Drama and Health

Natalie McMillan (February 13, 2018). Peer Pressure Slow motion [Photograph] 

In class this week the focus was on the integration of drama in the health curriculum. An activity that resonated with me this week was the "what if?" activity in relation to peer pressures. This activity was presented by my peers and I felt like it was a really effective way to encourage students to research and consider the different perspectives and outcomes of responding to peer pressure. When if comes to discussing situations relating to bullying, alcohol, smoking and drugs, it is most effective to allow students the opportunity to consider the different outcomes that may happen if they choose to engage in such activities. Another activity presented by my peers was the use of slow motion to giver certain characters the opportunities to share their inner thoughts during different social situations, such as bullying and peer pressure, which was another great way for students to engage with the situations and issues on a deeper and more personal level.

We also did a role playing activity this week, where we each took on the role of a different component of a mannequin making company. This activity required us to consider the role of advertisement and media can play in how people see themselves and their self-esteem. It also had us considering how we, as a marketing company, could make mannequins that are more relatable to our customers. Role playing is a great way to have students engage in issues and to think of other perspectives, which is a necessary strategy when thinking about self efficacy and body image issues. I can see how an activity like this can be used to encourage students to think critically about what they could do if they had the power to make changes such as this. Not only does this build their critical thinking skills, but is also empowers them to think about how they can make a difference in the world.

José Alonso (2017). Do Mannequins have Anorexia? [Online Image]. Retrieved from
 https://mappingignorance.org/2017/05/31/do-mannequins-have-anorexia/