Managing a Drama Class

Contributed by Aimee Alger, Drama Representative

The first few weeks of school are behind us, and I have started my improvisational theatre units with my junior high students. Drama is a fun class, and at my school, it’s a mandatory course. That means I teach everyone, even the students who may not be super excited to be there. Through some very intentional management strategies, I set my room up to be one where students can and will participate, as well as one where I can maintain order within the chaos.

I start my class with very fun, engaging games to get everyone excited. This creates buy-in early on, so students are looking forward to their next class. Then I use games with turn-taking. This allows students to get involved in small, low-pressure ways, and they see that participating won’t be scary or challenging. Once students have taken a few turns and started to enjoy the class, things start to flow much better. There will always be some who won’t enjoy the class, but that is to be expected! Positive feedback and encouragement go a long way for those reluctant participants.

The biggest way I keep my classroom from devolving into chaos or breaking into small groups is by ensuring I am the leader. I direct who is participating, I lead the games, and participate when necessary. We sit in a circle so everyone can see one another, and I am strict on listening when another student is talking. Consistency is key. If you allow side conversations or a student to “opt out” of a game, that will create a domino effect of more students disengaging and suddenly your class is fractured.

The rules may look different in a drama room than in other classrooms, but as long as you build trust with your students through clear boundaries and expectations, your program will thrive and grow!