Creative supervision for drama teachers

Abstract

This article seeks to understand and explore the experience of a creative supervision group for drama teachers. The group was organized as part of the network of the Theatre Studies Alumni of the University of Athens (Greece) from January to June 2021. The restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic moved these meetings to the Zoom platform, giving the opportunity for drama teachers living outside Attica to participate. In this article, the author discusses the distinctions between dramatherapy and theatre education, as well as their similarities and differences in practice. The author first presents how theatre education works in Greece and then discusses the results of a questionnaire completed by the participants in the creative supervision group. The results suggest that a creative supervision group can provide the necessary feedback, release, and the safe aesthetic distance for drama teachers to work and reflect on issues that concern their students, parents, fellow teachers, as well as their own role.