Drama education in pre-school institutions in the city of Zadar

Dramski odgoj je skup metoda učenja koje služe u odgojno obrazovnom procesu, dok dramske tehnike bitno olakšavaju rad. Dramska igra može dakako biti uvod za stjecanje dramskog iskustva u okviru dramskog odgoja. Dramska igra, dramska vježba, procesna drama, improvizacija trebale bi naći svoje mjesto u predškolskim ustanovama. U dramskoj je igri najvažnije maštovito i kreativno igranje u poticajnoj sredini djece predškolske dobi, pri čemu se ne inzistira na rezultatu igre. Dijete posjeduje prirodnu dramsku intuiciju, a simbolička se mašta kod djeteta spontano aktivira. Odgojitelj poticanjem i dramskim planiranjem simboličke igre ostvaruje dramske igre pri čemu se razvija dječje stvaralaštvo. Odgojitelj kao dobar poznavatelj svih razvojnih obilježja djece predškolske dobi treba inspirirati, motivirati, aktivirati, planirati i sudjelovati u igri. U radu se koristila kvantitativna metoda anketnog upitnika sa 30 odgojitelja/ica u dječjim vrtićima na području grada Zadra s ciljem da se dobije uvid u kojoj mjeri odgojitelji/ce primjenjuju dramski odgoj u radu s djecom. Pokazalo se da iako se ispitanici/ce tijekom svoga rada nisu dovoljno stručno usavršavale u području dramskog odgoja, ipak izvode dramske igre, te imaju iako skromno opremljene, centre za dramske igre u sobi dnevnog boravaka. Također posjeduju i rekvizite za izvođenje dramskih igara. U njihovim dramskim igrama djeca sudjeluju kao publika i kao animatori. Ispitanici/ce izvode dramsku igru više puta jer smatraju da djeca na taj način postižu bolji doživljaj. Organiziraju se i aktivnosti vezane za dramski odgoj u kojima sudjeluju roditelji, ali su to pretežito već ukalupljene Božićne i Završne priredbe. Ispitanici/ce smatraju da uporaba dramskih igara kod djece pridonosi podjednako pozitivnom raspoloženju, većoj koncentraciji pažnje, oslobađanju od straha i treme, razvoju kreativnosti, razvoju samostalnosti, poticanju pozitivne slike o sebi kao i poticanju jezično-komunikacijskih sposobnosti. Djeca su vrlo zainteresirana za rad u dramskim igrama te se vole podjednako izraziti scenski, pokretom, glazbom kao i likovno pa je upravo na ispitanicima/ama da njeguju, potiču i stvaraju uvjete za slobodan scenski izraz, improvizaciju, stvaranje malih scenskih igara te dramatizaciju priče, te da pritom potiču djecu da se izraze. Iako djeca predškolske dobi imaju urođenu unutarnju potrebu da se izraze i da stvaraju, dramski odgoj kao umjetnost ima vrlo značajnu ulogu u životu djeteta te može pomoći djetetu u shvaćanju različitih životnih situacija, razvoju emocija, te u razvoju kreativnih procesa.Drama in education is a set of learning methods that serve in the educational process, while the drama techniques make it easier to accomplish a task. Drama games can certainly be an introduction to drama experience in drama education. Dramatic play, drama practice and improvisation need to find their place in pre-school institutions. In dramatic play of preschool children, the most important part is imaginative and creative play in a stimulating environment that does not insist on the ending result of the game. The child possesses a natural dramatic instinct while the symbolic imagination of a child is spontaneously activated. By stimulating and dramatic planning of symbolic games, the educator creates dramatic games whereby a child’s creativity is developed. An educator, being well acquainted with all the developmental characteristics of pre-school children, needs to inspire, motivate, activate, plan and participate in the games. Quantitative research was used in the paper and a questionnaire was given to 30 educators in pre-school institutions in the City of Zadar, with the aim to gain insight into how much the educators apply drama in education when working with children. The results show that even though the respondents haven’t been sufficiently trained in the field of drama in education, they still play dramatic games with the children and have modestly equipped drama areas in the living area of the center. They also possess props for performing the drama games. In these games, the children participate as the audience and as animators. The respondents perform their dramatic games several times because they believe that the children achieve a better experience in this way. Drama related activities are also organized where the parents are involved, however, these are mostly events that are related to Christmas or moving up ceremonies. Respondents believe that using drama games contributes to a positive mood, greater concentration, helps release fear and trembles, helps the development of creativity, help the development of self-reliance, and last but not least drama games help encourage a positive self-image while stimulating linguistic-communicative abilities. Children are interested in playing the drama games because they like to express themselves using movement, music and art; so it is up to the respondents to nurture, encourage and create the conditions for free stage expression, improvisation, and to create small stage games and to dramatize stories which will encourage the children to express themselves. Although preschool children have an innate inner need to express themselves and to create, drama in education plays a very important role in the life of a child and can help a child understand different life situations, develop emotions and develop creative processes