THEATRE
The Southeast Center collaborated with the Chattanooga Theatre Centre to present a creative drama class for students in grades 3-5 focused on Cherokee storytelling. This class was used to pilot new theatre and visual arts material being developed for the We Want the Real Indians: Stereotyping and Cherokee Culture unit of study. Scholarships were provided for disadvantaged students who were bussed in from around the city by the Chattanooga Parks, Recreation, Arts & Culture Department. This effort enabled SCEA to field test instructional material and nurture local collaboration among cultural institutions. |
Study guides were prepared and distributed to secondary school teachers and college students for UTC Theatre Department productions. Teachers and interested community members were invited to a pre-show discussion with the director and designers. Following the performance, teachers reconvened to explore strategies for using the study guide. Teachers then prepared their students who attended the show during the second week of the run. |
The Chattanooga Community Foundation funded a Theatre Docent Program which established a collaboration between SCEA, the UTC Theatre Department, the Chattanooga Theatre Centre, and the Arts & Education Council to develop instructional materials and train volunteer docents from the community to prepare area school children to attend and critique youth theatre productions presented by the UTC Theatre Department, the Chattanooga Theatre Centre, and the Arts in Education Council. |
Center personnel have taught several workshops on theatre education for the Arts in Teaching and Teacher Education Initiative Project which is under the auspices of John Goodlad's Institute for Educational Inquiry. The project unites eight universities in an effort to transform elementary teacher education by connecting school reform with comprehensive arts education. |
Area elementary and secondary teachers met with college educators to explore multidisciplinary and multicultural curriculum connections. Significant drama, prose, poetry, songs and film were identified and correlated with social and historical events, symbols, and universal themes. The workshop was supported by a grant from the Tennessee Humanities Council. |
