Teaching Science and the Arts Together! Creativity Without Limits!

Hello Readers,
Lets talk about a debate that has been around in academics and society for a long time.  Is science considered creative.  Now, I believe that science is creative and I'm sure most of you would agree with me.  You need to have a creative and open mind to be able to cure diseases and invent new technologies, it is not purely based on facts.

That is why teaching the sciences and the arts is important.  We have to change our mindset.  Students need to know it is okay to be interested in science and literature as well as other forms of art.  They need to know that both help give us an idea of our culture and are worth learning.  You can be good at both!  They are not opposing forces.
 

Theater as Catharsis for the Youth!

Hello readers,
Guerilla theater, that is, theater used for activism is powerful and it advocates positive change in the world.  As the youth are forming their own opinions and developing their critical thinking skills, they should be exposed to more theater which is used for activism.

Why It Is Important For Teens to Have Plays About Social Issues:

They should be aware about the impact of social issues on their lives.  For instance, if teens are suffering with self-esteem issues, have eating disorders, are being bullied, are addicted to drugs, have been rapped, or any of this sort it would be emotionally comforting for them to be able to relate to these issues by watching a play.  Perhaps they are afraid to discuss their hardships, but they still need help and to be able to have a catharsis, an emotional release of what they are going through.

 Video:

This TEDx talk discusses how theater can be used to promote a positive social change.  You probably recognize it from an earlier post of mine.  I like it so much, I'm giving to you again! http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxDirigo-Cathy-Plourde-Adding;search%3Atheatre%20and%20education

Theater For Catharsis: How Does It Work?

Theater can give them an outlet for their emotions.  As teachers, it is important that we connect with our students on a personal level.  Our job is not just to educate the youth, but to mentor them.  To relate to them, help guide them through the messy world of adolescence, and to prepare them for life.  How can we possibly do this, if we refuse to get to know them.  As Vygotsky, the famous Russian educational theorist says, in the online teaching program "The Learning Classroom" states "Social knowledge becomes individual knowledge" and therefore much of learning takes place in personal conversations in which students feel comfortable and cared for.  They know that their opinions are valued and their motivation and capabilities increase do to this.

Lets get involved and show them theater that makes a difference.  And don't forget, we need to get to know our students as people, so they may grow as individuals.

Thanks for reading,
Aliana ~Theatre Lover~
Future Teacher

Are Your Students Retaining What You Teach? Use Tableaus!

Hello Viewers,

I've been thinking about the nagging question teachers tend to ask themselves.  Are my students retaining what I teach them?

This is a difficult question to answer because it is not easy to tell if they will remember the knowledge you give them after they are tested on it or even before they are tested.  A great tip to get your students to remember important and complex lessons, is using tableaus in your classroom!

Flash mobs, Mock Trials, and Historical Recreations: Fun for Everyone!

Hello readers,
You all have probably been wondering why I titled my blog flash mobs in the classroom and have not written about them yet. Well, without further delay this post shall include how flash mobs as well as mock trials, and historical recreations can be used as theatrical teaching tools.

How to Unite the Cast of Your High School Play Production Or Just Need Group Work to Run Smoothly: Games that Work!

Hello readers,
Ever wonder how you can improve the mood and camaraderie of your cast members? Or perhaps you are assigning group work in your classroom and want to ensure that cooperation is achieved.  Well, here are some short and easy drama activities that can be used, most likely within the drama classroom or production cast, however they may be applicable to other areas in which major group projects are being conducted.

Improv Games For Your High School Drama Class

Hello Readers,
This post is primarily directed towards Drama teachers, but these activities can be used as ice breakers to get to know your students or to kill some time at the end of the period.  Sometimes it can be difficult to find Improv exercises for your Drama classrooms.  I am going to give you some help!

 Looking for Improv Exercises for Your Drama Class?

