Abstract
Adolescence can be a time of strife, and might even be described metaphorically as a form of oppression over those living through it. Oppression leads to feelings of powerlessness and apathy, which explains why some middle schoolers might benefit from classroom experiences that help them reclaim power over oppression. Humor provides a means of resistance through which oppressed adolescents can express themselves, and improvisational comedy is a tool that teachers can use in their lesson delivery to inject humor. This chapter explains why improvisational theater is an effective way to create engaging middle school classrooms and provides improvisational games for classroom use.
TopBackground
Many individuals who enter the field of middle grades education do so because they want to create better school experiences for young adolescents than they had. This phase of life is challenging to the point that for some 10-14-year-olds, it is dramatic. A misunderstanding between friends, clothes that fit yesterday and do not today, parents who have forgotten how it all seems, and acne that feels ugly, are examples of things about life at this stage that can be heavy. Weighed down by these significant factors, young adolescents then have to power through the burden of often seemingly-irrelevant academic content. This burden establishes the importance of reaching all students. Examining the developmental goals of adolescent students provides context for middle-school educators.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Humor: A tool and set of behaviors which increases positive and pleasant feelings when used correctly.
Resistance: Behaving in ways that prevent an individual from moving forward.
Association for Middle Level Education: Organization aimed at helping middle school educators create schools responsive to the needs of adolescents.
Responsive Teaching: Educating students in a way that accepts their needs and helps them each grow as individuals through the material and other methods.
Receptive Praxis: Receiving a student and helping them move forward with acceptance.
Improvisational Theater: A method of acting which emphasizes acceptance, forward movement, and risk-taking.
Oppression: The act of unjust or cruel treatment of another individual.
Developmental Stage: Periods of time which include particular goals for healthy growth of an individual.