Engaging Drama Games to Support Classroom Management
Young students are more likely to remember and enjoy school routines if guided play is involved.
This article was originally published on Edutopia
“In play, a child is always above his average age, above his daily behavior; in play it is as though he were a head taller than himself.” So wrote Lev Vygotsky, the Russian pioneer of child development and a champion of imaginative play. Researchers have continued to develop this theory, finding that children level up when they “self-distance” or pretend to be someone else. So it makes sense, then, that during the many times in a day when we ask kids to follow directions, we can turn to their imaginations for positive outcomes.
Purposeful Play for Productive Classrooms
Although it might seem counterintuitive to play your way to better behaviors, thinking that it might lead to chaos in the classroom, research shows otherwise. Studies show that children become more active participants in the classroom when they engage in guided play. When they make-believe with adult support, it builds their executive function, growth mindset, and social skills.
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Learn More Drama Games for Classroom Management
1. Follow the Leader
Every day, there are inevitable transitions that require moving your class from place to place. But what if a journey to the yard or the art room could involve an element of play? A version of Follow the Leader could accomplish this.
“In addition, new experiences stimulate dopamine neurons, and students are more likely to remember and repeat the desired behavior .”
2. Restaurant
Often, students need to eat lunch in the classroom, and that gets messy. Whether it’s a rainy day or a birthday celebration, set up a routine through imaginative play with the game Restaurant. Students can take turns being waiter, maître d’, or patron.
“When you ask for playful participation, rather than compliance, it can boost your students’ morale and engender trust.”
3. Wind-Up Clean Up
Whether it is asking kids to put away materials or tidy their desks, games are here to help. Play Wind-Up Clean Up, where students become cleaning robots with a pretend mechanism on their backs that powers them up.
“Ultimately, relationships between students and teacher are the bedrock of successful classroom management.”
4. Sneaky Tag
Another option for playful clean-up is a version of Night at the Museum, or something I call Sneaky Tag, where kids start as frozen statues.
Learn More About Theatre Games in the Classroom with Jocelyn
Read the Full Article about The Surprisingly Positive Effect of Drama Games on Classroom Management on Edutopia
