The Educational Values of Children's Theatre

This article is about the educational values of children's theatre and its aim is to review and research the educational and nourishing characteristics of children's theatre in the schools. This article is based on the author’s Ph.D. thesis under the title of “Analytical Study of the Iranian children's theatre and Evaluation of the Findings” under the supervision of Dr. Seyed Mostapha Mokhtabad at the department of Arts Studies, University of Tarbiat Modarres. In the beginning, the notions of training and children's theatre are defined and some related views of experts are quoted. It discusses the profound impacts of this kind of theatre (which is the evaluated form of role-playing and dramatic games) on children. Then the different kinds of children's theatre, regarding forms, content and characteristics (which should be good in every aspect) are listed and the notions of good, bad, norm and abnormal are defined. Furthermore, two examples of dramatic games are introduced; HEL HEL GORGI CHAMBARI and SHAH DOZD BAZI. And according to the educational and nourishing aspects of children's theatre (which is the evaluated form of theatre game and dramatic games) it is questioned whether this potential function of children's theatre is used properly for growing and nourishing the character of children in kindergartens and primary and secondary schools. In children's theatre, by using the simplest facilities, like a chair and a colorful cloth, instead of throne and a piece of wood instead of Pegasus, and a twig instead of a dense forest, could reach to an effective and complete performance. In children's theatre, less applying of scene instruments and facilities, training effect of that will be more; because our addressee child could simply repeat what he or she has seen and riding a Pegasus, fighting with spooks and ogres, on consubstantiality with the hero. It should be noted that children's theatre is a kind of theater that tries to change or correct and/ or confirm the addressee children's thoughts and behaviors, moreover to presentation of children's problems, in a simple and varied performance. At the end, the results of this research will be presented. Based on this research, I have concluded that the rightful place of children’s theatre as well as its valuable educational impact on society, have largely been ignored. Although children’s physical health have been cared for enough to safeguard the appropriate methods and issue vaccinations against illnesses, children’s mental health and the appropriate educational vaccinations (through theatre productions) have not been truly considered. There has not been any governmental or private organization, association, or institution in charge of the fundamental programming for children’s theatre in the country (considering its important role as well as children’s inherent needs in them). In addition, it has been concluded and suggested in the dissertation that fundamental programming for the use of children’s theatre in the kindergartens and primary, elementary and junior-high schools are crucial and thus should immediately be undertaken in order to take advantage of its educational aspects.