Using Process Drama

In our work as both teachers and teacher-educators, we  have found that drama-based pedagogical methods work exceptionally well to promote active and question-driven learning. Among the most powerful of the drama-based teaching strategies we have used is a methods called  "process drama."  A method of instruction less interested in creating a final public performance than in using theatrical exercises as a "process" through which to examine historical conflicts and questions, process drama is not a typical "role-play" activity.  It does not ask students simply to  "stand in someone else's shoes"-- but rather to pose critical intellectual problems and then to use a series of embodied and narrative intellectual activities to explore those questions. Relying a range of "structured improvisational" activities, in which "teachers and students jointly contract to an imaginary world, " process drama asks students to step into a variety of roles in an attempt to explore an intellectual problem or question. Thus drama, as we are talking about it here, is a pedagogical tool-- one that makes it possible to teach history and social studies in a way that requires students and teachers to examine the meanings, relationships, and conflicts that shaped key historical events and processes, while still acquiring fact-knowledge.

When used to teach history, these strategies foreground the twin ideas a) of history as debate, and b) that historical events were experienced from, and should be viewed through, multiple perspectives. While drama may seem like "play," there is the potential for a great deal of rigorous, standards-based learning to occur.

Essential elements in process drama include:

Student roles: taking on a voice that isn't your own, enacting a character from a different time and/or place.

Questioning: should be done in an attempt not to see specific answers but to generate meaning.

Tension: drama creates it. It is an important element, motivational. Some element of tension needs to be planned into the drama experience.

Some process drama strategies:

Tableaux: Frozen pictures, usually based on a primary source image or text.

Teacher in role: The classroom teacher sets up the dramatic world up in character-- thus modeling the method of participation, and inviting students to dialogue.

Thought tracking: A process that allows characters in tableaux to shares his or her thoughts. This happens when another student or the classroom teacher taps a character on the shoulder and asks them a question, such as "Why are you holding your arms like this?" Or "Where are you going?" Or "What are you feeling right now?"

 

Hot seating: Similar to "Thought Tracking"-- except it can be used in non-tablueax drama situations.

Writing in and on role: As a tool for reflection and assessment. Teachers might ask students to write in journals about their experiences in role and about their developing understandings. These journals can also be reflections on learning (prompts might be something like, "How is your understanding of the motivations for the Revolution changing?"), or they can be part of the drama work ("Write a journal entry or letter in the voice of your character").

For a quick overview of setting up and debriefing tableaux and other process drama strategies, click here.

Drama games (with thanks to Dr. David Montgomery, Department of Educational Theater, NYU).

In addition to structured process drama activities, we have found drama games useful, both as daily warm ups, as trust-building exercises, and as openers or more complicated historical lessons. There are several uses for these kinds of warm-ups in the elementary classroom. First, they prepare students for engaging in dramatic exercises, warming up their bodies, lubricating their creative energies, and building trust with classmates. Second, they can be useful as community building activities--either as stand-alones or as part of morning meetings. Used reflectively and consistently, they can also facilitate conversations about collaboration, generosity, sharing, and other important features of a healthy and productive community. Just as with any other classrrom strategy, teachers should always know what their pedagogical and instructional goals are, even when using these "games."

The drama games we have used in "Becoming Historians" include:

Throwing out sound and movement.

In a circle, each student will throw a body movement which is accompanied by a sound into the circle. The first time around, everyone in the circle can echo the movement and sound as each student goes. The second time around, you can do it "wave" style, with each person doing the sound and movement which the first person started in a "wave" around the circle.

Counting.

The group will count in order starting with one, and anyone can call out a number whenever they want to (there is no designated starter or set students calling out numbers). If two people say a number at the same time, the group must start over counting at one. The goal is to sense the energy of the group and get to a high number.

Hero/Villain/Shield

The teacher leads students in the following activities: First, tell students to walk through the space for a bit-- then tells them to to Stop. Think of another person in the room but don't make it obvious to others who it is. This is a person you want to be like. Mimic whatever they do-even if it's subtle. Notice their breathing, stance, etc. Okay, now walk around the space. You want to be near this person-this hero. GO. Stop-notice someone else in the room who is someone you don't want to be near. This person is an enemy, or villain, to you. Again, don't make it obvious to others who you chose. Imagine this person has a bomb as you walk walk through the space-GO. You want to stay away from that person but you must keep walking- You've got your villain and your hero-now you want to act as a shield in order to keep your hero away from his enemy. GO!

Stop/Go/Clap/Jump and opposites.

Instruct the group to move about the room at will. At certain random intervals, command them to: a) stop; b) go; c) clap; or d) jump. They must respond to the commands. Then do the opposing actions to what is said---so that stop will mean go, go will mean stop, clap will mean jump, and jump will mean clap.

Human Map

A chair or desk in the middle of the room represents your city, and the far side of the room represents somewhere halfway across the world (Japan? India? Australia?). Ask students to place themselves where they were born and raised. Then ask them to move to where their father was born and raised. Then to where their mother was born and raised,, then their mothers' mother, their mothers' father. Etc. A large wall map of the world can help students to orient themselves.

Word Exchange

Each student thinks about a word or sentence associated with the subject you are studying. Then tell students to walk around the room, and after a minute or so tell them to stop. Find the nearest person and quietly exchange words with them. Then tell everyone to start walking again. Stop. Now find another person and exchange words with them. After several minutes, the teacher should ask the students to stand in a circle and one by one say the last word received. Debrief.