The use of the convention Teacher in Role. The drama workshop "Van Gogh in Arles" as an indicative example
Athens, 25/11/2018
Avra Avdi, Greek language and literature teacher, drama teacher, Greece
Melina Chatzigeorgiou, drama teacher, Greece
Areti Kondylidou, archeologist, social anthropologist, Greece
2,5 hour workshop
Part of the 2018 ATHENS GREECE INTERNATIONAL THEATRE/DRAMA & EDUCATION CONFERENCE
organised by the Hellenic Theatre/Drama & Education Network (TENet-Gr)
Language: Greek
Τhe workshop combining theory and practice provides an example of the use of the Drama convention Teacher in Role (TiR) with 5th and 6th grade primary school pupils, as well as students in secondary school. The main aim of the workshop is to illustrate the educational value of TiR technique and to present an example of its use in the context of Drama in Education / Process Drama. The workshop entails a brief presentation of the theory underlying the TiR convention and the drama workshop "Van Gogh in Arles". The workshop was devised and implemented by a group of students in the context of the Process Drama course which A. Avdi and M. Chatzigeorgiou taught at the School of Drama, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. AretiKondylidou, who participates in the presentation of the workshop, was a member of the group. The drama lesson is based on Van Gogh's visit to Arles on 1888. A story is built around his visit which addresses issues around differentness with the arrival of a foreigner and specifically a foreign artist, who the closed provincial society of Arles treats with suspicion. The use of the TiR technique provides the opportunity for participants to experience this story in the "here and now", as they play various roles in improvisations with the facilitator. In addition, the participants have the opportunity to explore, both in and out of role, questions such as: What is it like to be different? How do we react to someone who is different and why? How does society treat the artists and why? What does art offer?
Avra Avdi is a Greek Language and Literature teacher and a Drama teacher. She worked in secondary education as a Greek Language and Literatute teacher as well as a Cultural Advisor (1982-2011). At the same time, for 15 years (2001-2016), she taught two Process Drama courses at the School of Drama, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She has been systematically involved with Drama in Education and school theatre, employing knowledge gained from postgraduate studies and related research. She has led seminars on teacher’s training and published a variety of articles on school theatre. Together with Melina Chatzigeorgiou she co-authored two books "The Art of Drama in education. 48 proposals for drama workshops "(Metaixmio 2007) and "When the teacher is in role.50 proposals for drama workshops with Teacher in Role" (Metaixmio 2018). In terms of language teaching, she has long experience in teaching and staff training, and has authored several texts in this field. More specifically, she has authored, as part of a team, “Ekfrasi-Ekthesi” (Expression-Dissertation, 1985-89), Curriculum on Greek language (1998), “‘Politropi Glossa” (Digital Educational Material, 2017).
Melina Chatzigeorgiou is a drama teacher with a B.A. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and an M.A. in Drama in Education. She has taught for 15 years at the School of Drama, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki two Process Drama courses. She has worked as drama teacher at state and public primary schools, at the Regional Theatre of Ioannina, at the “Children’s Home” of the National Theatre and at the National Theatre of Northern Greece. She has been involved with teacher training in the field of Drama and has taught at seminars organized by universities and various organizations such as the Hellenic Theatre/ Drama & Education Network, the Children’s Art Museum, Future Library, and others. She has devised and implemented drama education projects in museums and other organizations. She co-authored with AvraAvdi the books "The art of Drama in education. 48 proposals for drama workshops" (Metaixmio, 2007) and "When the teacher is in role.50 proposals for drama workshops with Teacher in Role" (Metaixmio, 2018).
Areti Kondylidou studied History and Archeology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Social Anthropology at the E.H.E.S.S., in Paris. Since 2006 she has been working at the Ministry of Culture, at the Service of Modern Monuments & Technical Works of Central Macedonia, in Thessaloniki. She is currently completing her studies in the Drama School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She has been involved in facilitating groups and educational programs with theatre methods, both within her theatre studies and in the context of her work.