Presentation
The Theater Arts and Care: A Classroom-Based Study on Social Justice and the Theater Arts
Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA)
(2007)
Abstract
In the current political climate where policy narrowly defines educational quality by test-scores, educators may overlook the importance of building relationships in which students can learn to care about others to foster social justice. This study chronicles one schools attempt to teach toward care through a theater-arts production on Martin Luther King. Student interviews, discussion groups, surveys, and written work demonstrate which aspects of the experience impacted student learning. The (1) performance aspect necessitated interdependence, fostering caring relationships; (2) having an audience inspired the students to care about the history of the civil rights movement; and (3) an experience of injustice through acting led to understanding the potential for caring about other cultures, a foundation for social justice necessary for quality education.
Disciplines
Publication Date
April 12, 2007
Location
Chicago, IL
Comments
Presented as part of the session: Cultural Inquiry From the Classroom.
Also Presented at Mills Teacher Scholars (2005-2006).
Citation Information
Colette Rabin. "The Theater Arts and Care: A Classroom-Based Study on Social Justice and the Theater Arts" Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) (2007) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/colette_rabin/61/