Coaching for Creativity: Early Educators' Experience With Story Drama

• In Event: AERA Virtual Poster Session 3
  In Poster Session: Topics Affecting Early Childhood Teachers, Children, and Families

Abstract

Creativity has been identified as a necessary 21st century skill. Researchers have pointed to a more playful, creative style of teaching to enhance children’s creativity and developmentally appropriate early learning environments (Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff, 2011; Pellegrini, 2009). This phenomenological case study evaluated teachers’ experience integrating story drama, or “improvised role play stimulated by a story” (Booth, 2005, p. 8) into their practice with support from coaching. Results demonstrate that engagement in story drama with support from coaching introduced preschool teachers to new resources and techniques, impacted relationships with children and coworkers, and increased teachers’ creative self-efficacy and joy. This study adds to the literature about creative teaching models and coaching as a support for creative pedagogy.

Author

• Amanda Wiehe Lopes, University of Massachusetts - Boston