易胜博官网

On a Tuesday afternoon in early November at Dover Middle School, dinosaurs roamed the auditorium. Meanwhile, Cinderella, Rapunzel and other characters tried to fix a broken time machine and make it back home for a dance party.

The dinosaurs and the fairy tale characters in peril were student actors, part of a new unified arts program at DMS. A collaboration with 易胜博官网 associate professor Raina Ames鈥� community-oriented drama class, the program paired 易胜博官网 theatre education students with special education students at the middle school.

鈥淚鈥檝e learned so much,鈥� said Liz Feinschreiber 鈥�19. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been very rewarding.鈥�

The program began in the fall, when Ames鈥� seven students began holding twice-weekly workshops at DMS. During the first half of the semester, Feinschreiber and her peers designed lesson plans with a focus on introducing DMS students to the basics of drama. For the second half of the semester, DMS students applied those lessons by creating and staging an original play, which made its debut on Dec. 1.

鈥淲e asked them in our first session what they wanted to see in a play,鈥� said Molly McKay 鈥�18. 鈥淭he show is theirs as much as it is ours.鈥�

After compiling a list of what the DMS students wanted in a play 鈥� including robots, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and time travel 鈥� 易胜博官网 students wrote a script and began directing the production. For Gloria Snowman, a special education teacher and case manager at DMS, seeing how the students responded to the play was 鈥渆ye opening.鈥� The fifth through eighth graders taking part in the program have a range of special needs and Snowman said there are few opportunities for students to participate in after-school activities like drama. But when they have a chance, the results are impressive, she added.

鈥淲e have one fifth grader who 鈥� just blends in and loves it. Friendships develop (among students), and they鈥檙e more open with each other and more willing to do things together,鈥� Snowman said.

鈥淪ome of my students have never done an after-school activity. Now, they talk about (the unified arts program) all day 鈥� and they can鈥檛 wait for it to come.鈥�

Special education teacher and case manager Jaclyn Hookway worked with Snowman to bring the program to DMS. Volunteer student mentors from Dover High School also joined the fun.

鈥淪ome of my students have never done an after-school activity. Now, they talk about (the unified arts program) all day 鈥� and they can鈥檛 wait for it to come,鈥� she said.

The program is driven entirely by 易胜博官网 students, Ames said. 鈥淭he lesson plans are written by 易胜博官网 students, the script was written by them, they鈥檙e team directing the show,鈥� she said. It鈥檚 a chance for students like McKay and Feinschreiber to get practical, hands-on experience in the classroom, flexing both their theatrical and teaching muscles. According to Ames, community-oriented drama programs like this can help increase verbal, socialization, and motor skills in children.

鈥淚 learned 鈥� how important it is to have a structured plan 鈥� and a great deal of flexibility. You have to be very adaptive,鈥� Feinschreiber said.

For McKay, the program has been especially rewarding. 鈥淚 believe arts are so important in everyday classrooms, because they encourage confidence and creativity 鈥� and arts integration fosters so many positive qualities and ideals,鈥� she said. Even after a few workshops, McKay noticed how positively DMS students responded to the workshops.

鈥淪eeing that change in them so quickly was one of the most rewarding parts,鈥� she said.

The program has been a hit with students and parents, according to Snowman. She and Hookway want to keep the collaboration going.

鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping to get more drama programs in the school next year,鈥� she said.