My most joyful moments as a  teacher are as narrator and facilitator in acting out stories. Observing teachers have expressed: “I can tell you love your job when you are putting on a play”.

After hearing a classic children’s story told to them orally for a week and a week of bringing a story to life through puppetry, students are ready to perform in a class-play, or “Reader’s Theatre”.  There is not a script, rather, each child is allowed to dramatize their part to the best of their understanding.  By observing their performance, I can gauge each child’s understanding of the plot, action, and dialog of a piece of literature.

The students love to perform, and as they bring the story to life, the plot, characters, action, and dialog become more meaningful to them.  They also gain confidence in speaking and presenting.  As they share their growing love of literature, and create a successful production together, students bond as a community of learners.