Search

The authors describe ethical issues they have encountered when teachers develop narratives about their own practice and then again when these narratives are later explored using drama techniques. Specifically, they look at the developmental process itself, both in the creation of the original narrative and the subsequent creation of a dramatic text. They also examine the climate of trust and respect that needs to be in place when teachers share narratives especially when the author of the narrative is not known. Issues of power relationships also arise especially when soliciting narratives from pre-service teachers and sharing them with wider audiences. (Contains 4 notes.)

Moves educators to reflect on their practice of inclusion/exclusion and what constitutes authentic participation in theatre education classrooms. Believes that teacher education should strive to reconceive, or eliminate, the concept of "youthland" (the separation of young people from adult society) by preparing teachers who will treat students as responsible individuals. (SG)

Explains the structure of the Fourth World Congress of the International Drama/Theatre in Education Association. Notes that this congress, like the three prior congresses, examined the role that drama/theatre can play in establishing identity and in addressing the artistic and educational needs of young people in a world containing many forms of disenfranchisement and threat. Outlines two theatre educators' experiences at the congress. (PM)

Describes a teacher in-service class that was planned and implemented to address needs revealed in a case study. Looks specifically at the reflective journey the teachers and the research took together in the staff development course. Notes teachers increased comfort with peer coaching. Presents eight reflections on the inservice course. (SG)

Argues that the reading and writing of case studies written by student teachers about their own student teaching experiences can help students in drama/theater teacher education to integrate theory and practice. Presents one such case. Describes how cases can be used in methods class; notes advantages of the case study method; and describes benefits from the students' perspective. (SR)

Describes a case study of a high school theater teacher who left teaching as a result of teacher burnout. Defines burnout, describes the teacher's brief career along with factors that she found stressful, and discusses implication for educational practice. (SR)

In two earlier studies, experienced upper secondary theatre students in Sweden (Østerlind, 2011) and the US (McCammon, 2010) completed the same questionnaire about their experiences with theatre. The questionnaire included questions about the number of years involved in theatre, reasons for choosing theatre study, activities participated in, favorite memories, biggest challenges and future benefits. This paper provides a comparison of the responses in the two sites to these questions: Why do secondary school students choose and stay with drama/theatre studies? According to the students themselves, what do they learn in theatre and how do they benefit from their study? What similarities and/or differences might there be between experienced secondary theatre students in Tucson, Arizona and Stockholm, Sweden? Responses suggested remarkable agreement between the two sites and grouped around four themes — theatre creates fellowship and fun; theatre develops the person; development of specific theatre skills; and development of life competencies. Results also support other similar studies of student perception of their theatre participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In two earlier studies, experienced upper secondary theatre students in Sweden (Østerlind, 2011) and the US (McCammon, 2010) completed the same questionnaire about their experiences with theatre. The questionnaire included questions about the number of years involved in theatre, reasons for choosing theatre study, activities participated in, favorite memories, biggest challenges and future benefits. This paper provides a comparison of the responses in the two sites to these questions: Why do secondary school students choose and stay with drama/theatre studies? According to the students themselves, what do they learn in theatre and how do they benefit from their study? What similarities and/or differences might there be between experienced secondary theatre students in Tucson, Arizona and Stockholm, Sweden? Responses suggested remarkable agreement between the two sites and grouped around four themes - theatre creates fellowship and fun; theatre develops the person; development of specific theatre skills; and development of life competencies. Results also support other similar studies of student perception of their theatre participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first phase of a multinational research project exploring creativity and its relationship to drama/theatre teacher education is reported, addressing these questions: (a) What is creativity, especially as applied to educational settings? (b) How is creativity interpreted in public policy? (c) How do drama/theatre teachers perceive teaching and assessing creative achievement and themselves as creative teachers? Along with relevant literature, we report survey results from classroom teachers in Ontario, Arizona, and Jamaica. Results suggest that teachers believe in the importance of teaching for creative achievement, but do not perceive support for this work from either their schools or school system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper gives an account of a collaborative teaching project undertaken by the authors in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina. From our respective interests in cross-cultural theatre we set out to explore how effectively we could work with each other and with participants from different cultures. One of the relative certainties of working in a cross-cultural context is that initial planning in a project will have to give way to new circumstances. This is what we found in Mostar. We report on the project itself and on the impact it had on our conceptualisations of the cross-cultural space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]