Theater in the Elementary Classroom

I feel as though the learning experience I have gained through my theater class will significantly help me when I’m standing in front of a room full of second graders in the years to come. When my advisor told me that I would had to take Theater 101 during my freshman year here at IUP, I immediately thought “Um, Why?” I never really participated in much theater in high school, besides supporting one of my best friends in the musicals she took part in. Therefore, I was dreading taking this class. I didn’t particularly enjoy seeing or learning about theater and thought it obviously had nothing to do with my major. However, I quickly was proved wrong.
Throughout the past few weeks I have learned that theater does indeed relate to my major in countless ways. A classroom is a lot like a theater. In just a few short years I will be the performer, standing on the “stage” in front of the classroom. My students will avidly be listening to every word I say (hopefully), as the audience. The colorful bulletin boards and posters will set the mood for learning as scenery and the chalkboard, books, and other learning tools will be the props. I’ll have to wear the right costume that is respectable and appropriate to play my role as the teacher. However, I pray that I never stoop to the level of the almighty ABC sweater. Finally, the exchange that is going to hopefully be going on between myself and my students is what is really going to make the experience the most like theater. Therefore, teaching in front of a classroom is extremely like theater because you have the three basic necessities: a performance space, an audience, and a connection between the audience and performers. In this case, I will be the performer.
When I look back and remember the elementary school teachers that I really enjoyed, I think of the ones who were the most fun and animated. Whether they were reading a story or teaching us about addition, they were always very expressive. I think that this is an extremely important aspect to being a successful teacher of younger students. Kids get bored easily and you need to keep their attention. This obviously relates to theater because being dramatic and over emphasizing emotions is a major part of getting the audience to understand and keep up with what you are saying. In both cases, the dramatics are used to hold attention.
Another way that theater can relate to the elementary classroom, or any classroom for that matter, is through the use of a lesson plan. This is could be seen as a “script” of some sort. Both tell what needs to be accomplished and stated during the lesson plan or play. Both need to be prepared ahead of time and practiced. As a teacher you can’t just walk into a room with no idea of what you are going to do or teach the students. This would surely result in failure. This goes for a play as well. If the actors were to walk out blindly on stage with no previously written script, the audience would never understand any sort of message or theme that was meant to be delivered.
I now fully understand why Theater 101 was required for my major. I know longer dread the thought of going to another “pointless class” when I attend twice a week. I really do think this class will help me in my future as an elementary school teacher. I cannot wait to be able to take the information I have learned in class and relate it to my career in the next few years.