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Social Emotional Learning

Theatre Curriculum

This is a one-of-a-kind program that engages students in a series of creative interventions designed to help them increase personal agency, strengthen growth mindset, and imagine new possibilities. The curriculum teaches social emotional learning core competencies through drama therapy and theater practices. 

Our Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Theatre program offers workshops or ongoing classroom instruction to prevent substance use, reduce harm, and support students resiliency and overall mental health and wellbeing. We use theatre games, improvisation, storytelling, creative writing, short films, and Drama Therapy interventions to help students  process trauma and build crucial interpersonal  skills. Our curriculum was developed in-house by theatre educators, prevention specialists and drama therapists. The curriculum is consistent with state health education standards. 

TEACHING ARTISTS

The lessons taught by teaching artists who are themselves in long-term recovery, offering deep credibility. Teaching Artists are trained in trauma-informed classroom management, mental health first aid, and other key techniques, and have experience in school environments as part of 2nd Act’s troupe of actors performing Prevention Plays.

OUTCOMES

  1. Direct arts instruction which meets Mass Core Art graduation requirement

  2. Develop five core competencies: 

    1. Self-awareness

    2. Social awareness

    3. Self-management

    4. Relationship skills

    5. Responsible decision-making

  3. Build performance, public speaking, and creative skills.

  4. Strengthen support systems

  5. Increase students' self-concept by playing out new roles and possibilities

INTERVENTIONS

  1. Scene Work performed by actors that provide helpful projections for students to hold their own stories and empower characters to make new choices

  2. Drama Games with processing and integration of skills

  3. Creative Writing: Re-storying the past, letter writing, poetry, hero’s journey, and monologue writing

  4. Positive psychology tools (gratitude journals, awe walks, etc.)

  5. Drama Therapy interventions (mask making, hero’s journey, role cards, etc.)

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