Diane Piedt

Piedt's "Theater in Education" is designed to teach the value of arts by exposing children to further theater, arts and musical talent in the community. Thanks to a partnership between the school and First Stage Children's Theater, kindergarten through seventh grade students attend a theater production produced for each grade level that complements the current classroom curriculum. After the outing, students further discuss the production and theater experience, utilizing a discussion/activity kit and training for teachers to integrate the theater experience into the classroom. Further, students take part in pre-performance and post-performance workshops by the theater company that help explain what happens both on and off stage in making a production. Students also write reflections and/or creative stories based on the play and classroom lessons, providing an overall ending to their Theater in Education experience.