Presentation and analysis of the project “Theatre in Suburbia “ developed and realized by Drama Studio Tirena
Description of the project
In one elementary school in Zagreb forty interactive theatres in education programs were performed. In that way most of the children from the school were involved in theatrical experience.
Why this particular school was chosen?
Out of the 1045 students
- subsides for food are given for 572 pupils;
- one third of the students are immigrants from Kosovo and have problems with communication and socialization;
- the social status of the students is quite low;
- the school has two special groups of children with minor mental retardation;
- 32 students received right for individual lessons.
Aims of the project ‘Theatre in Suburbia‘:
• Bring theatre to the children who do not have ‘access’, even though they live in a big town.
• Make a difference considering the general conditions at school.
• Each of the six programs has educational aim related to the education for tolerance and democracy.
1. Zdenka Mišura:
‘The May flier’s Flight’
The theme: The may fliers live only one day, still, their life is important and valuable.
In the program the classical theatrical performance is followed by workshops for children on the topics of values in life and friendship.
2. Ines Škuflić Horvat:
‘Green Island - Black Island’
Theme: discussing the responsibility of individual ecological activity
During the whole program the students’ participation is an integral element.
3. Iva Gruić: ‘The Onyx Cave’
Theme: How to deal with success and lack of it.
During the whole program the students’ participation is integral element, in the role of the clumsy students of the witch school they go to the Onyx cave to make a complicated spell against their clumsiness.
4. Maja Sviben: ‘2042 AD - Understanding Before Violent Action’
Theme: What to do with bullying?
After the performed part which presents the problem, the students are invited to give their solutions.
5. Kristina Jakšić: ‘All Know Everything, Nobody Asks a Single Question’
Interactive program in which students with the help of the two ‘older ladies’ explore the topics related to sexuality and puberty. Through the forum theatre scene they ‘exercise’ how to say ‘no’ if they don’t want to do something.
6. Ines Škuflić Horvat: ‘De/contamination’
Theme: responsibility
During the whole program the students’ participation is an integral element - because of the ecological catastrophe, the students are ‘evacuated’ on another planet and there they establish their own laws and rules of behavior. The students’ discussions were exciting.
After each program the students and the teachers were asked to express their impressions through a questionnaire.
Here some of the results are presented.
Results of the questionnaires for students:
• All programs were graded with grades bigger than 4 (out of 5).
• All themes were accepted as very interesting.
• The answers to the particular questions after each program have shown the importance of the chosen topics from the students’ point of view.
‘The May flier’s Flight’
• Answers to the question when have you been in a dangerous situation range from ‘I was infected by tick on my back’ to ‘My brother is beating me.’
During the ‘2042 AD - Understanding Before Violent Action’ program the students answered the question what to do with bullies:
• They should be punished and forced to attend some kind of sport activity so they would have less time and energy to engage in violence.
• Small security cameras should be installed.
• School should be patrolled by security officers wearing civilian clothes.
After the program ‘All Know Everything, Nobody Asks a Single Question’
• 96% of the students claimed that they have learned new and useful facts
Comments:
I’d like to know more about sex and learn about girl’s menstrual period.
How to accept the baby if we are still juvenile?
Conclusion:
Six performed programs are very different. On one hand they differ considering the type and level of interactivity: in one program the workshop part is separated from the performance, connected only by the major theme; in the three programs the performed and the workshop parts go one after another; in the two programs the students are made the part of the fictional world from the beginning to the end.
On the other hand, the programs differ considering the educational aims: the two programs deal with learning facts and meanings, while the other programs are concerned with more general values.
IN SPITE OF THE DIFFERENCES, THE RESULTS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRES SHOW THAT ALL THE PROGRAMMES COMMUNICATE WELL WITH STUDENTS, THAT THEY SEE THEM AS USEFUL AND WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART IN THEM AGAIN.
Results from the questionnaire for the teachers
- Do you think that the themes in the programs are important and appropriate for children?
- yes 86%;
- to a certain degree 14%;
- no 0%.
- Do you think that the performances were an adequate way for conveying meanings, for learning and encouraging values?
- yes 93%;
- no 7%.
- How useful do you think that this method of working with children is?
- completely useful 73%;
- to a certain degree 27%;
- no 0%.
- How important do you see the fact that the performances are interactive?
- very important 83%;
- to a certain degree 17%.
- Do you think that those performances can indirectly influence the ‘good’ values in children’s way of thinking?
- yes 83%;
- no 17%.
- Did you use the performances as an impulse for further work with children?
- sometimes 69%;
- often 31%.
The project continues:
• In the same school there will be (free) workshops for children: drama, music and dance; the goal is to make a performance for the end of the year.
• In the second school of the similar type the same project will be performed.
• In the third school the situation is different because of significant social differences between the children. Therefore through the project some performances aimed to enhance the children’s learning will be performed.