Wednesday 8 April 2015

Executing Inspirational Lessons Through Short Plays For The Classroom

By Joanna Walsh


One common desire among educators around the world is the desire for students to have fun while learning. This is why teachers are always interested in creative ways to make the learning environment more learner friendly. Short plays for the classroom allow educators to do just that. With these literary works, teachers can change lives positively by making the learning process an engaging and exciting one.

The plays serve as a means of keeping the students active during the class session. For most teachers the ideal method is to organize the class into groups and have them work on their own presentations of the drama. This keeps students engaged but also gets them excited because they will get to show their talent. For most five minute presentations, students will need fifteen to twenty minutes of planning time. During execution the students are still actively engaged as they switch between the roles of performers and audience.

The presentation can be turned into something bigger such as a whole school play. In fact, many large school plays had their genesis in classroom productions. Dramatic displays that are done at this level are quite achievement for younger students and older ones alike. Remarkable growth in self esteem is reported by teachers of students who engage in these activities.

Through the preparation of these performances, students learn crucial skills that will help them in their lives as adults. They learn to work with others as the planning and execution phases cannot be done without team work. The ability to work in a team is a crucial skill that appears in almost all job descriptions these days. Additionally, the leadership skills of students get sharpened during these activities as they get to take on roles such as directing and producing the production.

A teacher may use a play as a springboard for the teaching of one or more lessons. The principles explored through the storyline serve as re-enforcers of behavioral goals. These principles include, loyalty, trust, determination and justice. These principles are brought to the fore when discussions on characters and their traits are facilitated. The teacher, in discouraging the emulation of negative characters can highlight the consequences that characters with negative traits face. For characters that demonstrate positive traits the rewards or resulting triumph can be highlighted.

Some of the more practical curriculum centered goals are met through the use of these teaching tools as well. Language and art skills can be taught through the use of these pieces. In addition to the use of language, students learn to apply science concepts especially when it comes to creating sound effects of lighting.

Identifying the drama script that best fits the lesson is not difficult. Creative teachers can craft their own drama pieces. Educators are known for their creativity and teachers who write drama pieces live up to this expectation. Sometimes the piece is created as a joint effort between the teacher and the students and there are students who are talented enough to create these scripts on their own. They can also find them online through one or more of the many teacher resource websites available.

Inspired teachers inspire their students using creative teaching aids such as drama. Those students who are inspired go on to change the world for the better. There is therefore no denying the value of drama in the classroom.




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