Bringing Theatre into the Classroom
Seattle Repertory Theatre and our partner theatres Seattle Children's Theatre, Book It Theatre, and Seattle Shakespeare Company bring you "the best summer workshop you'll ever take." Our 2010 workshops are coming up on July 12-16.
Questions? Contact Education Program Manager (206) 443-2210.
What is Bringing Theatre into the Classroom [BTiC]? BTiC is an engaging, fun, five-day intensive summer workshop that will teach you ways to integrate drama into your entire curriculum. First-hand involvement allows time to test ideas and build them into workable, practical lesson plans. In addition to the hands-on activities, you’ll have the opportunity to “try out” curriculum in a supportive environment with professional Teaching Artists and our resident Teen Interns, then walk away with an extensive resource notebook. Clock hours and university credit are available.
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How do we "bring it" (into the classroom)?
In addition to the week-long summer intensive, you’ll sign up for a one-week follow-up during the school year. A member of the BTiC faculty will travel to your school and work as collaborator, coach, or co-teacher, as you integrate lessons learned during the summer workshop into practical lesson plans in your classroom. Over the past 10 years, we have provided over 200 follow ups for teachers across the state. The follow up component is essential in helping you to provide quality arts infused education in your classroom. There is no additional charge for follow up.
“This [the follow-up] gave me a chance to use one of the projects that I was really interested in during BTiC, but with some concrete feedback. I did not feel like I was winging it, or making a ton of mistakes. Rachel was able to help me plan the best way to implement the project and give me feedback for how to improve it in the future.” Jennifer Aumann, Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus, 9th grade.
What happens during BTiC? Throughout the week, teachers choose workshops that are most suited for their classrooms and students. Through feedback from teachers, our curriculum has evolved, and the contents of workshops can easily be adapted for a range of grade levels from elementary to high school. In particular, we have increased our offerings for young students (pre-3rd grade) and middle school students. Following are some of the sample offerings:
Book-It’s workshops teach methods to make literature fun, physical and active for students. Teachers learn how to take literature from page to stage using the Book-It Style, which encourages an active relationship with a book through voice, body, and imagination. “The Power of Listening,” “Building Community through Storytelling,” “Make Literature Personal,” and “Prove your Point of View” are some of the units included. Sessions with Seattle Children’s Theatre bring a story alive using the creative techniques that story drama provides. Teachers take a ride through popular folktales and children’s literature to explore ways to create their own drama-based lesson plans. Story drama curriculum helps students expand their imaginations, improve listening and communication, and enhance problem solving and cooperative learning skills. Seattle Shakespeare Company’s workshops, including “You be the Bard” and “Discovery Shakespeare,” take plots from classical texts to allow students to use improvisation to write their own versions of the plays. Plot, character, given circumstances, intentions, and improvisation basics are explored with an emphasis on teaching Shakespeare actively through “on your feet” exploration of key scenes. These workshops include techniques to help students take ownership of the events that propel them through the action of the play. Workshops from Seattle Repertory Theatre offer teachers opportunities to learn a variety of acting exercises and playwriting activities. Each exercise is designed to integrate easily with teachers’ existing curriculum. Teachers choose between entry level courses focusing on rudimentary drama skills or more sophisticated classroom techniques designed to facilitate the creation and performance of student-generated original theatre pieces.
Book-It’s workshops teach methods to make literature fun, physical and active for students. Teachers learn how to take literature from page to stage using the Book-It Style, which encourages an active relationship with a book through voice, body, and imagination. “The Power of Listening,” “Building Community through Storytelling,” “Make Literature Personal,” and “Prove your Point of View” are some of the units included.
Sessions with Seattle Children’s Theatre bring a story alive using the creative techniques that story drama provides. Teachers take a ride through popular folktales and children’s literature to explore ways to create their own drama-based lesson plans. Story drama curriculum helps students expand their imaginations, improve listening and communication, and enhance problem solving and cooperative learning skills.
Seattle Shakespeare Company’s workshops, including “You be the Bard” and “Discovery Shakespeare,” take plots from classical texts to allow students to use improvisation to write their own versions of the plays. Plot, character, given circumstances, intentions, and improvisation basics are explored with an emphasis on teaching Shakespeare actively through “on your feet” exploration of key scenes. These workshops include techniques to help students take ownership of the events that propel them through the action of the play.
Workshops from Seattle Repertory Theatre offer teachers opportunities to learn a variety of acting exercises and playwriting activities. Each exercise is designed to integrate easily with teachers’ existing curriculum. Teachers choose between entry level courses focusing on rudimentary drama skills or more sophisticated classroom techniques designed to facilitate the creation and performance of student-generated original theatre pieces.
