Why Puppets Still Matter in Today’s Drama Classroom
Why do puppets in the drama classroom still matter today? When many people hear the word puppet, they immediately picture preschool classrooms or children’s television. While puppets certainly have a place there, they have also become one of the most sophisticated forms of theatrical storytelling. From Broadway productions to television, film, and educational theater, puppets […]
Engaging Reluctant Students in Drama Class
Engaging Reluctant Students in Drama Class This blog post, Engaging Reluctant Students in Drama Class, began with considering every drama teacher eventually faces: students sitting in class who never intended to be there in the first place. When I taught a large middle school drama class which was a pre-elective, more than 500 sixth graders […]
Why Masks Help Reluctant Students Shine in Drama Class
Why Masks Help Reluctant Students Shine in Drama Class There was always room for creativity in my drama classroom. That is part of my mission—to approach theater from every angle, not just through acting. And like every drama teacher, I knew that student—the one who quietly hoped I wouldn’t call on them. They avoided eye […]
Why Drama Is the Ultimate Life Skills Curriculum
Drama Is Life Skills: How the Classroom Becomes Real-World Practice I believe drama class is life skills. One of my favorite classroom memories explains exactly why Drama Is Life Skills: How the Classroom Becomes Real-World Practice — and it doesn’t involve a standing ovation. It involves a triangle. The Power of Being Needed Years ago, […]
How to Teach Research in Drama Class the Easy Way
I’ve taught drama long enough to see the pattern—students come alive during movement, voice, and collaboration, but hesitate when it’s time to open a book or dig into background research. How to Teach Research in Drama Class the Easy Way grew out of that exact challenge, offering ways to turn research into a creative tool […]
Why Drama Circles Work in the Elementary Classroom
Why Drama Circles Work in the Elementary Classroom “How Drama Circles work in the Elementary Classroom” is a topic that’s close to my heart—mostly because you are far “more fortunate than I ever was. When I began teaching, I had absolutely no resources for the theater classes I taught. I was constantly tweaking college-level acting […]