Why Do Schools Need Theatre. Experience from Primary School in Tanzania

This comprehensive book addresses the issues of arts in education. The book uses arts in education approach which draws on the theory of "multiple intelligences" developed by Howard Gardner in 1983. Calling for pedagogies that involve the learner's body and mind in learning, this book is a highly relevant resource for students, researchers in education and cultural studies, and individuals interested in theatre arts. The study draws on the first hand case and the lived experience in teaching profession. Facts show that the value of arts in education has changed over time. The book intends to introduce the reader to the history of theatre in education in Tanzania while linking the historical development of theatre from its pre-colonial roots to the current situation. This study departs from previous studies by involving primary school children as part of respondent surveys. Through children's involvement, it became clear that they are active agents of their lives and thus should be consulted in any decision which directly affects them. The book offers a new way of looking at children; from being receivers to active participants of their own learning.