Let’s talk about your secret teaching allies–super heroes. If you are a teacher, you may be using them in your lessons all ready.
If not, I’m going to give you some good reasons to implement them!
The obvious reason to use super heroes in our teaching is that our students relate to them, especially elementary and middle school kids.
I used super heroes as a focus in my drama lessons for many years. I don’t know if I did it out of desperation or imagination. However, once I perfected how to use them, I never stopped.
You understand I taught for nearly forty years, right?
Here’s some history about super heroes you may not know:
“During the late 1930’s to 1950’s, the Golden Age of Comic Books were created. Modern comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity among the masses. The superhero archetype was created and many well-known characters were introduced, including Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, Captain America, and Wonder Woman. Most superheroes served as a figure who inspired hope.
This hero could save us all from dark and difficult times. Superhero stories promote the ideas of peace, safety and freedom. Some experts consider this message a necessary reassurance in difficult times. The message isn’t about a country succeeding, but recognition that there are others with similar hope for a peaceful future.”
Awesome!
Your Secret Teaching Allies–Super Heroes
Can a teacher teach creativity with creativity? Yes, of course.
While perusing the web looking for research defending this topic, I found this on creativityatwork.com:
“Creativity is a skill that can be developed and a process that can be managed. Creativity begins with a foundation of knowledge, learning a discipline, and mastering a way of thinking. We learn to be creative by experimenting, exploring, questioning assumptions, using imagination and synthesizing information.
Creativity is a Skill
I agree with Maya Angela, do you?
Generative research shows that everyone has creative abilities. The more training you have and the more diverse the training, the greater the potential for creative output. Research has shown that in creativity quantity equals quality. The longer the list of ideas, the higher the quality of the final solution. Quite often, the highest quality ideas appear at the end of the list.
Behavior is generative; like the surface of a fast flowing river, it is inherently and continuously novel… behavior flows and it never stops changing. Novel behavior is generated continuously, but it is labeled creative only when it has some special value to the community.”
As a drama teacher, I looked for novel ways to reach students which weren’t as obvious as handing them notes, looking at theater stuff (costumes, props, etc.) and having the students understand theater from only one perspective.
These teaching methods are not poor, but ordinary and quite frankly, tired. Over time, students can feel it or rather, they experience it in many classes and subjects and it becomes dull.
Because of this worry, I never wanted my class to be dull. Theater is NEVER dull and I think it’s my job to make sure my students know this. Theater is AWESOME.
Questions to Ask Myself
I had a few questions to ask myself–
- Why can’t we study costume design through super hero costumes?
- Why can’t we study tableau and movement through super hero in particular predicaments which lend themselves to demonstration through movement?
- Why can’t we storytelling through stories created with postcards?
Well, we can. Infact, students appreciate the novelty of it!
Students and The Creative Process
According to ISTE.org, “The creative process involves a lot of trial and error. Productive struggle — a gentler term for failure — builds resilience, teaching students to push through difficulty to reach success. That’s fertile soil for emotional growth.
“Allowing students to experience the journey, regardless of the end result, is important,” says Terral, a presenter at ISTE Creative Constructor Lab.
Creativity gives students the freedom to explore and learn new things from each other, Imbriale adds. As they overcome challenges and bring their creative ideas to fruition, “students begin to see that they have limitless boundaries,” he says. “That, in turn, creates confidence. It helps with self-esteem and emotional development.”
Your Secret Teaching Allies–Super Heroes
Recently, I’ve mentioned my Teacherspayteachers store should be renamed to Creativity4U. It is my creative approach to teaching which sets me apart from others.
I have several lessons using super heroes as the focus. In the near future, I’ll be adding a few more to the bundle, so stay tuned.
I’d love for you to check them out: Dramamommaspeaks Store
One is Storytelling Using Super Heroes Postcard Stories
One is Storytelling Using Super Heroes Postcard Stories
Another is Costume Design with Super Heroes
And Studying Tableau and Movement with Super Heroes
And one more: Super Hero Bundle
Usually, this lesson is done without a rubric. But here is one which could help you if you need it: Storytelling Rubric
Remember: You can teach students in a myriad of ways. Never think there is only one way to reach them or you must use the trendiest method. Check out this blog post if you are looking for something about set design: Critical Steps in Producing a Play or Musical: Set Design
YOU make the next trend!
Are you all ready teaching with super heroes? I’d love to know about your experiences.
Contact me at dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net
