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Hello

I am teaching a theatre specialist class for EBD (behavior issues) students in middle school right now.

A lot of theatre curriculum for 7th/8th graders is pretty focused at least the stuff I use. But the extreme ADHD and aggression makes it hard for them to take turns doing something or stay in one place for very long.

A lot more silly theatre games that are higher energy they all walk out of me on because it's too "gay" or abstract for my classes of five boys per group.

We had some success with Improv (though it sometimes gets messy/inappropriate) in the past weeks but I am trying to incorporate other things too. Doing tongue twisters and then reading some funny monologues today as a group at the table was rough!

Hello

I am teaching a theatre specialist class for EBD (behavior issues) students in middle school right now.

A lot of theatre curriculum for 7th/8th graders is pretty focused at least the stuff I use. But the extreme ADHD and aggression makes it hard for them to take turns doing something or stay in one place for very long.

A lot more silly theatre games that are higher energy they all walk out of me on because it's too "gay" or abstract for my classes of five boys per group.

We had some success with Improv (though it sometimes gets messy/inappropriate) in the past weeks but I am trying to incorporate other things too. Doing tongue twisters and then reading some funny monologues today as a group at the table was rough!

Wesley,

Middle school boys are a tough group even when they don't have official diagnoses of ADHD or EBD.  You are fortunate to have only boys in your groups.  Mixed-gender groups are more difficult in middle school.

What are the goals?  I assume that whoever dedicated time and effort to pulling these classes together hopes that students will learn some self-control, appropriate self-expression, and empathetic response to those around them. 

First, I suggest you establish a routine and hold to it every session. 

Maybe you start with a check-in.  Sitting in a circle, have them close their eyes, and then lead them in inhaling for four counts, exhaling for four counts.  Do this for five breaths.  Then have them tell the color of their mood or a 1 to 5 gauge of how they are feeling at that moment.  A simple "I'm sorry" to a student who says his mood is black can show you care without opening a can of worms about what happened to make them feel that way.

Next, you might do simple exercises, again in a circle.  Something simple like shaking out each arm and leg 8 times will help release tension.  They might find stretches comforting.  Borrow from yoga or martial arts.  If they are particularly squirrely, have them run in a circle or hop on one foot then the other for a while before doing cool down exercises.  As they get used to doing exercises each day, you might let them take control by having each student introduce a simple repetitive movement, which the others repeat until everyone can do it.  (Put the responsibility for teaching the movement on the person who introduced it.) 

Tongue twisters are great.  Choose a set and repeat them every single day.

Now you are ready to begin the lesson. 

I had success with having students write short responses to prompts.  Call it beginning playwriting.  Pictures, quotes, headlines, etc., can be great starting points for a brief written response.  Switch up the point of view.  One day, they write their personal response to the prompt.  Another day, have them write as the person in the picture or the author of the quotation.  Another day, have them write a story inspired by the prompt.  Another day, have them write a dialogue with two people inspired by the prompt.  Ask them to read their writing aloud--choosing a partner to read dialogue--but allow a certain number of passes per week.  You might buy composition books that remain in your classroom for their writing.

You might assign short scenes from plays, 1 to 2-minute max, to be rehearsed every day for week, then presented to the class.  With a class of only 5, you could have a 2-person and 3-person scene rehearse simultaneously.  You can move from one group to the other, helping with blocking.  You might allow them to always hold the scripts, even on the final performance, and let them discover the freedom of having those lines memorized.  Don't allow them to form the same 2 and 3-person groups for scenes.  After several performances, you could offer the option of inviting a teacher or administrator to see them perform.  Let them choose whom to invite.

I have a set of commedia dell'arte pieces they might find funny.  Email if you'd like me to send them.

These students already know how to fail.  The chance to succeed in a structured and safe environment is a gift you'll have to teach them to receive.   

Best of luck!

Hello

I am teaching a theatre specialist class for EBD (behavior issues) students in middle school right now.

A lot of theatre curriculum for 7th/8th graders is pretty focused at least the stuff I use. But the extreme ADHD and aggression makes it hard for them to take turns doing something or stay in one place for very long.

A lot more silly theatre games that are higher energy they all walk out of me on because it's too "gay" or abstract for my classes of five boys per group.

We had some success with Improv (though it sometimes gets messy/inappropriate) in the past weeks but I am trying to incorporate other things too. Doing tongue twisters and then reading some funny monologues today as a group at the table was rough!