Harnessing Applied Theatre in Teacher Education for Self-Reflection and Identity Awareness

Sir Ken Robinson's influential TED talk (2017) underscores that teaching is not merely information delivery; it's an art that hinges on facilitating learning. "Teaching properly conceived is not a delivery system. You're not just there to pass on received information. The role of the teacher is to facilitate learning". This perspective prompts us to ponder what truly defines a remarkable teacher. As someone deeply engaged in teacher training, I've often observed technically proficient lessons that lack that special 'spark.' This elusive ingredient seems to reside within the intricate dynamics of teacher-learner interactions.

Teacher identity has evolved beyond mere technical competence; it now encompasses a spectrum of social roles, relationships, and community affiliations. Identity is a dynamic negotiation between personal agency and external influences. To propel teacher development towards meaningful practice change, we must incorporate deliberate reflection on teacher identity.

Applied Theatre, with a particular nod to Augusto Boal's contributions, offers a treasure trove of insights into teaching as a performative art. Teaching, akin to a performance, is heuristic, improvised, embodied, and emergent. Wahl (2011.21) aptly highlights the need for teachers to emotionally engage students, considering the audience's expectations of 'feeling.'

The notion that learning is fundamentally rooted in action and experience, an idea championed by Rousseau and Locke, resonates through the works of Progressive Education pioneers like John Dewey and Vygotsky. These luminaries underscored the centrality of embodied social interaction and play in the learning process.

Despite drama's rich history in education, contemporary research on performative approaches in Teacher Education remains relatively sparse. In educational contexts, there exists an expansive realm to explore the intersections of human experiences and emotions with Teacher Education. Applied Theatre, with its emphasis on encouraging participants to 'feel' and express emotions, emerges as a potent tool for stimulating self-reflection and raising awareness of both self and others. To delve deeper into this transformative potential, I have conducted a series of diagnostic workshops with teachers, leveraging Applied Theatre techniques to invigorate their self-reflection on teacher identity and elevate their awareness of the complex dynamics between self and others, all while fostering transformative learning experiences. See the video for what the participants thought of the experience.

Participants' testimony on the Facilitation Skills workshops