Forum+Theatre


 * Forum Theatre**

Forum theatre is a theatrical activity where a problem is shown in an unsolved form, and the audience is invited to suggest and enact solutions. Many different solutions are enacted in the course of a single forum – the result is a pooling of knowledge, tactics, and experience. The action may be stopped at key points to allow the audience to speculate about what the characters are thinking, suggest alternative actions for the characters to try in order to solve the problem, or ask characters to assume roles from alternative points of view. Forum theatre is used to work towards desirable attitudes, values, and interpersonal relationships and solve real societal problems when personalized understanding is needed. It provides an approach to complex curriculum material that evokes strong intellectual and emotional response in students. Forum theatre also provides experience in appreciating or giving another point of view.
 * Description**

The teacher:
 * Method**
 * identifies a case, problem, topic for inquiry, and roles, possibly collaboratively with students;
 * sets parameters of the activity;
 * creates the physical environment by seating audience members in a semicircle around the characters playing out the scene;
 * initiates warm-up activities and trust building over time;
 * models the leading of the forum: pauses the action, poses the questions, invites others to take over roles;
 * may use relaxation exercises, tableaux, inner and outer circles, and other strategies to re-energize, refocus, or calm the group;
 * leads the debriefing session;
 * shares control of the learning process with students.

Forum theatre:
 * Considerations**
 * requires trust building among students and teacher;
 * requires sensitive facilitation;
 * is unpredictable in the possible solution/resolutions;
 * requires debriefing to help students make sense of the experiences;
 * may facilitate reflection by using response journals.


 * Illustrations From The Mathematics Classroom**

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 * Elementary**

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 * Secondary**