Marcia Rowe, Gleaner Writer
St Catherine High School's performing arts group of 2006 depicts the life of biblical character Job at the school's amphitheatre on Emancipation Day. - Anthony Minott/Freelance Photographer
This is the final of four articles on the state of Jamaican theatre. It is hoped that by focusing the spotlight on this branch of the performing arts it initiates a conversation that will produce positive actions.
A (drama) class is a group of individuals who bring not only their individual points of view, but also their individual experiences, vision and interpretation to the situation
Drama in education can be traced as far back as Ancient Greece. The teaching of drama has made its way to a number of schools throughout Jamaica and now, in the form of theatre arts, is one of the subjects offered at the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) level.
Therefore, it is no wonder that a large percentage of the graduates of the School of Drama at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts as well as Excelsior Community College are applying their skills at primary, junior high and high schools. But are they fighting an uphill battle? Why is it necessary to teach drama as a subject in schools?
Drama educators have stated that the objective of teaching drama is to engage students emotionally, and hence enhance their intellectual development. With proper guidance, a child is capable of using emotion and intellect to explore his or her social setting and challenge ideas and attitudes in order to grow in self-confidence and, ultimately, formulate and debate other ideas. In other words, to become critical thinkers.
Therefore, the purpose of drama in the curriculum is to nurture the development of children's social and intellectual skills. To achieve this, there must be an understanding of the students' emotional level.
Drama, the subject, should not be confused with the study of dramatic literature or the study of theatre. Although some elements of theatre are applied or taught in a drama class, the major difference is that theatre requires an audience, but drama is children 'acting out'. However, the focus is not on students 'acting out the drama', but the encounter between students participating in the events and the tension that motivates them.
Albeit that schools differ in the grade level that instruction begins (at St Andrew High School for Girls drama is taught at grades seven to nine; Oberlin High School's drama begins at grade eight; Papine High School introduces the subject at grade nine; Ocho Rios begins at grade 10 and Bridgeport High School from grades seven to 11), the importance of drama to the development of students is not lost on some principals. According to the figures given by the Ministry of Education, from 2006-2007 the number of schools offering drama and theatre arts (for students sitting CXC- CSEC) is 262.
At Oracabessa High School in St Ann, principal Paul Lofters believes "the teaching of drama will help to unearth the rich talents of the students; it (drama) meets the needs of the students as well and it is a means to expand the school's curriculum".
Significance of drama
Members of the cast of the 2007 'The Rose Slip' rehearse at the Dennis Scott Studio Theatre, Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. Many actors and actresses who graduate from Edna Manley and the Excelsior Community College go into teaching drama. - Contributed
Principal Clayton Hall and vice-principal Dartel Hamilton of Four Paths Primary and Junior High School both recognise the significance of drama in their school's curriculum. Hamilton, who studied drama in education at university level, explained that drama develops mental reasoning, while Hall sees the subject as a creative avenue.
Students exposed to the subject, drama, seem to respond favourably by all accounts. But, do their parents (some of whom do not miss seeing a play) share the same views?
Lofters said the level of interest shown by his students is high, as they often want to remain in the drama class after the class has officially ended. And "the Oracabessa High School parents are very supportive of the subject as it exposes them, through their children, to the avenues of theatre". The staff also welcomes the teaching of drama.
Delores Ricketts, head of the Department of Performing Arts at Edwin Allen Comprehensive High School, explains that it is the raw talent displayed by her students that has sustained her in teaching drama for more than 20 years.
At Four Paths Primary and Junior High School, Nadine Little has been teaching drama for eight years. Her students "find the subject exciting, as they see it as a break from the chalk and board subjects". However, she observed that parents are more concerned about their children's performance in mathematics and English language than drama.
While it is encouraging that students seem to accept and are enjoying their drama classes, the spaces in which they are conducted is of great concern to teachers.
At schools such as St Andrew High School for Girls, Oberlin High and Ocho Rios High schools, drama classes are taught in the schools' hall or auditorium. At some of these schools, the space is shared with other subjects.
Edwin Allen Comprehensive High and Papine High have designated drama classrooms. But at Edwin Allen the classes, with an average of 43 students each, are too big for the space, and with two teachers teaching the subject there is need for a larger space.
Nadine Little at Four Paths Primary and Junior High has no designated space to teach drama, so classes are taught in regular classrooms. This lack of appropriate teaching space restricts the types of activity used. In fact, for each session half of her drama class is conducted indoors and the other half outdoors. With classes averaging 35 students at each grade level, seven to nine, it can be very frustrating, especially knowing that "drama is an enactive learning process". And what happens when it rains?
While a large percentage of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts and Excelsior Community College graduates are employed as drama teachers, there is still a shortage of qualified teachers. To fill the void some schools have to employ graduates of other institutions, such as the University of Technology (UTech) and College of Agriculture Science and Education (CASE).
Despite their natural ability to conduct their classes in a creative and meaningful manner, these 'surrogate' drama teachers are experiencing difficulties. With the introduction of the Reform of Secondary Education (ROSE) Programme some teachers were invited to workshops designed to help make them more competent drama teachers, with the promise that they will be supervised on a regular basis. But so far that is all it has been - a promise.
Lack of teaching text
The lack of relevant teaching texts, especially for theatre arts, is another major concern for drama teachers. Currently, there are approximately three texts that are available to teachers and students.
The solution? If drama is to take its rightful place in the education system then the concerns mentioned must be addressed by the relevant stakeholders: the Ministry of Education, teachers, parents and students. Maybe then more principals and policy makers will accept that drama is more than just an extra-curricular activity. And parents will realise that drama can speak a universal language that embodies the contents of all other subjects, traditional and non-traditional, while developing social skills and the application of critical thinking.
Finally, for the last few weeks the state of Jamaican theatre has been discussed through the prism of the play-scripts, the theatre space, the actors and actresses and the teaching of drama in schools. The conclusion is that strides have been made, but there is much room for improvement in all areas. And so, as the curtains close on this dialogue it is hoped that the conversation continues until action is taken. It is also hoped that in areas where growth is evident all effort will be made to sustain it and the weak or negative areas be addressed.
What say you?
