Montana thespian teaches Havre High Students

A Havre High School teacher received a grant to have a guest actor come in and teach theater integration in her social studies classes.

Current Issues and U.S. History teacher Lindsey Ratliff received a Humanities Montana Opportunity Grant of $1,000.

"He gave me ideas of how to incorporate physical movement into social studies lessons," she said.

Guest instructor of integrated arts Ryan Eggensperger of Helena said the premise of what he does is using art, specifically theater, as a teaching tool, "so getting kids on their feet, in their bodies especially in this particular case, like politics, in a way that feels visceral, that feels personal and that feels accessible but not abstract."

He said this physical element is important because people live in an oversaturated and digital age, in a world of increasing disembodiment where sharing memes or articles online can feel like enough or that they are engaged, but it's not helping people fully understand issues.

"I think understanding politics, understanding society, understanding compassion and other human beings is still a three-dimensional, physical, embodied experience," he said. "So I'm trying to do what I can to rehumanize those subjects."

He said he does this through exercises starting with physical and vocal warmups, getting the students into their breath in order to get the students' physicality engaged, so when they have conversations it comes from a physical place.

His background is mostly in theater and as a yoga practitioner, Eggensperger said, adding that he has done this off and on for 15 years.

"(What I enjoy) most, I think, it's a really unique perspective to give kids," he said, even for youth who are athletes and used to being physical.

"I think that integration of intellectual or academic concepts and physical experience is pretty unusual that I didn't come across until college," he added. "So trying to introduce that and understand that the brain is obviously important to learn, but not necessarily more important than the rest of the body," he said.

Ratliff said Eggensperger helped her understand the importance of grounding oneself in the physical body and the importance of keeping a connection to the brain and body in learning.

"I have had quite a bit of experience in arts integration, however, I knew Ryan had the acting expertise needed to successfully implement the lessons," she said.

She said that next week in her Current Issues class they will be discussing the role of youth and youth rights in American Democracy, which will tie into the lessons that were taught this week. She added that in U.S. History class the students will be learning events that led up to the entry of the United States into World War II, and the responses the United States took when attacked.

"I think the students got a little glimpse of what it's like to make a tough decision when faced with adversity in our society," Ratliff said. "We explored and analyzed different methods of protesting and how involved they are in their own democracy. Students participated in some thought-provoking scenarios that involved physical movement and justification of actions."

Two Havre High School seniors said this week the most important thing they learned is a lot about how their opinions do matter and to stand up for what they believe in.

Current Issues student Kyndall Keller said the way a person's opinion and voice can be heard is by speaking out about one's beliefs, and making change for the better was the most important.

She said she after these lessons she would find ways to implement them into real life and to educate others on these lessons.

"I think if I were to tell people about it, I would talk to them and try to explain it, about how opinions do matter, what you believe in is important, and just to talk about it, and spread it around," Keller said.

Another Current Issues student Jessa Chvilicek said she learned how much the government affects them in everything it does.

"(I would) just talk about it and let them know whatever they think is right or whatever they believe in is good," she said.