and Society, Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) Admission Requirements: Complete the application form, write a statement of purpose, submit resume, three recommendations, GRE scores, official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, and request and alumni interview (optional). Program Details: This program focuses mostly on the theory of education as a social institution and how is affects and is affected by culture in the contemporary world. Students may choose their concentration within the program and their focus for their master’s research paper. Degree Requirements: Students are required to complete 10 course unites as well as a master’s research paper in order to graduate from the program. (Information from http://www.gse.upenn.edu/node/1043) Sample Statement of Purpose: Because all of the graduate programs require a statement of purpose with the application, I have written a sample statement of purpose. Of course, by the time I actually apply to graduate school I will have had more experience and will therefore most likely write a different statement of purpose. However, I felt it was relevant for the purposes of this component of my capstone to provide a tentative statement of purpose: My undergraduate education has been completely invaluable to me. Not only have I received an excellent education, I have also gained essential life skills and grown as a person. I Siart 36 consider myself very fortunate to have had such a great educational experience. Indeed, one of the most powerful lessons I have learned in college is the value of education itself. Education is at the core of all social problems and solutions. Poverty, race relations, human development, and gender division (among other issues) are all inherently linked to education. This realization has instilled in me a passionate desire to influence our nation’s education system. Furthermore, I have gained a love for teaching through my experiences as an original oratory instructor over the summers and as a volunteer English teacher while studying abroad in Costa Rica my senior year of college. I believe that education is the most immediate way in which one may affect change on society. Teaching has a very notable and direct impact on students and for this reason I hope to continue my career in teaching. I am specifically interested in studying education for students with special needs. I believe understanding and improving special education is essential to bettering the overall education system in the United States. If education is truly to live up to its title as “the great equalizer”, education systems must be prepared to meet the needs of all students. For this reason, I find studying special education particularly relevant. I am also interested in further researching the use of the arts in education and the benefits that may be gained from arts integration in curriculum. As a graduate student studying education, I aim to better understand educating theory, teaching practices, and the relationship between education and culture. Through my studies, I will be better prepared for my career as a teacher and education leader. Conclusion: I purposefully chose to spend time working after graduation as opposed to immediately attending graduate school because I am still uncertain about my career path and what sort of program I hope to enter. That being said, I have researched graduate programs based Siart 37 on what I believe I want to study (as of right now) but am still not completely certain. Therefore, it is very likely that this list changes as I gain more experience in the next 2-3 years. However, I am glad that I have at least some basic research completed on graduate institutions. Siart 38 Works Cited "Application Process." Home. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. "Application Process." Home. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. "Apply Now!" Application Process. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. "Arts in Education." Program Description. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. City Year. AmeriCorps. Web. 2 Apr. 2012. Early Childhood Special Education. George Washington University. Web. 2 Apr. 2012. s/earlychildhoodspecialeducation?searched=yes>. "Education, Culture & Society, Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.)." Penn GSE. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. Graduate Admissions-How to Apply. American University. Web. 2 Apr. 2012. "School of Education." Special Education. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. “Teach For America | Home." Teach For America. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. "TeachNOLA Teaching Fellows." Program Overview. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. Kelley Siart 19 March 2012 Honors Capstone Workshop Outline 1. Lesson: Understanding Others a. Objective i. By the end of this lesson, students should have a better understanding of the viewpoints of a group with which they have trouble empathizing. b. Purpose i. As a result of our bipartisan government, many social and political issues become completely polarizing with neither side willing to make a concession or compromise. We tend to surround ourselves with friends who think like us, read news that reflects our viewpoints, and flip the channel when we hear a statement with which we disagree without further investigation. Difficult as it may be, it is important to exercise the ability to understand and respect the opinions of others, even if they differ with our own. 2. Methodology a. Theatrical Connection i. Through the workshop, students will use the process of character development to find empathy with a group which they have trouble understanding. Like actors, the students will find personal connections with this other group and ultimately allow themselves to empathize with opinions that completely oppose their worldview. b. Modeling i. I will demonstrate an example for students so that they will have a better understand of the process of the lesson. 