Teenagers are very interested in talking about themselves. Their identities and their reputations matter very much. This is appropriate developmentally. Additionally, examinations of one’s identity are a valuable tool for students and teachers. What a student brings to the classroom determines how they will engage with the content of any subject. However, they do not often get the opportunity to unpack their identities to discover how their history and the history of their ancestors may have shaped who they are today. This step is important because it helps students, and teachers, figure out what matters most to them and why it matters. The information gathered during discussions and activities on identity can inform the types of content explored in connection to subject area as well as the activities used to engage students in lessons. To meet this need, I developed a course called Social Justice Theatre. It is an elective course inspired by the work of the organization Facing History and Ourselves.
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Facing History and Ourselves’ motto is, “People make choices, choices make history.” Their framework asks students to first consider their identity and how they fit into the world around them. Once a thorough investigation is made on stereotypes and the ramifications of stereotypes, students move on to consider the roots of stereotypes by investigating moments in history that define the world as they know it. In the next stage, students consider legacy, both the one they were handed and the one they pass along. The final stage of the framework is participation. It is in this stage where students explore the content learned through the lens of Theatre.
Theatre holds a mirror up to nature. During a theatrical experience, the audience is invited to take a moment to examine the world in which they live. Typically, the goal is for the audience to walk away with a fresh perspective of the world. The content learned during this unit on Economic Inequality will serve as the foundation for the creation of a piece of theatre that asks an audience to consider the harmful effects that economic inequality has on society.