Theater uses drama and conflict to stimulate audience's emotions taking advantage of the fact that emotions can trigger people to achieve a desired learning result. Creating a theatrical learning environment enables learners to actively participate in knowledge creation in an entertaining environment. In this paper, I will use a conference session…

Creating climates that embrace justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, must involve learning by everyone in the community. Although active learning techniques for promoting cognitive learning have received much attention in recent decades, techniques for affective learning are less developed. Affective learning is, however, essential to this…

Teachers of early modern theater often recognize that it is difficult for today's generation of students to approach old dramatic works as actual plays instead of written texts. Two methods for dealing with this difficulty have emerged in recent decades. On the one hand, some teachers have increasingly emphasized the value of performance…

Learning with informational texts doesn't need to be restricted to the recall of information and facts; instead, challenging students to interpret and present their findings in the form of readers theatre performances requires the application of synthesis and analysis skills. This article frames informational texts and readers theatre as…

Energy Theater is a dynamic, full-body activity that engages all students in representing the flow of energy in various phenomena, such as a light bulb burning steadily or a refrigerator cooling food. In Energy Theater, each participant acts as a unit of energy that has one form at a time. Regions on the floor correspond to objects in a physical…

In this article, the author describes how high-inquiry questions, wait-time, assessment, and reflection can yield deep learning connections for elementary and middle school students in the world of theater-making. He explains that building understanding of theater-making processes for students is supported when they: (1) Use theater vocabulary;…

There is no one-size-fits-all way to keep pace with the changes affecting students and those who educate them. That's why Joan Lazarus has gathered here the insights of hundreds of theater teachers and teaching artists on how they have responded to the shifting demands of theater education in today's schools. She paints a portrait of active,…

To inform students about global violence against women and to empower them to take action, the authors developed an interdisciplinary course focused on experiential learning and theatre education. Their article discusses the development of the course; the implementation of active learning strategies to develop critical thinking, empathy, and…

The pedagogy of performing arts courses in theatre, film, music, and dance programs found in most liberal arts curricula is clearly experiential insofar as the making of art involves active engagement in classroom activities or events that are staged or filmed. But because many educators outside the arts perceive performing arts programs as solely…

Today education is in crisis. Citizens and institutions alike are demanding that classroom instruction dramatically increase learning effectiveness. Especially in higher education, instructors must expand their repertoires to include active learning approaches that challenge students to function as adult learners who take responsibility for their…

This article describes three creative arts exercises designed to promote belonging, connectedness, and wellness among adolescents with and without disabilities. The scenarios are multifaceted and based on utilization of creative visual and performing arts. Creative outlets may help groups be more effective and meaningful for participants,…

Forum theater is an interactive theater method in which audience members become active performers, taking advantage of the opportunity to explore multicultural dimensions of teaching in a "safe space" and receiving feedback from colleagues. Forum theater methods derive from Theater of the Oppressed, an interactive approach founded by the Brazilian…

This article reflects on the findings of a nationally-funded research project which investigated the practice and impact of museum theatre at two UK museums: the Imperial War Museum, London, and the People's History Museum, Manchester. The research team tracked the museum experiences of eight groups of primary school children, half of whom…

Provides a four-step process for teaching about racism: (1) the articulation of experience, (2) codification, (3) decodification, and (4) empowerment. Teaches students to describe what they see around them, define the problem, share similar experiences, question why there is a problem, and strategize what can be done about the problem. (DAJ)

Describes how a new English teacher invited students to negotiate with him their course of study. Discusses setting the stage for negotiated learning, establishing ownership and building ensemble, clarifying expectations and rehearsing together, planning ahead and assessing the performance, helping students take on additional roles, and allowing…