The Quest for the Heart-Shaped Diamonds: Dilemmas Arising from Teaching Drama as Therapy

Abstract

This article presents an educational project at The University College of Nesna in North Norway. In the autumn term 2007 a new course module was offered on the Bachelor level that focused on drama as medium in special needs education. The course was co-run by a cross-disciplinary team from the drama and the education departments. The curriculum covered the fields of applied drama and special needs education. Through experiential instruction the student group was provided communal drama experience and practice in a learning environment that also encapsulated lectures, discussions and reflection on practice. The rationale behind the curriculum was to create an educational space that allowed for personal experience with drama and theatre based processes as applied in dramatherapy, educational therapy and special needs education, mainly focused on children.