1. Step 1: Self identification – Students will describe a belief or opinion they hold that strongly defines them. a. I am a vegetarian. I am strongly opposed to the mistreatment of animals and I am very concerned about environmental issues. I know that the consumption of meat has a great impact on the environment and it is not necessary in order to live. People can eat a very healthy and well-balanced meal without meat. Therefore, I think that everyone should be a vegetarian. 2. Step 2: Admission of stereotype – Students will be asked to admit a stereotype of people that hold opposing beliefs. a. I think that people who eat meat are selfish and arrogant people who don’t care about other living things. I think they tend to be greedy and overweight and probably drive an SUV, further contributing to their destruction of the environment. They are ignorant of the harm they are causing and don’t care to become educated about environment or animal rights issues. Siart 40 3. Step 3: “Devil’s Advocate” – Students will brainstorm reasons to support the opposing viewpoint a. Meat provides protein, which is an important dietary component. Also, many people greatly enjoy the taste of meat and are unwilling to give up the flavor of their favorite type of meat. Meat is put in a lot of different dishes and can be difficult to avoid, someone may not want to eat meat but may find themselves in situations where they can’t find a meal without it. Some people may eat meat in moderation so as to be conscientious of their impact on the environment. 4. Step 4: Character Analysis – Students will paint their opposition as fully rounded people by developing a character that might hold this other viewpoint. a. The character I am developing is named Shelly. Shelly is a college student who doesn’t hold a strong opinion about meat eating one way or another. Typically, she doesn’t eat meat when given the option, but lately, she has been feeling very overwhelmed with work. Between her juggling completing two majors in college and working a part time job, she never has time to stop and eat a healthy meat. Most of her meals happen on the run and lately she has been eating McDonalds almost every day. Shelly knows this is unhealthy, but doesn’t have time for other options. Additionally, Shelly is so stressed, she finds comfort in eating junk food like burgers that taste good. 5. Step 5: Making Connections – Students will connect aspects of their life to aspects of the life of the character they have created. a. I am also an insanely busy college student. There are weeks where I don’t have time to grocery shop and almost every meal I eat is on the run. I know that I shouldn’t eat so much chocolate, but it is the only thing that keeps me sane when I am overwhelmed and it is easily accessible. 6. Step 6: Hot-seat – Students will go through a short interview in which they will answer 2 or 3 questions about the topic they have chosen to discuss as their character. 7. Step 7: Reflection – Students will reflect on what they have learned through the lesson. a. People don’t just eat meat because they don’t care about animals or the environment. They could be very knowledgeable about these issues, but simply don’t have the time or commitment to become a vegetarian because of other circumstances in their life. Additionally, not all meat eaters eat meat to excessive amounts. Many of them have a very similar lifestyle to the one I lead. c. Practice Siart 41 i. Students will follow steps 1-7 with an issue of their choice. d. Review/Conclusion i. The group will collectively review the process of the workshop and what discoveries were made. Siart 42 Kelley Siart 27 April 2012 Honors Capstone Workshop Review I felt that the workshop, overall, was successful. The students expressed a sense of satisfaction with what they had learned through the interview activity. Specifically, one student found a greater understanding about a current conflict in his life. I believe that when they students found the connection between themselves and their characters and then had to argue the point of view of the character, they were forced to expand their understanding of the subject they had chosen to discuss. In the end, I felt that the objectives of the workshop were achieved. There were, however, certain aspects of the workshop that I would change for the future. First, though the preparation work before the interviews was very important, this process felt very slow and I think that if I were to hold this workshop again I would try to make the preparation more interactive and exciting. Also, I underestimated the amount of time that would be needed for the interview part of the workshop and the talk-back discussion after completion of the process. I was very fortunate to have a group of my peers participating in this workshop, therefore they were very willing to help me and follow all of the instructions. Additionally, all of my participants have had acting training and so have prior understanding of the theatrical practice being used in the workshop. Had I instead been using a random group of students with no performance training, I believe I would have had to spend more time explaining the theory behind the acting connection used. Siart 43 Ultimately, I am satisfied with the outcome of the workshop and felt that the results of this process support the conclusion drawn from my research that theatre is an effective educational method.