Divergent Learning in the Drama Classroom

Episode 171: Divergent Learning in the classroom There is no class that is more divergent than the drama classroom. You have the vast number of different students who end up in your classroom, some who want to be there and some who don’t. You also have the ability to look for many different solutions to a problem in the drama classroom. There is often more than one way to play a character, to interpret a scene, to apply creative thinking. Theatre is the perfect place for divergent learning to happen. Show Notes The Plays of Steven Stack The Drama Teacher Academy Episode Transcript Welcome to TFP – The Theatrefolk Podcast – the place to be for Drama teachers, Drama students, and Theatre educators everywhere. I’m Lindsay Price, resident playwright for Theatrefolk. Hello! I hope you're well. Thanks for listening! This would be Episode 171 and you can find any links to this episode in the show notes which are at Theatrefolk.com/episode171. Today, we’re talking with one of our playwrights, one of Theatrefolk’s playwrights, Steven Stack, who also has many other talents and many other hats that he wears – one of them is that he has a background, he actually went to school for this in divergent learning. So, mostly for my sake, let’s define that word. To be divergent – and I’m going to mention this in the interview, I keep thinking of the book series and the movie but that’s not what we’re talking about – is to move or extend in different directions from a common point. Let’s say, a script or an idea or a character or being different from the “typical student” – to differ in opinion, to deviate from a plan, practice, or path. I think both you and I know that there is no more class that is more divergent than the drama classroom. You have a vast number and a variety of different students who end up in your classroom – some who want to be there, some who really don’t – and I know all of you have had students who deviated from “the path” – again, I’ll use those air quotes – you know, “the path” and they’re ending up in your classroom, too. You also have the ability to look for many different solutions to a problem in a drama classroom. There is always more than – well, let’s not say “always” – there are a lot of times when there is more than one way to play a character, to interpret a scene, to apply creative thinking. Theatre is the perfect place for divergent learning to happen. That’s my two cents. Let’s hear what Steven has to say on the matter. LINDSAY: All right. I am talking to Steven Stack. Hello, Steven! STEVEN: Hello, Lindsay! LINDSAY: How are you doing? STEVEN: I am doing great. How about you? LINDSAY: I’m doing peachy. I’m doing absolutely peachy. STEVEN: Peachy? Very nice! LINDSAY: Why not? I’m trying to mix it up a little – not be awesome all the time. Sometimes, I have to be a fruit. STEVEN: Exactly! So, now I feel like I should have gone with, like, a pineapple. I had a chance there. LINDSAY: But that was, in a very subtle way, sort of a great example of the thing that we’re going to talk about today which is Divergent Learning. Of course, I also wat to say – which I’ll also talk you up greatly in the introduction as I always do – that Steven is one of our fabulous Theatrefolk playwrights. When we get to the Theatrefolk News at the end of this, I’m going to name them all – Bottom of the Lake; Ashland Falls; She Wrote, Died,