Small high schools on a limited budget do not have to sacrifice a theater program. An innovative teacher/director can use basic materials to develop an outstanding program based on units within the language arts curriculum, minicourses, staged readings, or productions of original plays. Recent research supports dramatics in schools. Includes 13…

An education in the performing arts provides students with a rich growing environment and facilitates learning by requiring students to think, not just memorize. The performing arts also teach students to celebrate the differences between themselves and others, understand our pluralistic society, and learn discipline, self-respect, perseverance,…

Theater and other arts provide valuable insights into periods of history, complement works of literature, and enrich the study of themes in science and human nature. Integrating theater into the curriculum would benefit both teachers and students. It would inspire more creative curricula, give students hands-on experiences, and encourage them to…

Outlines a summer session for gifted students in the performing arts held by the Montgomery County Public Schools in Rockville, Maryland. (JM)

Theater participation aids students in several areas, including self-expression, self-development, self-understanding, self-esteem, self-discipline, analytical skills, empathy, human understanding, and competition. Balance between academics and the arts is essential if students are to be prepared to live well-rounded, meaningful lives in the…

Discusses performing arts high schools that train students in general education and music, visual arts, theater, and dance. Enumerates purposes, advantages (mainly, a challenging and motivating atmosphere with opportunities to concentrate in one area), and problems (funding, understaffing, academic standards, and admission criteria). Advises…

At Lincoln High School in Stockton, California, educators are enthusiastic about a theater arts program that claims far-reaching educational benefits for students of many ages and types. (JM)

Linking the content of mythology to the art of story-telling, the three-week residency of a myth teller at a Long Island middle school provided students with opportunities to better understand and appreciate the myths, discuss and interpret them, and synthesize their experiences through writing activities. Results were overwhelmingly positive.…