We are always being asked by teachers how they can work more creatively with pupils so here is a fine example:
Teacher in Role
Teacher in role is a great dramatic technique to use. It basically means the teacher adopts a suitable role and directs the drama from within. By doing this the teacher is more able advance the development of the lesson by creating interest, provoking tension, offering choices, and initiating possibilities for the group to interact in role.
Working in role has a number of benefits:
- Information can be given in a fun and interesting way
- It allows pupils to work creatively and use their imaginations
- The drama gives any instructions or activities an added impetus.
- Pupils can be empowered, particularly if the character they meet needs help
You don’t have to be a great actor to do it. Children have great imaginations and you can make the role very simple; all you are doing is communicating the key emotions or beliefs of the character. You can use simple props, a piece of costume such as a scarf or even just use sitting on a chair to show when you are in or out of role.
Make sure you research or have created your character thoroughly and have some idea of what you are going to say, but also be open to responding to comments and questions from the children. Hot seating is a good way of getting started and becoming more confident about using the technique. Allow the students to question you in role. Once you feel more confident you can place the children in role as well.
There are numerous ways teacher in role can be utilised, here are some examples:
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Take on the role of a newspaper editor at some significant event in history. You want the pupils to help you choose the most memorable moment from the event so you can write an exciting article. Challenging pupils to remember the most dangerous, thrilling and scary moments for your readers. Get help to set the tone of the article and create the right level of excitement for your readers then ask the pupils to write the article or draw a picture for the front page.
- Take on the role of a refugee. You do not speak very good English and you want to contact your family in a different land. Encourage the pupils to try out different ways of communicating with you such as hand signals, drawings or acting things out. Once they can communicate with you, see if they can work out exactly where you have come from and encourage them to explore different ways that they could help your character contact their family. You could also explore why your character has come to this country and why they had to leave their family behind.
- Take on the role of a Jeremy Kyle chat show host. Encourage a pupil to play the role of a young person suffering from peer pressure. Their friends have all started smoking/drinking/skipping school and they feel pressured to do it too, although they don’t want to. Get one of the pupils to play the friend who is encouraging them, and another to play a friend who is discouraging them. Allow the rest of the pupils to become the audience who gives advice to the characters.
Look out for more drama games and dramatic techniques next week and as always if you would like us to come to your school to perform a play in a day, drama workshop or assembly do get in touch using the enquiry form to the right.
