Curtain Up on Creativity
by Dr. Maria Bakalis

One of the most important aspects in a learning environment is activity, an activity that reflects participation of the learners. Learning is an active and not a passive process. And yet, so many classrooms still sustain a passive atmosphere. The instructor leads the learner; the learner follows. The content of the course and the methodology used to deliver the content are shaped by the instructor with little input from the learners. Learners become receivers rather than doers. If we are to accept Dewey’s “learning by doing” educational philosophy, educators need to transform this static classroom atmosphere into a creative culture.

Learners need to break from the role of the spectator and take on the role of the actor. The classroom must become a source of creativity. Creativity demands learners tap into their imaginations. To imagine is to invent, to visualize, to improvise and to conceptualize. The development of the imagination aids decision-making, critical thinking and problem-solving. And yet, traditional educational methodology minimizes the importance of imagination in the learning process. Imagination is perceived as a quality reserved for young children and tolerated in artists. How many course outlines list the development of imagination as an objective? How many assignments engage the student’s imagination?

A creative classroom environment has imagination at its foundation. How can an instructor develop an atmosphere that allows the release of imagination in learners? One significant way is by introducing acting as a learning methodology—acting not for performance but as a system of learning. Acting helps students break from the “culture of silence” referred to by Paulo Freire in his book Pedagogy of the Oppresssed. The word drama means “to do.” Students must become actors, doers.

The system of acting that emphasizes the importance of action for the actor or doer is the Stanislavski System of Acting. Konstantin Stanislavski helped to create the Moscow Art Theatre and taught classes in acting. His system of acting describes specific elements necessary for an actor to successfully create a character for the stage. These elements include:

•    Acting with a purpose. Each action must be justified. Why an actor performs an action must be understood.
•    The Magic If. The actor must ask, “What would happen if I were in these life circumstances?”
•    The Given Circumstances. The actor must then imagine a set of circumstances: specific historical contexts; physical, emotional and psychological influences; and a set of life experiences.
•    Imagination. An actor creates a life for the character outside of the play—a life that includes the character’s intentions, obstacles that bar those intentions, and tactics to overcome those obstacles.
•    Emotion and Sense Memory. The actor learns to develop an emotional memory that acts as a storehouse of feelings and sensory impressions.
•    Dialogue. The actor speaks aloud. Thoughts and feelings are communicated to another actor, who listens and reacts.
•    Subtext. The actor learns to analyze text for meanings that lie beneath the surface of the words. The subtext helps the actor to understand the character’s motives and actions. The subtext is revealed through the character’s nonverbal behavior.
•    Improvisation. The actor learns to live in the moment and to respond to immediate circumstances.
•    The actor portrays a character who is in conflict and who must recognize and resolve that conflict.
•    The actor learns to listen to other actors in order to react appropriately. An actor must wait before responding and before taking action.