izv. prof. dr. sc. Nataša Govedić
Nasilje didaktičnosti u kazalištu za djecu: tragom Ive Gruić i izvedbenih praksi pedagogije umjetnosti
U svojoj seminalnoj knjizi Prolaz u zamišljeni svijet (2002), Iva Gruić raspravlja razliku između drame-kao-didaktičkog-sredstva i drame-kao-estetičkog-događaja u razredu. Suprotstavljajući paradigme dramske pedagogije kako ih vide Dorothy Heathcote, a onda nasuprot tome Gavin Bolton, John O’Toole i Cecily O’Neill, Gruić zauzima poziciju “đavolje odvjetnice” ili teoretičarke koja nije protivnica instrumentalizaciji drame u umjetnosti, ali s opaskom da je to samo zato što se u hrvatskoj nastavnoj praksi u vrijeme objavljivanje njezine studije (sam početak 21. stoljeća) didaktični pristup dramskoj izvedbi razmjerno rijetko događa. U čitavoj svojoj studiji, Gruić zastupa stajalište da procesnu dramu kontroliraju djeca, što znači da implicitno odmiče procesnu dramu od didaktičke “korisnosti” ili nastavničke kontrole. Cilj ovog izlaganja je pokazati do koje mjere namjera didaktičnosti može narušiti i oblikovni integritet procesne drame i njezinu izvedbu, kao i recepciju. To je posebno važno u kontekstu u kojem nastavnice i nastavnici percipiraju.
dr. sc. Alexander Hoffelner
Improvising the Classroom: Dealing with the Unknown!
This lecture explores teaching as a form of pedagogical improvisation situated between interaction and organisation. Drawing on concepts from improvisational theatre, it argues that teaching is inherently improvisational: classroom interactions are unpredictable, requiring teachers to respond spontaneously, creatively, and responsively. Rather than being a sign of insufficient preparation, improvisation emerges as a professional competence grounded in knowledge, experience, and didactics. It enables teachers to integrate students’ perspectives, thereby fostering democratic education through openness, participation, and collaboration. At the same time, improvisation unfolds within the structural framework of schools as organisations, where formal rules and routines both constrain and enable agency. Schools thus appear as “improvising organisations” that must remain agile in the face of uncertainty while still providing stability. The lecture highlights how pedagogical improvisation can be reconceptualised as a core professional skill and how integrating it into teacher education could strengthen democratic practices and counteract tendencies of standardisation.
prof. dr. sc. Rolf Laven
Rehearsing the Future: Art as Civic Imagination – Bridge between drama, engagement, and art
This lecture weaves together the legacy of drama educator Iva Gruić with contemporary participatory art and Erasmus+-Research projects, showing how creative practice can perform civic futures. In the wake of Gruić’s pioneering work in Theatre for Young Audiences and process drama, we explore collaborative art programs (e.g. in Riedersbach, Voitsberg, Strasshof, Braunau) and initiatives like SLIDE, ACIIS and SPA_LOW_SKY as living laboratories of civic imagination. We balance scholarly argument with poetic reflection: envisioning rusted steel in an abandoned power plant as silent lectures, a community forging new sculptures from mine relics, and teachers choreographing inclusive lessons. By describing these interventions in vivid detail and metaphor, art projects become democratic rehearsals – spaces where participants co-create narratives of participation and hope. Let us use art to write new scripts for education and society – inclusive, creative, and democratic.
Mojca Redjko
Metaphor – Perception and Development in Theatre for Young Audiences
This lecture explores the evolving role of metaphor in Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA), tracing its shift from traditional, universal symbols—such as friendship, nature, and family life—towards more complex, fragmented, and interdisciplinary forms shaped by digital culture. Contemporary theatre metaphors are not merely decorative, but tools of cognition and emotional engagement: they address issues of identity, mental health, climate change, and social movements, while incorporating irony, hybridity, and interactive participation. Drawing on both theoretical perspectives and practical initiatives, the lecture highlights how young spectators are no longer passive receivers but active co-creators of meaning, responding to metaphors with openness, creativity, and critical awareness. It presents experiences from projects like First Scene and Young Theatre, which have combined performances, workshops, and participatory activities to foster theatre literacy, inclusivity, and democratic engagement. Ultimately, the lecture underscores how metaphor in TYA nurtures imagination, empathy, and resilience—skills essential for young people navigating today’s complex world.
