Puppetry for education, exploring puppeteering and object theatre for student development
PLAY begins with the manipulation and imagination of the space, objects, and living things around us. This session demonstrates the pedagogy of puppetry in its simpler forms of puppet-making and puppeteering with basic, easy to access materials suited for the classroom. Participants will be introduced to the puppet as learning device, pedagogies of puppet making and show-and-tell, and will be invited to design a workshop of their own.
The session will proceed as follows:
- Introduction to the puppet and puppetry as a pedagogy for play, the basics of a puppet’s design
- Breakout sessions: preparing for the show-and-tell through puppetry
- Reflection and discussion on the pedagogy of a puppet creation workshop
- Designing your own puppet workshop
- Questions for the presenter
Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the characteristics of puppet arts that makes storytelling much more compelling and accessible for the performer and their young audience. They will have the opportunity to create a puppet of their own, receive tips on how to use objects and puppeteering for storytelling and group collaborations, as well as how to teach and educate with a puppet-based session. They will be provided a hands-on experience with materials provided by the facilitator as a starting point for them to design workshops and sessions for their own goals and capacities. They will also learn how puppetry has been useful for socio-emotional learning, developing communication skills, and encouraging creativity.
The puppet arts is easy to access and highly rewarding as a pedagogical tool, at the same time provides an alternative approach to education through digital technologies. This session is highly recommended for educators keen to include the art form within their teaching spaces and their curriculum.
Target Audience: Educators/ Practitioners