Block 2 : Week 4

 During week 4, our class focused on developing our stories through warm-up activities, group work and guided improvement of our presentation. The warm-up and small activities helped us feel more comfortable and creative, especially as we moved into storytelling. working in groups allowed us to begin embedding our stories, where we explored ideas, characters and symbols in a more structured way. The teacher also supported us by helping us refine our presentations, which made our storytelling clearer and more meaningful.

  This video shows one of the activities we did in class to help us gain more confidence and ideas for our group activities. This was one of the best activities we did, acknowledging the space and people around us, which is important in our group presentation. This process allowed us to think more deeply about how stories can impact children emotionally and socially.

In my story, I will use structure and surprise to benefit the children I want to reach. The clear structure of beginning, middle and end creates a safe emotional space for children. As Sue Jannings (2011;233) explains, the structure of a story provides " the security of the resolution", which helps children feel contained and supported. This is especially important when addressing sensitive themes. At the same time, I will include moments of surprise to stimulate curiosity and imagination. These unexpected elements encourage children to think differently and engage more actively with the story, allowing them to explore new perspectives.

The use of symbols in my story connects strongly to the development of resilience and empathy. Symbols allow children to understand complex emotions in a simple and meaningful way. Edward (1973) argues that symbols help to reconnect individuals to deeper parts of themselves, promoting emotional wholeness. For example, in my story, a journey symbolises overcoming challenges, while a rainbow may symbolise hope and healing. These symbols help children see that difficulties can be temporary and that growth is possible, which builds resilience.
 
Furthermore, storytelling itself plays a powerful role in emotional development. According to Emunah (1994), sharing stories through performance can " propel us toward wholeness". This highlights how storytelling can support healing and self-expression. Through engaging with characters and situations, children also develop empathy, as they begin to understand and relate to the experiences of others.
    
From a teaching perspective, I would use storytelling and dramatic play as tools to support children's emotional and social development in the classroom. By creating a safe but imaginative space, I can help learners build confidence and develop problem-solving skills. This aligns with the principles of neuro-dramatic play, where storytelling becomes a way to address real-life challenges in a creative and supportive environment.

Overall, week 4 helped me understand that storytelling is not just about entertainment, but about creating meaningful learning experiences that promote resilience, empathy and emotional growth.

Reference    

 Edward Edinger (1973). ego and archetype; individuation and the religious function of the psyche.Boston; Shambhala.

Renee Emunah (1994). Acting for real: drama therapy process, technique, and performance. New York: Brunner-Routledge.
        
Sue Jennings (2011). Introduction to drama therapy: theatre and healing-Ariadne's ball of thread (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Block 2 : week 5

Image
 The use of metaphor in this block demonstrated how drama can support children's meaning-making, emotional expression and cognitive development. Metaphors allow abstract or complex ideas to be understood through familiar images, making learning both accessible and memorable. In the context of drama, metaphor becomes embodied, enabling learners to experience meaning physically, socially and emotionally. This aligns with the sociocultural theory of Vygotsky, who argues that learning is mediated through language, interaction and cultural tools. metaphor, in this sense, functions as a powerful mediational tool that supports deeper understanding. In our group, we used the metaphor of a "seed growing into a tree" to represent a child's development. This symbolised growth, resilience, and the importance of care and support. By using a familiar and natural image, the metaphor allowed learners to connect emotionally while also constructing meaning. This reflects Bruner's i...
Read more

Week 3

1.  Yes, I agree with Professor Grey because many young people in South Africa spend more time on technology and structured activities than free play. This reduces opportunities for creativity, social interaction and natural development.  2. Directed and non-directed pay/free pay Directed play is controlled and guided by an adult with specific goals similar to what we did in class during week 3  were told to do a specific play that can make each of us participate and be able to play in it so by doing that we were directed to do a specific thing that has the same outcome at the end, while free play is child-led, spontaneous and based on the child's own interest and imagination. This kind of play will be mostly useful in the foundation phase class, where it can develop focus, following instructions and achieving curriculum goals. Non-directed or free play is child-led, spontaneous and based on the learner's imagination and interests. As a future teacher, I will allow learne...
Read more

Week 5

Image
 In week 5, we focused on the benefits of play and how learning takes place through drama. The activities were practical and suitable for a classroom environment, especially group-based tasks such as role-play and short scene creation. These activities showed me that play is not only for enjoyment, but also an important tool for developing communication, teamwork and confidence. According to the reading, drama supports children's imagination, confidence and social skills. It allows them to take on different roles and perspectives (Farmer,2011). This aligns with what we experienced in class during the past weeks, as in week 5, there was no face-to-face class, where engaging in dramatic play helped us understand concepts more deeply.  Furthermore, the week emphasised the importance of experiential learning. Instead of passively receiving information, we learned by doing, which made the experience more memorable and impactful. Drama-based learning creates a safe space for learner...
Read more