“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” – Albert Einstein

GIIS Ahmedabad organized a ‘Theatre in Education Workshop’ for the teachers on 11th June 2021 as part of a week-long ‘Teachers’ Orientation Programme’ under the guidance of Mr. Walter Peter, (Founder & Director) Laa Po Laa, TIE India. Mr. Walter Peter has been working extensively with and for the children, teachers, and youth as a Facilitator, Actor, Writer, Director, and Designer for the last 24 years. He is also an ex-TIE Co. member of the National School of Drama, New Delhi.

We believe, theatre as an educational medium uses entertainment and humor to attract children’s attention and emphasize learning through role-play and drama. As stated by the Master Trainer, Walter Peter- ‘Drama is for Change’. He emphasized the fact that ‘A Teacher is a Facilitator’ and the one who needs to create a learning environment where educational characteristics like knowledge, research inquiry, inquisitiveness, and curiosity would prevail. Mr. Walter exhorted that theatre is a composite art form, which assists people to express and explore. Theatre also helps children to overcome inhibitions and help them express themselves, their aspirations, fears, and desires.

During the workshop, Mr. Walter Peter discussed the history of “Theatre in Education” that began in Britain in the year 1960 and grew out of recognition for child-centered education, whereby learning is more effective when a child investigates and discovers through drama and play. He shared information about ‘Process and Experiment Theatre’ and how to incorporate them in the teaching-learning process.

Mr. Walter Peter engaged teachers in many enlivening activities and made each one present, participate enthusiastically. These activities made it evident that teachers should learn to give and take simultaneously and should live for the moment. The workshop aimed at developing skills and a great opportunity to understand how to be an actor, how to interact as a teacher, a role model, a parent, and a participant in any facet of life.

The most exciting part of the workshop was to discover Laa Po Laa within us and empower ourselves to play our parts in the drama of Life. The essential idea behind Laa Po Laa is to work for and with children providing them an environment to bring a positive change in themselves so that they become more confident, clear and hence, bringing an overall change in their thought process, their perspective, and mode of their communication. The teachers were happy to incorporate the Laa Po Laa techniques in the classrooms on the first day of school.

Through the session, the teachers experienced basic drama tools and exercises and while doing so, put on both their individual hat and their educator hat. They ideated on how some of these drama methods and techniques could be integrated into the curriculum to make the lessons more engaging for the students.

Mr. Caesar D'silva, Principal, GIIS Ahmedabad said on the occasion. “It is most important to use theatre in education in the 21st Century as a key tool that will ensure student engagement in the learning process. We all like to play, and that is what theatre is- play, enjoyment, and happiness. Education should be joy-giving. Happiness is the motto of GIIS Ahmedabad. By incorporating the Theatre techniques, the students will surely learn easily in a joyful atmosphere.”

Indeed, a stimulating and edifying workshop that concluded on a cheerful note and self-realization that there is so much more to learn, theatre is one of the imperative tools.

More about Mr. Walter Peter:

Mr. Peter was honored with several awards such as the Best Actor Award- Ginger Theatre Festival Tula Russia, Laa Po Laa Children’s Voices- International Theatre Festival of Kerala, Colour My Wings- India Book of Records, ALL FOR SOUL-National School of Drama, and many more. Presently, he holds a fellowship from CRY on “Change through TIE Process and is working with the children and adults in different states of India like M.P., Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Delhi with the CRY Partners.