Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
  • Cue Media
    • Cue online
    • Cue Archives
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • SAC and DSG matric class of 1990 donate 64 dresses to Nathaniel Nyaluza for matric farewell
  • Children in the Eastern Cape are not being fed enough at school
  • I-Amazwi isindleke umsitho wokubhiyozela usuku lokungamafa namagugu
  • ‘Oh, the water came today’
  • Eluxolweni Child Youth Care Centre showcases young talent
  • Imvuselelo
  • Local mom wants urgent liver transplant for toddler
  • Explore Makhanda’s African Cuisine
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
  • Cue Media
    • Cue online
    • Cue Archives
Grocott's Mail
You are at:Home»EDUCATION»Teaching mathematics through theatre
EDUCATION

Teaching mathematics through theatre

New ArtMathsScienceTech project makes teaching advances at local schools
Grocott's MailBy Grocott's MailAugust 24, 2023Updated:August 24, 2023No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
These two learners from Samuel Ntsiko Primary School took part in the interactive play. Photo: Bukamuso Sebata.

By Bukamuso Sebata

The ArtMathsScienceTech project is leveraging the power of theatre, music, dance, and crafts to overhaul the education of mathematics and science. Spearheaded by the collaborative efforts of the Sisonke National Art Education Centre and Rhodes University’s Drama Department, this non-traditional approach hopes to foster playful learning environments and make it easier for learners to absorb knowledge.

Forum Theatre – an innovative teaching method derived from the Theatre of the Oppressed approach – is at the heart of the project. Forum Theatre involves the audience as active participants, allowing them to intervene and shape the outcome of the performance. This promotes engagement and facilitates a deeper understanding of complex subjects, such as mathematics and science, by encouraging learners to actively problem-solve and critically think within a theatrical context.

The project, funded by the National Arts Council, hopes to bridge the gap in mathematics and science education that has been affecting learners in South Africa. Sisonke’s Luyolo Mapekula, a long-time Makhanda community activist, recognised the potential of integrating art and culture and education, which led to the collaboration with the Drama Department at Rhodes University.

The recent play titled “Mess or Mass?”, which took place on 17 August at Samuel Ntsiko Primary, centres around units of measurement in mathematics. Through an engaging narrative, the play follows two learners who grapple with understanding the topic. Set in a classroom, the performance employs music, dance, and interactive games to teach fundamental concepts and equations. The use of IsiXhosa for most of the dialogue adds a cultural dimension, making the learning experience relatable and inclusive.

Incorporating elements of physicality, the play creatively demonstrates the distinction between grams and kilograms. Through a playful game, learners physically experience the weight difference between the two units of measurement.

The collaborative effort extended to primary schools – Samuel Ntsiko, Fikizolo, and Tantyi – where Grade Six learners were given the opportunity to immerse themselves in this innovative teaching approach. The script was co-written by Sisonke and a group of students doing their Honours in Applied Theatre at the Drama Department. The aim was to use Forum Theatre to teach units of measurement as stipulated in the Curriculum Assessment Statement Policy (CAPS).

In a review of “Mess or Mass?”, the integration of theatre, music, and interactive games into the teaching of mathematics was a resounding success. By blending entertainment and education, the play demonstrated how innovative methods can break down complex concepts and engage young learners in a meaningful way.

Previous ArticleIt takes a Village to raise a child
Next Article Police recruitment drive in Makhanda
Grocott's Mail

    Comments are closed.

    Tweets by Grocotts
    Newsletter



    Listen

    The Rhodes University Community Engagement Division has launched Engagement in Action, a new podcast which aims to bring to life some of the many ways in which the University interacts with communities around it. Check it out below.

    Humans of Makhanda

    Humans of Makhanda

    Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

    © 2023 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.