Well, I have many games that you can easily do with your students.  Improv helps your students feel more comfortable in the classroom.  It also allows your students to practice acting in a more relaxed environment where they are graded on their effort, instead of other aspects of their performance.  The bonus of improv, is of course, that it is fun and exciting.

Drama In the Classroom: Character Development With Onions!

Hello Readers,
For English and Drama classrooms a dramatic presentation of what character development looks like can be shown in many forms.  I am going to use an onion to model this concept for you, so you can model it for your students.

Drama Teachers Play Option: Let's Mak'em Laugh!

Hello Readers,
Well, it seems as if I have neglected my Drama teachers for awhile.  Here is some content for you and well if any other teacher wants to pass this play on to the Drama Director at their school, by all means, please do.

The play I am going to recommend is a hilarious comedy that I actually performed in myself, in my senior year of high school.  It is called Oprah Made Me Do It!

Are Your Students Retaining What You Teach? With Tableaus They Will!

Hello Viewers,
I've been thinking about the nagging question educators tend to ask themselves.  Are my students retaining what I teach them?

This is a difficult question to answer because it is not easy to tell if they will remember the knowledge you give them after they are tested on it or even before they are tested.  A great tip to get your students to remember important and complex lessons, is using tableaus!

See the Arts: Field trips!

Hello Readers,
I am happy to present you with the wonderful idea of showing your students the arts first-hand.  It is easy for high school students to feel detached from artists and plays they are studying, but by taking them on a field trip to a local gallery or theater, they can feel connected to what they are learning.

Presentation Tip for Your Students! Say Goodbye to Getting Tongue-tied

Hello Readers,
Here is a post that will help your students get over their pre-presentation jitters.  Not everyone is a natural public speaker and even those who are can get tongue-tied.

Acting =Understanding: Additional Tips for Using Theater in Foreign Language/ESL classrooms

Hello All,
I have some more great ways to use acting in Foreign Language/ESL classrooms.

1. Have your students act out a conversation in front of the class
2. Have a presenter come to your class and discuss material your students are learning about in class or if you want have a performer come do a traditional dance, song, etc. to give your students a closer look at the culture of the language they are learning.

Acting is Communication: Tips for Foreign Language/ESL Classes

Hello All,
This post is for Foreign Language and English as Second Language teachers.  These classes can be pretty difficult to teach, especially without using some form of theater, because communicating ideas to students in an effective manner is a challenge.

Students who are just learning a language, whether it is English speaking students learning a foreign language or ESL students who may speak a variety of their own native languages, can feel lost and overwhelmed by new vocabulary.

Tired of Test Structured Classrooms: Use an Artistic Presentation to Evaluate Your Students

 

Hello Blog Readers,
So far on my blogs I have shared with you plays that reach high school students on a social level, three options, one being the best way to use a skit to teach a math lesson, and two techniques to incorporate Theater in and English classroom.

Now, I wanted to share some general knowledge and give you a creative alternative to tests as a way to evaluate your students progress at the end of each term or year.  This applies to almost any and all subjects!

Put Your Words Where Your Mouth Is: Words Into Action in the Literature Classroom

Hello All,
I know you are all excited to hear what is next and I have another technique to effectively and creatively bring Theater into your English classroom.

It is called:

Words Into Action

This is also known as scene work, but I kind of like the name I chose for it better.  It adds a little something...don't you think?  This technique involves taking apart a chapter or two by splitting them into scenes and dividing your class into groups so that they can perform them.

Now I know this sounds odd to some of you.  How can you take literature and perform it?  You simply take the dialogue between the characters and use it as a script.

Shakespeare Isn't the Only Way to Bring English and Drama Together

Having Trouble Making Your English Class Exciting?  Are Your Students Not Understanding the Beauty and Deep Meaning Behind the Literature You Are Reading? 
Well readers,
I have the answer for you!  Today I am going to give you an exercise that you can do in your classroom that will make your students interested and able to appreciate what they are reading on a higher level.

