Capturing student attention during rehearsal/devising process

Non verbal:

  • Turn off the lights
  • Strike a bell or sound bowl
  • Start playing ambient instrumental music at a low volume

Verbal:

  • Call out “10!” loudly and then raise up your hands and start counting down on your fingers to 1, circulating and making eye contact with each group as you count down so that they are aware of it
  • Call out: “1, 2!”
    Students respond: “Eyes on you!”
    At this point they become silent and wait for the next instruction
Setting the stage for drama

To help transition from other subjects to drama when you’re teaching it in your homeroom or if you have your own drama room:

  • Turn the lights off and do some guided meditation to help students ‘let go’ of where they just were and centre themselves.
    E.g., “Close your eyes and take a deep belly breath, inhale in, and out. Take another breath in, and out. Last one, breathing in, and out. Now sweep away all the thoughts that are coming into your mind and picture yourself on a warm sandy beach where the wind is blowing on the water and you’re feeling refreshed and relaxed. Now open your eyes.”
  • Have calm, ambient music playing as students come in, in silence and find a spot in the circle.