Abstract
During the International Drama and Education Association (IDEA) Congress in Kenya in 1998, the life of two educators crossed roads. Although both are from different geographical contexts (Colombia and the United States), they have shared the same passion: to encourage in their societies the implementation of dramatic arts in different educational settings (schools, universities, communities) so children and adults could develop to their fullest, thus enabling them to participate actively in building a more democratic society. Fifteen years after this encounter, they met again in the 2013 IDEA Congress in Paris to reflect on their efforts during their life spans. Through examining their drama practices, they discuss how this human expression functions as a critical thinking art form, changing players, audiences, and communities. Lessons derived from their experiences might be useful for a new generation of transformational drama leaders.
Highlights
During the International Drama and Education Association (IDEA) Congress in Kenya in 1998, the life of two educators crossed roads
Through different educational research projects in partnership with communities from diverse cultural contexts (Indigenous, Afrodescendent, Campesino, Urban), she has included dramatic play as a qualitative participatory inquiry strategy. She is the recipient of two Fulbright Research Awards (1995, 2007) and the 1999 Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE) Award for her doctoral dissertation: “Play for Real: Understanding middle schoolaged children’s dramatic play”
What we were doing is what is known as Theatre for Children; still I wondered how can children themselves express through this art form and how should we as educators enhance self-expression? This brought me to the world of Creative Drama
Summary
Playing in a Supportive Atmosphere Laura: I was born in Gilbert Minnesota in 1935 during the height of the depression. We moved to Wisconsin to the farm where my mother grew up. The blanket went up on the clothes line and our humble front yard on a little farm in Wisconsin became anywhere I wanted it to be through the magic of theatre. We had long school days, so some classmates and I had a good time at recess improvising stories and performing them in special occasions. This is very different from what students experience today: at home, they spend hours and hours in front of the television and rarely have opportunities to play with friends at school because of the drastic reduction of recess time
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
