Education and learning is often associated with institutionalised frames such as schools. There are many debates regarding whether the traditional school curriculum with its standard formats of textbook learning is the most inspiring and productive way for young people to learn. Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre created the Theatre in Education (TiE) movement in 1965, as an ‘educational outreach using theatrical performance and drama workshops to explore issues of cultural, social, political and moral significance’ (Turner, 2010). Learning through mediums such as theatre and performance can enhance young people’s learning dramatically. During this essay I will discuss the benefits of TiE programs as creative and active educational tools, and give
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How a Theatre in Education program is presented visually is vitally important when encouraging engagement and learning. Anthony Jackson strongly believes that theatre will be ‘effective educationally only if it’s effective aesthetically’ (Jackson, 2007, 160). The aesthetics of theatre is something that many directors and creators of TiE programs feel passionate about, especially when engaging with a younger audience. Herbert Read stated that Theatre in Education should be largely an education of the senses, sight, touch, and hearing. (Read, 1963, 31). Read believes that how a play or workshop looks, feels or sounds is vital for a clear understanding of the information being portrayed. These sensory elements are not normally included in standard learning methods and can therefore create an experience that stands out from the educational norm. John Dewey commented upon how knowledge is transformed in an aesthetic experience. He suggested that it becomes ‘something more than knowledge because it is merged with non-intellectual elements to form an experience worthwhile as an experience’ (Dewey, 1980, 290) and therefore the student’s learning is likely to stay more prominently in their minds. The artistic choices of a Theatre in Education project are also extremely important. The way the company presents the subject matter can influence how engaged the audience are. The type of actors they employ, their personalities, the geographical location of the performance, the décor within the performance environment, etcetera, all impact upon the student’s experience and ultimately their learning. Edward Bond’s TiE project The Children (Bond, 2000) was first performed in an ordinary school hall on a council estate in Cambridge. Bond’s artistic decision to perform at this venue meant that it wasn’t a performance just for show and it wasn’t to be performed to
How a Theatre in Education program is presented visually is vitally important when encouraging engagement and learning. Anthony Jackson strongly believes that theatre will be ‘effective educationally only if it’s effective aesthetically’ (Jackson, 2007, 160). The aesthetics of theatre is something that many directors and creators of TiE programs feel passionate about, especially when engaging with a younger audience. Herbert Read stated that Theatre in Education should be largely an education of the senses, sight, touch, and hearing. (Read, 1963, 31). Read believes that how a play or workshop looks, feels or sounds is vital for a clear understanding of the information being portrayed. These sensory elements are not normally included in standard learning methods and can therefore create an experience that stands out from the educational norm. John Dewey commented upon how knowledge is transformed in an aesthetic experience. He suggested that it becomes ‘something more than knowledge because it is merged with non-intellectual elements to form an experience worthwhile as an experience’ (Dewey, 1980, 290) and therefore the student’s learning is likely to stay more prominently in their minds. The artistic choices of a Theatre in Education project are also extremely important. The way the company presents the subject matter can influence how engaged the audience are. The type of actors they employ, their personalities, the geographical location of the performance, the décor within the performance environment, etcetera, all impact upon the student’s experience and ultimately their learning. Edward Bond’s TiE project The Children (Bond, 2000) was first performed in an ordinary school hall on a council estate in Cambridge. Bond’s artistic decision to perform at this venue meant that it wasn’t a performance just for show and it wasn’t to be performed to