On last week's blog I discussed ways in which theater can be used in the math classroom to enhance learning, but on this week I am going to list some of the ways theater can be incorporated into English classrooms.  Combining Theater and English does  not mean just reading Shakespeare, although that is another good way to fuse the two disciplines, but they are less obvious to do so.

This is:

The Best Way to Use Theater in The Classroom! Teach Math in A Whole New Way!

 

Hello to all my blog viewers,

Thanks for being patient with the other two methods of teaching algebra via a skit, which I mentioned in my last two blogs.  You have seen me recommend having you, the teacher, present the skit, and you have read about how a video presentation of a skit can enhance learning in the classroom.

These two methods had great potential, but also left room for much confusion and unreliability of resources, since having the teacher present all the information can be confusing, having a video presentation can lead to technological errors, and both seem to have little student involvement, which means the lesson is not very exciting and the students are not able to learn from doing things first hand.


Never fear, the third method is here: Student Presentation

Student Presentation:

Enjoy Skits for Math! Theatre Bringing Life to the Classroom!

Hello my blog trackers,
Here is option for using a skit to teach an Algebra lesson as promised. This one is about teaching math by using a video presentation.

Option 2: Video Presentation

This option can work for you or against you.  It really all depends on whether or not you can find the correct video online that demonstrates a similar algebraic problem that was explained in my last blog:

Solving for x: 3x + 10 - 5= 20

Splash Up Your Math Class Up With Theatre: Teaching Algebra With a Skit Option One

Theme for the Next 3 Blog Posts:
Hello All,
For the next 3 blog posts I am going to be offering you 3 options for presenting a skit in order to teach an Algebra lesson.  Never fear I will be touching on other subject-matter in future blogs, but I though mathematics was one that often is excluded from the arts.  

Reaching Out to High School Students With Drama

      
 
Hello Readers,
There are many ways in which teachers can bring social problems that teenagers at their schools struggle with to light.  You can start by viewing videos that illustrate the importance of using theater to relate to students who might be dealing with similar circumstances in their life that the characters in the plays that you, as teachers, can help present to them. 

 How to Use Theater to Impact Youth:

Helpful Video Clip--> 
This shows the positive, life changing results that theater can have on people and on youth
 http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxDirigo-Cathy-Plourde-Adding;search%3Atheatre%20and%20education

Welcome to The Teaching Guide for Using Guerilla Theatre to Reach High School Students!

Hello Teachers, Students, and Theater Lovers alike:

Have you ever wished you could bring life to your classroom?  Turn the boring textbooks and recommended assignments into exciting hands-on activities for learning.  Teach the way you would want to be taught and have them learning the way they want to learn.  

Using theater in the classroom is an effective way to make education interesting and interactive.  Drama can be used to teach all subjects through skits, debates, and flash mobs.  I am going to give you helpful lesson plans for using different aspects of theater arts in your classroom.

These drama-based tips and techniques will range from paintings, music, dance to performance and writing.  If you are a new teacher searching for advice on how to make your class exciting and give your students a thirst for knowledge or if you are a seasoned teacher who wants to transform your classroom with creativity and pick up some new methods, this blog is for you!

If you use theater, then you can reach out to your students with theatrical activism by putting on performances for your high school students that deal with issues relatable to their age group such as underage drinking, drinking and driving, school shootings, and the path to life after high school. 

Plays that discuss such social challenges as well as using theater in the classroom will open up a productive and safe learning environment where students can explore their identities and have the freedom to express themselves.  Adolescence is a crucial time for such development and theater can nurture them during this process.

This blog will give you great insight into the adolescent mind.  It will also provide you with helpful artistic approaches to use in the classroom when teaching subject matter as well as provide support for high school students who are struggling with hardships in their everyday lives.

I am a sincere advocate for saving arts in the schools and with your help, using my methods and even sharing yours, we can make a difference. Lets push for arts integration in schools, starting with our theater-centered instruction.

Join me. Bring motivation and inspiration back to your classroom!

Looking forward to your next visit to my blog,

~Aliana
Future Teacher