Early Childhood Education students give drama workshops to local nursery children

Lecturer: Jass McEvoy

1st and 2nd year Early Childhood Education students prepare and facilitate drama classes in St Brigid’s Day Nursery local to the College as part of their Drama Education course.

The nursery children range in ages of two to four years and are grouped into small groups of 6 to 9 children in each group. The sessions last for 30-50 minutes and for the duration of the drama education class teachers hand over completely to the students.

The nursery children, Staff and Parents are also invited into the College, where the students facilitate and involve the children in an age appropriate drama activity (Sensory in this case) in the drama studio.  The workshop finishes with celebratory snacks and drinks. 

What do the students get from it?

This project sets out to give the student the necessary knowledge and skills to facilitate drama with the young child and to acquire a deeper understanding of the different drama conventions and methodologies.  It identifies and shows the different roles of facilitation and relates these to the student’s peer micro teaching in the day nursery.   It also gives students the opportunity to plan prepare and facilitate drama with the under fives by applying theory to practice.  They become familiarized with the materials, devices and techniques related to drama and play.

What does the community get from it?

The staff at St Brigid’s see first hand how the students engage the children in fictional situations which have some thematic relevance to their lives where they access knowledge about the world they live in. When the staff hand over their class to the students for the duration of the drama education session they have the opportunity of looking in from the outside as observer and seeing the child in quite a different setting.  It gives them further insight to the Early Childhood Education course and student and it facilitates greater communication between the social sciences and the nursery.

Community Parter:

St Brigid's Nursery