Drama Strategy 7: Teacher in Role

            Teacher in role is a method of teaching that utilizes techniques of drama to facilitate education. It is a holistic teaching method designed to integrate critical thought, examination of emotionand moral values and factual data to broaden the learning experience and make it more relevant to everyday life situations.

Teacher in role with student on computer

If the role of a teacher is to teach, 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 insight of events and situations. This is where drama becomes an invaluable tool. Through the use of drama and dramatic conventions a teacher does not only teach and learn the "what" but also the "why" and "how".

Drama techniques in education allows students to take a step back out of usual teaching techniques. Students are able to communicate better in conceptual, personal and social levels as they are able to be a listener and speaker and reviver of knowledge. By using role-play, the teacher gives them a way to view and think about a situation using the "implied" behaviour for the role they are given. Also in turn, the teacher can allow the students to become in charge of their own learning and facilitate them in it. We empower the individual making their expertise greater than our own. Through role-playing, they gain knowledge of what the role entails.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teacher_in_role