A Playwright’s Reflections

In this activity, participants become playwrights as they reflect. The ideas, experiences, and concepts explored by characters during scenes are likely a product of the writer's own interests, experience, or ideas. This activity uses the concept of narrative learning (Clark & Rossiter, 2008) to engage participants in reflection through story telling.

Learning Goals: Participants will have opportunities to:

Materials: one writing utensil and two pieces of lined paper per participant

Process:

Throughout the activity, it is helpful to be comfortable with silence in the room, but also be open to questions your participants may have about the topic, characters, scene, or conversation. Rather than giving answers, ask participants probing questions about their perspective and how their characters might see the situation. If they have experienced something similar to the topic addressed by the play, it can be a reflection of what they remember or how they wish it happened. As noted, these scenes incorporate identity and may contain personal information participants may not be comfortable sharing with the group. Keep this in mind for the discussion and any modifications of the activity.