Communicating vessels: drama and human rights education in in-service teacher training

Nassia Choleva,Antonis Lenakakis,Myrto Pigkou-Repousi

doi:10.7577/hrer.4186

Nassia Choleva, Antonis Lenakakis + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.7577/hrer.4186

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Abstract

This paper supports the contention that the methodologies of human rights education and educational drama share a common ground and that that the three fundamental dimensions of human rights education (HRE) (learning about, through and for human rights) can be addressed through drama. Our quantitative research is focused on an educational drama workshop for in-service teachers that dealt with human rights and refugees. The data was collected through questionnaires and analysed with reference to six hypotheses. These hypotheses were about how highly motivated teachers assessed their knowledge of human rights and their readiness for teaching human rights by using educational drama methodologies. The data showed statistically significant increase on all of the above hypotheses after the teachers had been trained. Their levels of readiness were also found to be significantly higher after the end of the school year. This indicates that the drama training had an impact on teachers’ human rights education.

Highlights

Following global tendencies, in Greek schools there is a demand for a holistic education which takes into account the body and mind, as well as the spirit of every student
Our quantitative research is focused on an educational drama workshop for in-service teachers that dealt with human rights and refugees
In an attempt to contribute some quantitative data to international research on teachers’ inservice training, this study focuses on drama training in human rights education (HRE) and its impact on teachers’ knowledge and readiness for action

Summary

Introduction

In Greek schools there is a demand for a holistic education which takes into account the body and mind, as well as the spirit of every student. Greece has been recently challenged by a great wave of refugees, and there have been violations of refugee rights (Albawaba, 2021; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR], 2021), as well as the rise of a neo-Nazi, alt-right pseudo-political party which the courts have found to be a criminal organisation (Smith, 2020) These developments have brought back to the forefront of education key concerns—such as the inclusion of all students and respect for democracy and human rights. It has gradually become more difficult for teachers to address social issues or include a social angle in the subjects they teach They face multiple challenges: neoliberal approaches in the Greek education system; the abolition of subjects like the arts and sociology in upper secondary education according to an educational law—one voted on during the pandemic lockdown, no less (Government Gazette [Greece], 2020); their restricted presence in high schools and their fragmented presence in primary education. As in many other countries, Greek teachers are forced to serve a suffocating curriculum, which is assessmentorientated with little regard for critical thought, creative expression and inter-disciplinary approaches

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