Teacher in role Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
If the role of a teacher is to teach, therefore the role of a student must be to learn. However it has been agreed that learning is not only an exercise in reading and reciting facts, but in gaining a deeper understanding of events and situations. This is where Drama becomes an invaluable tool, through the use of drama and dramatic conventions we can not only teach and learn the WHAT but also the WHY and HOW.=The idea of Role=
We each adopt different 'roles' in everyday situations, these roles change with the situation, we all have numerous roles in life. If we imagined those roles as hats, which we wear at appropriate times, eg. Son, Brother, Teacher, Employee etc. These roles have "implied" behaviour, which we all know. It is this implied social behaviour which we can use in drama.
By using role-play, and allowing a class, to assume the roles of another person eg. Firemen, policemen, carers etc. We give them a way to view, and to think about a situation, using the "implied" behaviour for the role they are given, and also in turn as a teacher we can allow a class to become in charge of their own learning and facilitate them in it. We empower the individual making their expertees greater than our own. Through playing they gain knowledge of what their role entails.
The following is an example of the use of teacher in role, it will show how it can be used, and expected outcomes.
The teacher asks the class to move all the furniture to the sides of the room and to bring a chair and sit facing him, the teacher then starts a discussion about what it is like to be a social worker, he explains what a social worker does and how they are there to help people. he then goes on to frame the group as social workers (see frames and distance) he asks them if they would like to do this, the group agree and they make a verbal contract with each other.
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Teacher in role
The use of teacher in role is aimed at the facilitation of learning, it is a holistic way of doing so, and can create real emotions and real thoughts connecting to the world around us and events which are happening/have happened around us. This first introduction in the role of a social worker, allows the children to feel empowered,
they gain a sense of the task in hand, and as a group make a contract to work with each other.The teacher from now on calls the group "Social workers" and aything he asks them to do, he does treating them with the same respect as he would a real social worker. The teacher produces a pre-printed questionaire and a case study for the group to use. The case study is an extract from the story "The Three Little Pigs" it concentrates on the part when the wolf falls down the chimney and gets boiled in the pot. The questionairre asks basic questions about who is to blame for the accident, and wether or not the wolf should be sent to jail. The teacher asks the "social workers" to form small groups and just fill out the questionairre. This exercise is designed to re-enforce the role of a social worker, and to bring the ideas of right and wrong
into the minds of the groups, also whilst the group is split into smaller groups the teacher can walk around them
and have discussions with them about there answers and again re-enforce their role in the drama.Next the teacher calls the group back to the chairs and asks them to briefly discuss their findings, noting on a blackboard main points and especially things to do with the morality of the story. He then goes on to explain that the courts have asked this groups of social workers to speak to Mr Wolf, and try and gain some idea of Why he did what he did. At this point if the group do not seem very responsive and need more encourage ment, the teacher can ask the group to think of questions which they would like answering, these can again be noted on the blackboard. The teacher then explains that he is leaving the room and that he is going to invite Mr Wolf in, he tells them that he is very frightened after his ordeal and that loud noise, and lots of people talking may scare him away, he asks that when Mr wolf comes in they try and make him as comfortable as possible. The group agrees. The groups are brought back together to share their findings, this allows the group to see that their
ideas are not silly, and that most of them are thinking alike, writing the questions, and
opinions on the board, allows the group to have a refrence point for the next exercise.
The idea of the teacher leaving the room, and having a visitor is very exciting, the group are nervous
and have little idea what to expect, asking them to be nice, creates another contract between the group.
The teacher leaves the classroom and puts on a furry coat and hat, then walks back into the room in the "role" of Mr Wolf, he is frail, and is in pain. The groups first reaction is to laugh, as they see the character enter the room and sit down. The teacher keeps control of the room by sitting down and starting to talk very quietly. Asking the people at the front of the room who they are, and why he is here. The group eventually all become interested in this conversation and begin to listen. Mr Wolf starts the groups off by saying something like "So what is it you want to know, I suppose you've heard their side of the story." If the group starts to shout over each other, Mr Wolf gets frightened, and starts to cower, the group notice the body language and calm down, they start to ask questions, putting their hands up in the air. Mr Wolf answers the questions, and gradually tells them how he was hungry and was just asking for some food, and how the Three pigs tricked him, (The first house which was made of straw tickled his nose, and that made him sneeze, blowing it down, when he tried to say sorry the pig ran, so he followed him to make sure he was okay. The second pigs house, made of sticks had a stick poking out, which caught Mr Wolfs coat, and when he pulled away, he accidentally knocked the house down. He tried to say sorry but the pigs ran away. Mr Wolf caught up with them at the third house, where he knocked on the door and asked to be in, because he was thirsty after the long run. The pigs told him to go away. Then they hatched an evil plan, they told him that the door was stuck and that he could happily have a drink and something to eat, but he would have to get in somehow. Mr Wolf suggested the windows and doors, but the pigs said they were all locked, and that he should come through the chimmney, Mr Wolf was worried he might hurt himself so the pigs said they would leave a pot of water their to break his fall, and that so he didnt get a cold they would warm the water for him a little bit, of course when he fell in the water was boiling hot, and all the pigs did was dance around and laugh then throw Mr Wolf out on the road.)
After the questions have stopped and the group seem to be moving away from the point Mr Wolf realises he has to see his probation officer and leaves the room. The teacher then takes off the cotume and comes back in, apologising that he took so long but one of the other teachers wanted to talk to him, he asks the group where Mr Wolf has gone, they tell him. This was the main teacher in Role part, the teacher through interacting with the children as a character
allows them to explore the person as a whole, and think things like "Do i like this person"
"Do I belive their story" etc, and whilst in the role of Social Workers, they are also thinking like a
social worker.
The teacher then asks the group to take another of the questionairres that they filled out earlier, and to read the case notes again, and then write their answers, in small groups. This should hopefully create discussion about lies, and truth, and telling stories
When the group have filled in their forms the teacher collects them in and asks the group wether or not they believed Mr Wolf, and if they think that he should be put in prison because he is dangerous. Most of the group will say that he shouldn't be. the teacher then explains that he will send these forms off to the judge who will then make a decision.
The teacher then asks the group to put back the pens and papers and to put the chairs and room back into order, before going for break/lunch etc. When they come back into the room they are the class again. As a follow up the group could recieve a letter later in the day giving the judges verdict,
or the group could be asked to interview more characters, or create the scene of the crime,
and make tableau's (still images using themselves) of major events in the story from both
points of view, which could then lead to them taking on the roles of the characters in a
court room situation, with themselves as judges, jury, witnesses etc.
This exercise gives an understanding of numerous issues, from the legal system, to media and how a story is reported, it has a potential to enter into a lot of subjects, and could be a starting point for literature, art, and other countless activities, as well as more drama. The reaction of the children is one of the main points of the exercise, they begin to care about others, and think of both sides of the story. It may give them a greater understanding of the world around them, or at the very least gives them an opportunity to talk as another, and have fun.