Team Building Drama Strategies

Hello Readers!

I decided to do a blog post on team building drama strategies after I discussed group improvisation in my previous posting. Group improv is a good way to get your students working together as a team! As educators, we all know how important it is to get your students working together effectively and creating a community vibe to your classroom. In light of this, I want to share a strategy that I have learned about that could be great team building activities for your students.
One of the strategies I would like to share with you is called the "Corridor of Voices". In using this strategy, it is beneficial to use tape to make two straight parallel lines on the floor for students to line up along facing in towards each other (see picture below for clarity). The idea is, a student will walk down the middle of the corridor, acting as a character, while the students lining the corridor say or shout things to the student walking. They may voice feelings, thoughts or moral concerns the character may be having, or be giving advice and/or warnings to the character. This is a great strategy in the sense that you can mold it to fit your context and goal. One interesting way this strategy was used in my teacher education class was in relation to Mental Health. One time walking down the corridor students said mean or teasing things that would make someone feel bad, and the second time they said positive, friendly and encouraging things to them. We discussed empathy and how our actions can affect other people emotionally and mentally. Depending on your classroom, you may want to modify this activity. You may consider using an inanimate object like a puppet or stuffed animal in place of a student walking down the corridor, or you may walk down the corridor yourself instead. Taking this approach might be easier than having a student face the brunt of the voices. It will depend on the grade you are teaching, the circumstances under which you use the strategy, and the class itself.



Thank you for reading!
Miss G.