Diverse student teachers making sense of difference through engaging in Boalian theater approaches

A diverse group of student teachers in an alternative certification program participated in seminars integrating Boal’s Theater of the Oppressed (TO) activities. Participants created images and enacted scenes that recreated interactions with their students and also rehearsed ideas for taking action in the classroom. The research, analyzing video and photo-elicitation interviews, showed student teachers engaging in empathic reflection and perspective-taking as they engaged in the theatrical activities. The study illuminated the potential of TO activities for supporting bilingual immigrant teachers, teachers of color, and white, middle class teachers in making sense of difference in the context of multicultural classrooms.