I have what feels like a scandalous confession. At the very least, it is incredibly ironic.
I don't like dramatic play.
There. I said it.
I'm working on being honest with myself, both personally and professionally. I have a long history of letting annoyance/resentment/frustration build inside of me until I just about explode. The faster I can face whatever unpleasant feeling I'm feeling, the more quickly I can act to address it in more constructive ways. So there it is. I just don't like dramatic play.
The irony, of course, is that I have a BFA in acting. I spent four years of study and a subsequent career invested in very elaborate dramatic play!
I know. It doesn't make sense to me, either.
To be fair, there are parts of it that I like. I like planning spaces and providing materials for dramatic play. I like watching the developmental progression of dramatic play as children mature. I like seeing my students play "teacher" and getting priceless feedback - right from the source - about my own tone and body language.
But, if given a choice, I'd rather sit alongside my students and chat with them as we mold play dough. Or unobtrusively watch them as they work together to build with blocks. Or offer a warm observation about the piece of art they are creating. I think what I like is that I understand my roles in these situations. I am fellow explorer, researcher, audience. Dramatic play is complicated, though; I feel less sure of my role as a teacher. And part of my discomfort, I think, stems from the very reason children need dramatic play so badly: The exploration of power dynamics in relationships.
Those dynamics are incredibly nuanced. Who is taking on which role? Who is delegating tasks and who is acting on them? Who is compromising? Who will tolerate being told what to do, for how long, and how will they express when they are done? Are the conflicts real or imaginary? How do the players know? Who is creating the script? How does it change? For what may seem like "just playing pretend," dramatic play is tricky stuff. Even for me, who is 36 and performed professionally.
That's why I'm challenging myself to more actively discern my role in it, however unclear or uncomfortable that might be. It is far too rich with potential and learning for me to keep avoiding it, watching awkwardly from a different corner of the room. I just don't know what that role is or what it looks like.
Not yet, anyway.
What is the teacher's role in dramatic play for your classroom?
I don't like dramatic play.
There. I said it.
I'm working on being honest with myself, both personally and professionally. I have a long history of letting annoyance/resentment/frustration build inside of me until I just about explode. The faster I can face whatever unpleasant feeling I'm feeling, the more quickly I can act to address it in more constructive ways. So there it is. I just don't like dramatic play.
The irony, of course, is that I have a BFA in acting. I spent four years of study and a subsequent career invested in very elaborate dramatic play!
I know. It doesn't make sense to me, either.
To be fair, there are parts of it that I like. I like planning spaces and providing materials for dramatic play. I like watching the developmental progression of dramatic play as children mature. I like seeing my students play "teacher" and getting priceless feedback - right from the source - about my own tone and body language.
But, if given a choice, I'd rather sit alongside my students and chat with them as we mold play dough. Or unobtrusively watch them as they work together to build with blocks. Or offer a warm observation about the piece of art they are creating. I think what I like is that I understand my roles in these situations. I am fellow explorer, researcher, audience. Dramatic play is complicated, though; I feel less sure of my role as a teacher. And part of my discomfort, I think, stems from the very reason children need dramatic play so badly: The exploration of power dynamics in relationships.
Those dynamics are incredibly nuanced. Who is taking on which role? Who is delegating tasks and who is acting on them? Who is compromising? Who will tolerate being told what to do, for how long, and how will they express when they are done? Are the conflicts real or imaginary? How do the players know? Who is creating the script? How does it change? For what may seem like "just playing pretend," dramatic play is tricky stuff. Even for me, who is 36 and performed professionally.
That's why I'm challenging myself to more actively discern my role in it, however unclear or uncomfortable that might be. It is far too rich with potential and learning for me to keep avoiding it, watching awkwardly from a different corner of the room. I just don't know what that role is or what it looks like.
Not yet, anyway.
What is the teacher's role in dramatic play for your classroom?
