By Marilou Ferlandt, cultural mediator, artist specializing in body shadow theater and director of Éditions du Pissenlit, www.pissenlit.ca.
Who hasn’t dreamed of giving demobilized students a little motivation boost? Who hasn’t noticed that an enthusiastic student is much more engaged and interested in class? While researching the benefits of theater arts, I came across a master’s thesis by Virginie Rouxel.
In it, she discovers that the motivational problems of her students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds are strongly linked to their self-esteem, their sense of belonging and their thirst for knowledge. She also discovered that theater is the perfect subject to work on these three elements to promote student motivation.
The memoir on which this article is based contains much more information than the following text. The title is: “Drama teaching in primary schools: an alternative to the motivational problems of students in disadvantaged areas”.1 Please also note that Virginie Rouxel is a lecturer at the Higher Theater School of the University of Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and a member of the Steering Committee of the Theater Education Research Group.
Positive self-esteem grows in a safe environment
So let’s start by stating the facts: although the main goal of studying acting is “to learn to create, interpret and appreciate artistic productions in a way that integrates the artistic dimension into daily life”2, we suspect that this Subject is also a fantastic means of activating students’ overarching skills and generating individual and collective benefits! And yes! Experts have long known that theater, among other things, helps to strengthen students’ self-esteem. But how does it work?
Virginie teaches us that self-love, self-image and self-confidence are the three components that form the foundation of self-esteem. In other words: the image we have of ourselves is created, among other things, by the reflection that the group sends back to us. If our self-love is too low and this judgment is negative, we tend to have poor self-perception. On the contrary, if our self-esteem is low but the external view is very positive, we will have a positive image of ourselves but may tend to need constant positive opinions to function well. Virginie then asks us a very interesting question: And if “dramatic art [agissait] as an intermediary between what the student is or perceives himself to be and what he can become? “3
In the art of acting, the body and soul are used as a whole. We cry, we laugh, we deform, we transform. We are a part of ourselves and sometimes someone completely different. The teacher becomes our mirror, he helps us to progress, to discover ourselves as we are and he teaches us to look at others with gentleness because… we are all here to progress, not true?
The more valuable I become in my eyes and in the eyes of others, the more the work and learning will be worth it. Effort takes on a new meaning.
As part of her dissertation, Ms. Rouxel surveyed 65 students between the ages of six and ten. It actually turns out that self-esteem is related to teammates or the public. Here are two exchanges that say a lot on this topic:
Dialogue 1
- (I.): Why do you think you are good at the theater?
- (R. 22): Because my friends encourage me (February 2013, Gr. 11).4
Dialogue 2
- (R. 6): Well, I didn’t know that there would be students who would think I was good. I was sure they would attack other people (May 2013, Gr. 32-42).
- (I.): Why do you think you are good?
- (R. 11): Because I managed to make the world laugh (May 2013, Gr. 31).5
The feeling of belonging on stage as in life
Working together brings you closer together! It is undeniable. We share our ideas, we invent a little world together, we support each other with the show in mind and in the end we trust each other by being together in adversity. Because the stage is a bit like life: we try things out and see if they appeal. It’s much easier in a group! In the course of the creative process “we will have developed our social intelligence, our critical sense and our sense of responsibility.” (…) The students will be taught “the joy of working together” (Meirieu, M., 1996, p. 30). » 6And suddenly the miracle happens! As soon as the performance is over, a new trust arises in the social environment that is not that of the family.
Here is another example from research.
- (I.): Did you enjoy performing in front of other groups?
- (All yes!
- (I.): Ok. Can you tell me why?
- (G.A): Me, because I had self-confidence.
- (I.): OK. What gave you confidence?
- (G. A): I knew that Mélanie and Maxime would do it with me. And Mélanie and Maxime, I trust them. 2013, Gr. 31).
However, in order to achieve this trust within the group, the teacher is very important. It is important to make it clear to students that they are all responsible for a harmonious classroom climate and that the quality of education they receive depends on their behavior. Prior collaboration is required to establish preferred behavior and settings with them.
The desire to know comes from the joy of creating
And then this magical thing happens when you’re involved in the creation of a show… We want to do it again! We want to rediscover the magical feeling we feel when we are on stage! We want to get better… We start to practice our role in the schoolyard and take ourselves seriously. We finally understand that the harder we try, the more we can make the audience laugh, for example. We push ourselves and then look for ways to become a better actor. Applause warms the heart 🙂 And above all, we have fun and games while learning.
(R. 15): In theater arts we learn, and it’s more fun to learn than to make a lot of mistakes (February 2013, grades 12-22).
Starting acting classes
After reading this article, you may be saying to yourself, “Yeah, but I don’t know anything about it!” When I was younger, I enjoyed acting, but I didn’t know how to teach it! »You want to try it, don’t you?
Of course, being able to work with an acting specialist is the best thing that can happen to students. However, if your students do not currently have access to a specialist for one reason or another and you have the opportunity to add a little drama to your curriculum, you are encouraged to do so!
Why not try the experiment to increase your students’ self-esteem, sense of belonging, and thirst for knowledge? And why not learn to teach it at the same time as they explore this topic? Adopting this learning position is also very helpful in reinforcing your role and showing students that it is possible to continue learning even as an adult! It calms the most fearful and shows the most rigid that we can let go without danger.
Resources to get you started
Getting started without a network can be a bit complex. So here are some resources to help you get started on your drama journey. These references come from Éditions du Pissenlit, of which the author is director.
- 20 workshops – emotions – documentation, including 20 workshops in the form of games with which you can discover the world of emotions together with your students. Included: Category cards, emotion cards and posters to make your work easier!
- 5 Classic Stories – Document in which 5 stories are written in the form of a play, easy to read or performed in a show. DIY templates for dolls and masks. Suitable for all primary school levels.
- Emotions in French class – explore them through theater – blog articles about games you can play in class to experience emotions. Play these games at the beginning of the year to engage your students in the learning process!
Finally, let’s talk to the children!
But before I let her speak, I would like to thank Ms. Rouxel for her masterful work, which, among other things, allowed me to discover these very tasty testimonies from children who share her vision of theater arts at school. This fully confirms the spirit with which I approach this topic that is so close to my heart 🙂
Don’t forget to take a look at this dissertation, where you will find ideas for learning and assessment situations that you can replicate with your students, as well as a detailed reflection on the question of motivation in disadvantaged environments that cannot be found in a simple article can be treated.
And now to the children!
Dialogue 3
- (I.): Are there any special things in theater that we are currently doing in this course?
- (R. 3): Play. It’s important to have fun (February 2013, Cl. 32-42).
- (R. 14): We can’t have fun in my class, but we can in the theater (February 2013, grades 12-22). (I.): What does the period mean for your theater?
- (R. 22: It represents pleasure (May 2013, Gr. 11).