Drama & the 4 C'S
The 4 C’s underpin Drama Tree’s philosophy and teaching experiences in
every single session.
Overview
Communication
Is your child open and talkative at home but shy or withdrawn in public? Perhaps they chatter away but are still learning the art of listening? Does your child mumble or find it difficult to articulate ideas or emotions?
Drama Tree explores the art of effective communication - how can we speak so our words are effective? How do we assert our voice in a group so we are heard and understood? How can we be active listeners to make connections with others?
At Drama Tree, we explore both non-verbal communication: physical theatre, movement, mime, facial expressions and gestures, and vocal skills: articulation, tone, projection, modulation, expression, pausing and pace. As they say: it’s all in the delivery!
Creativity
People often think of creativity as being a whizz with a paintbrush or improvising jazz on the saxophone. In fact…creativity means thinking outside the box, looking at a problem from different perspectives, innovative thinking, imaginative thought. Creativity is crucial to success as adults.
All children are naturally creative and curious learners. Drama Tree fosters this creativity by giving children autonomy to explore ideas and concepts in different ways - through words, the body and face, props, sounds and music. Children devise pieces, making things up along the way, creating imaginary worlds and fresh ways to express their ideas.
Collaboration
What could be more crucial than the skill of working with others to achieve great things?
Drama Tree uses pair, group and ensemble work in every lesson. Students learn various roles and responsibilities: how to be a leader, how to be a listener, how to play a supportive role, and how to be part of an ensemble. They are given constant opportunities to:
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Plan and make group decisions
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Use conflict-resolution skills to negotiate group decisions
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Contribute resources, ideas, and support group members
These skills will bring success in all facets of future life.
Critical Thinking
Drama Tree develops critical thinking by asking how and why. In what ways do these perspectives differ from others? How could we solve these real-life problems? Solving real-world problems through play = authentic learning. There are no right or wrong answers as we explore a myriad of ways to approach concepts, issues, problems and ideas.
In drama, we role-play. When children pretend to be a someone other than themselves, they develop empathic identification: ‘stepping into someone else’s shoes’. This approach provides a deeper understanding of human nature, motivations and of themselves. Empathic identification leads to considering multiple perspectives, even those we disagree with.
Drama Tree gives children autonomy and independence to come up with interesting and creative solutions to problems. We facilitate children’s learning process, not control it.