Hana Keaka: Drama-Driven Storytelling as Lived Curriculum in Early Childhood Classrooms

• In Event: 65.080 - Roundtable Session 24
  In Roundtable Session: 65.080-6 - Creating Drama Beyond Colonial Enclosures: School Gardens, Storytelling, and Dancing

Abstract

This paper presents a Native Hawaiian conceptual framework for exploring the use of drama curriculum as culturally responsive pedagogy with a group of preschool children of Native Hawaiian ancestry. The author gives examples of how to guide students to explore, develop, express, and communicate ideas, concepts, and feelings through “drama-driven storytelling”. Teacher driven participatory techniques are integrated in storytelling and dramatic activities in order to enhance Hawaiian and English language learning and foster advanced imaginative problem solving in children. Dramatization is closely related to a “drama-driven storytelling” curriculum to advance children’s opportunities for a deeper connection to their Hawaiian culture and the rich cultural heritage of their ancestors that can breathe and move through “drama-driven storytelling”.

Authors

• Puakailima Davis, University of Hawaii - Manoa

• Sarah Jane Twomey, University of Hawaii