Young Playwrights' Theater inspires young people to realize the power of their own voices.

Bring YPT to Your

 Bring YPT to Your School

In-School Playwriting Program The

In-School Playwriting Program

The In-School Playwriting Program integrates the art of playwriting into the classroom in order to enhance student literacy, creative expression and communication.

Students explore playwriting, revision and performance with professional playwrights, actors, directors and teaching artists in the classroom.

Students learn the importance of language structure, grammar, spelling, and vocabulary choice as a means of clearly communicating their own thoughts, choices and imaginations to the world around them.

During a carefully crafted series of standards-based, in-class workshops, students explore the mechanics of language, drama and self-expression, culminating in the creation of their own original play.
 

YPT is proud to offer our 2016-17 In-School Playwriting Program in the following DC-area schools:

  • John Adams Elementary School
  • Bancroft Elementary School
  • Bunker Hill Elementary School (new partner!)
  • King Elementary School (new partner!)
  • Orr Elementary School
  • Powell Elementary School
  • Savoy Elementary School
  • Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School
  • Tubman Elementary School
  • Watkins Elementary School
  • Eliot-Hine Middle School
  • The Lab School of Washington
  • Maret School
  • Ballou STAY High School
  • Chelsea School
  • Eastern High School
  • H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program
  • Maya Angelou Academy at New Beginnings
  • Wakefield High School

...with more to come!

For information on how to bring the In-School Playwriting Program to your school, contact Thembi Duncan at 202-387-9173.

Integrated Into the Classroom

 

YPT’s curriculum is standards-based, aligning with the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. We have also developed models for integration in History and Social Studies classes, where students learn about Jamestown and the Constitution through an interactive semester of playwriting.

 

 

 

Actor Visits

 

Professional actors visit the classroom during the In-School Playwriting Program.  Hearing their work read aloud gives students a strong motivation to continue working and revising their plays.

 

 

  

 

Proven Track Record

Each year YPT has further developed and refined its process and several schools now rely on YPT to provide its holistic learning process as a means of enhancing student literacy, communication, and creativity in the classroom.
 
By emphasizing reading, writing, and revision, the In-School Playwriting Program improves literacy in the following target areas:
 
  • Increased ability to write expressively
  • Increased ability to revise and edit writing
  • Development of strong listening and speaking skills
  • Improvement of vocabulary, grammar, and spelling
  • Increased comprehension of text
In 2015-16, only 21% percent of high school students in DC Public Schools (DCPS) met or exceeded expectations in English Language Arts on the PARCC Exam. Since 2013, Young Playwrights’ Theater's curriculum has addressed and integrated the Common Core State Standards into our arts-based literacy program.
 
 
YPT’s model exemplifies the philosophy emphasized in these new standards and inherent in YPT’s work: learning an interactive writing process in the classroom as a means of creative self-expression is central to successful student learning. 
 
Every year, YPT's quantitative and qualitative assessments demonstrate significant gains in student literacy skills and confidence as writers. To view our most recent assessment results, click here!

To Apply

For more information on how to bring the In-School Playwriting Program to your school, contact Jared Shamberger at 202-387-9173 or jshamberger@yptdc.org.

 

 

Resources


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