Teacher Introduction

by Christine Jackson

Food for Thought was created by James Hicks for an assignment in his Intermediate/Senior Drama course in the in the Master of Teaching, Teacher Education Program, at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). The assignment invited teacher candidates to consider the ways in which Drama can be used as an art of disruption. In this project, James focussed on the importance of applying a critical lens to our teaching. His project aligns with the core principles of #disrupt text, a “crowdsourced, grass roots effort by teachers for teachers to challenge the traditional canon in order to create a more inclusive, representative, and equitable language arts curriculum that our students deserve”. The core principles of # disrupt text are embedded within Food for Thought; James focussed his art project and the discussion with classmates on the importance of continuously interrogating our personal biases, the need to move beyond the traditional canon of playwrights to centre BIPOC voices, and the need to apply a critical lens to our selection of learning materials and teaching strategies. Food for Thought prompted a lively critical dialogue amongst this community of emerging drama teachers. The discussion reminded me of this statement by Grade 12 student, Faith Paré:

I think teachers should stop showcasing white, Eurocentric, male-oriented work as the be-all and end-all of theatre. Of course we can love and appreciate the works of Tennessee Williams and Shakespeare, but stop pushing their works to the forefront while placing less emphasis on the theatre traditions of underrepresented groups.

A Chorus of Voices, Shaping a Future for Drama, 2015

Project Description and Reflection by James Hicks

With Food for Thought, I present a collection of plays encased in plastic and sealed within styrofoam meat containers. Each container is labelled with a list of ingredients (key themes and ideas in the play), food warnings (possible triggers/ sensitive material)  and expiry dates (set at 100 years after publication). The expiry date is punctuated with a question mark, intended to prompt dialogue and critical thinking. When and why might a play be dropped from a reading list or no longer produced? When and why might a play continue to be studied and /or produced 100 years later? The inclusion of historical works from the traditional Western canon and several plays by contemporary BIPOC playwrights are represented in the art project to provoke critical dialogue about play selection for the drama classroom. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT…

Know your purpose for adding or removing a text. Creating a more inclusive curriculum is not simply about replacing texts written by ‘dead, white males.’ It is about addressing the racism, sexism, homophobia, and other problematic issues reflected in these texts—and choosing better.

                            -Tricia Ebarvia (2019) Why Diverse Texts Aren’t Enough 

I believe we need to move beyond the Western, white, male-centric perspectives that are so prevalent in the traditional canon. That doesn’t mean we never encounter the “classics”, but it does mean that we must apply a critical lens and have a clear purpose for the instructional decisions we make. The pressing question becomes: How do we ensure that the dramatic works presented in our classrooms resonate with the varied backgrounds and complex intersectional identities of our students? 

With this artwork, I am metaphorically challenging our reliance on aged and potentially obsolete or “expired” works. I am also inviting us to consider when, how, and why we may choose to include canonical texts in our teaching. 

• Whose voices are centered in these materials? 

• Do our students see their worlds reflected in the selected works? 

• If we do choose to include distinctly Western, white, and male-centric works in our teaching, how are we inviting our students to disrupt, speak back to, re-frame and re-story the dominant narratives that are represented?

• How are we introducing innovative perspectives and contemporary interpretations that resonate with the lived experiences of students today? 

This art project, Food for Thought, reflects my commitment to curate a nourishing and balanced theatrical diet for my students: a diet that ensures they are intellectually and creatively stimulated and that they are developing the necessary skills to navigate the complexities of an increasingly diverse and multifaceted society.

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References

Barvia, Ticia ( 2019) Why Diverse Text are not Enough https://triciaebarvia.org/2019/07/18/why-diverse-texts-        are-not-enough/

Jackson C. (2015) A Chorus of Voices, Shaping a Future for Drama 

#Disrupt Text https://disrupttexts.org/core-principles/

Torres, Christina ( 2016) The Power of Words: On “Classics” and “Canon”, Education Week

        https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-the-power-of-words-on-classics-and-canon/2019/04.