Art is a lie that makes us realise the truth. – Pablo Picasso

Reacting to new and challenging situations is a part of life. Drama, however, can be used as a tool to experiment with innovative solutions to life’s inevitable ups and downs. Using fictive situations and worlds allows us to safely test our own ideas and philosophies, so we can confidently employ them in our non-fictive lives. Whether in our professional lives or in our personal lives, drama methodology facilitates exploration and learning. This July, join primary school teacher and drama specialist Irene O’Meara on a journey exploring the capability of drama to enrich the classroom experience.

Baboró’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course “Drama Tools for the Classroom” explores a variety of dramatic strategies preparing participants for all kinds of decisions, dilemmas, actions, opinions and consequences. Participants walk away with the ability to apply dramatic methodologies to other subject areas as well as their own professional sphere. The skills acquired are particularly suited for SPHE lessons and the Revised English Curriculum. This CPD’s multi-disciplinary approach preps educators to adapt to the ever-changing teaching environment, and is an excellent way for artists and other professionals to better understand the classroom environment in order to engage with it effectively through the creative arts.

Irene delivers a course developing practical ideas in emotional contexts. Her sessions start with fiction as their grounding platform and incorporate a curation of stories, poems, pieces of art and topical issues. Thus, through drama and media, Irene delves into issues relevant to a child’s experiences. Children learn through collective experiences, and Irene’s tailored sessions prepare teachers and artists to help students understand the relationship between themselves and others and the world. The course reinforces the power of expression, validates participation and fosters an appreciation of people’s differences.

2017's participants engaged in a drama activity

Participants are gently encouraged to observe, contribute, make judgements and offer revisions, so the class benefits from collective effort and cooperation. Conducted in a relaxed and accepting environment, this CPD is well-suited for anyone, regardless of performance experience. Participation in any form is welcomed and appreciated.

This CPD will nurture an enthusiasm for education, play with perspective and prepare for the challenges of the classroom. Course-spanning threads appear again and again, such as adaptation, innovation, understanding, and empathy. Irene’s love for music and visual art, as well as her affable nature, enliven the course with variety and create a relaxed atmosphere. There will be laughter and sorrow, interaction and reflection, stillness and mayhem, action and reaction, all in a bid to realise the effectiveness and power of drama as a methodology.

*This CPD is EPV-approved and offered July 2 – 6, 2018 at the O'Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance. Get your place below!