Introducing drama into school curriculum can impact how teachers learn during in-service training programs at school as well as how children learn in lessons. Not just discussing lesson plans or events in lessons but in trying out activities children experience changes the way teachers view lessons and interact with each other. In this case, it can be said that the teachers take the role of not only a character but also a child. Just as children explore stories more deeply and vividly through putting themselves into a character’s shoes, teachers explore lessons more deeply and vividly through putting themselves into a child’s shoes. The author engages in a project of a primary school in Japan where teachers are encouraged to use drama in their lessons. Teachers in the school experience drama activities of a lesson in a pre- and post-lesson session. Achievements and problems of the project will be reported.
Takahiro Watanabe:
Associate professor of Graduate School of Education, Tokyo Gakugei University, Japan. He received his M.A. in Education in 2002 at Kyoto University. His major is curriculum and instruction, drama education and teacher education. His research theme is how learning at school can be expanded into learning making full use of body sensation and imagination. He is a teacher educator as well as a researcher. He leads a teacher education program centering on dialogue-based review sessions of mock lessons so that students can deepen reflection and develop culture of dialogue. He collaborates with in-service teachers and formed a study group “Manabino Kukan Kenkyukai” (Learning Space Study Group) for exploring the use of drama in learning.
