Higher education in pedagogy is abundant in theoretical courses and knowledge, whereas practicum in schools in Russia, for example, only takes place in the 3rd or 4th year of the bachelor's degree programme, with a maximum length of 4 weeks, thus leaving the theoretical propositions without proper application. The gap between theory and real life…

This essay proposes that it is time to redesign educational curricula to take account of recent discoveries in the neuroscience of the human brain. The identification of mirror neurons has drawn attention to the importance of empathy as a determiner of action and their function is replicated in communication between actors, characters, and…

A meditation on drama practice from an artist in Canada. My university students are preoccupied with damage and trauma. There are paralyzing obstacles to working across differences that were useful for a time but no longer serve a robust solidarity. The stories we collect, tell and re-tell ourselves to prepare for a 'never again' are stifled if…

A dialogue between Taylor, a trans male Turkish-Canadian theatre student and Kathleen, a queer, cis-gendered female Scottish-Canadian theatre researcher considers some questions that queerness and trans identities in the drama classroom invite. Based on their mutual engagement in a virtual drama club in a Toronto high school in the 2020-2021…

This article examines the evolving nature of how race and difference are represented in creative applied theatre work in classroom and community-based settings. The author uses several examples of performances and workshops she's attended to ask important questions that point to the tensions percolating in our discipline around who gets to tell a…

Actors create theatre with and for with children in diverse theatrical, educational and therapeutic contexts but little is known about the 'artistry' of their practice. This paper analyses a theatrical encounter between a child and an actor and identifies four key qualities of 'pedagogically tactful' (van Manen 2016) actor practice: listening,…

Within a partnership between a California university and Globe Education (Shakespeare's Globe, London), this study features early-career teachers working to infuse Shakespeare and drama in diverse K-12 classes. Teachers needed links between a five-day immersive London course and new jobs in diverse California schools. A three-day university…

Nurses and actors both require the ability to demonstrate empathy in their practice. Mastering communication skills and techniques can inform an empathetic response. This skill is particularly important for nurses working in paediatric palliative and end of life care but there is lack of consensus whether empathy can be taught. The process an…

Recognising young women's authorship as a powerful force for civic change, we developed a creative framework for applied theatre that cultivates a space for young women to co-author "little words, BIG ISSUES": a diversity and inclusion workshop facilitated in cooperation with U.S middle school students. Activating girl-led activism…

In this article I examine the potential of including embodied teaching and learning through drama in teacher training in Switzerland, a concept which is novel in that context. In particular, I focus on two student teachers at the University of Teacher Education Zug, who volunteered to explore drama as a tool for teaching and learning across the…

Using iconic images created by students in Belfast and Sarajevo of their respective cities, this paper will explore how emerging ideas in the field of cognitive science (e.g. Gallagher, S. 2005. "How the Body Shapes the Mind." Oxford: Clarendon Press) can help explain the making and understanding of Augusto Boal's "Image…

In her research with students at the Independent Elementary School of Art in Bratislava (Slovakia), Daniela Evjáková observed differences as well as common factors between the work of a director and work of an educator. These commonalities and distinctions varied over the course of different stages of production and creation. Following a period of…

Certain repeated moral narratives support justifications for humanitarian interventions, and simultaneously inform perspectives of 'the figure of the refugee'. How does 'the humanitarian' appear in these narratives? How are the characters of 'the refugee' and 'the humanitarian' constructed in relation to one another? How does their interlinkage…

Following the devastating result of the May 2015 general election in the UK, the Institute for the Art and Practice of Dissent at Home organised "Compassion is dissent: Manifesto Slam." It put out an open call for participants, asking them to bring a three-minute manifesto as means of admission to the event. Here, the Institute showcases…

In this article, the author considers the place of drama in the formal curriculum in Ontario, Canada by considering its position in relation to curriculum theory and the texts that formally articulate it as a discipline to be taught in schools. The drama curriculum in Ontario aims to engage young people in activities and experiences that invite…