Better Than Role Play: Forum Theatre as a Teaching Tool

Better Than Role Play: Forum Theatre as a Teaching Tool
Presented by SEWI-ATD Members Alexis Fielek, Sheri Weaver, and Nick Wade

Learn about Forum Theatre and a new way to use role play! 

This session will utilize Forum Theatre techniques to explore some of the most challenging situations that can come up in training, and engage the group in discovering the best solutions.

What is Forum Theatre?
Forum Theatre is a technique that replaces an audience of spectators with spectACTORs.  While normal theatre has a beginning, middle and end, Forum Theatre is designed to present to the audience only the beginning and middle, so that, through the use of a facilitator (called a Joker), the spectACTORs and the actors can work together toward a satisfying end.

Click here to learn more.

Will I have to act in order to participate in this session?
Absolutely not.  Your participation can be as simple as talking.  If you are one of those that love the stage, there will be opportunities for that as well, but this will be a safe, no-pressure space.

Program Goals
Participants will:

• Leave with strategies for handling some of the toughest interpersonal challenges that could emerge during a training session.
  
• Be exposed to a highly effective, low-pressure, and engaging way to involve their audience in conflict resolution without using role-play.
  

About Our Presenters

Alexis Fielek is a Learning and Development professional with 20 years of experience in education and training.  Alexis has a Masters Degree in Information Studies from UW-Milwaukee, Bachelors degrees in Theater Education, English, and German, is a Certified Authority in Workers’ Compensation, and has recently acquired her Competent Communicator and Competent Leader Toastmasters designations.  She currently works at United Heartland in New Berlin as a Senior Operations Training Specialist. Her passion is engaging adult learners by any means necessary, including relying on her Theatre Education background to bring new ways of learning to her audiences.

Sheri Weaver is a Learning & Development enthusiast for the past 10 years, Sheri’s greatest passion is in building collaboration and creating memorable and meaningful learning experiences. She has a Professional Certificate in Training from UW-Milwaukee and Certified Risk Advisor and Certified Insurance Service Representative designations. In her role as Manager of Learning & Development for HNI Risk Services, she has championed the notion that learning can and should be fun, while helping to bring about meaningful change and development.