ETFO Change School Culture:
Assessing the Poverty and Education Project

What is the impact and sustainability of an applied theatre intervention on a school’s ability to address the issue of local poverty?

Overview


The Elementary Teacher's Federation of Ontario (ETFO) approached Dr. Gallagher to assess the impact of ETFO's Poverty and Education Project and specifically their Whole School Support initiative.

The play "Danny, King of the Basement", produced by Roseneath Theatre Company, toured Ontario schools with the aim of initiating dialogue on the issue of poverty.

Our purpose was to understand the impact and sustainability of an applied theatre intervention on a school’s ability to address the issue of local poverty effectively. Our findings report on the role that the applied theatre intervention played in effecting change in relationships, initiating dialogue, and deepening understanding of social issues.

Key Findings

  • Our analysis demonstrated that the applied theatre intervention had a positive effect on pedagogical relationships and acted as a catalyst in opening up dialogue between teachers and students, helping both to explore new conceptions of teaching and learning in communities facing economic challenges.

Project Outputs

Executive Summary

Review of the study's findings and implications from 2007-2008

Findings Presentation

Dig deeper into the details of the study: its structure, collaborators, activities and findings.