Common Space in Prison

01

Preparation

From the 1st of June 2023 the two teams joined together and the sessions were conducted with the extended team of young inmates and students/prospective teachers who worked intensively for several weeks in order to devise, rehearse and perform a participatory theatre performance for an audience consisting of the rest of the inmates, the prison’s administration and a few guests. At the same time, this participatory theatre workshop was designed and implemented so as to promote language and mathematics literacies. In this report, 10 of these sessions will be presented and discussed, selected to reflect all the successive phases of this participatory theatre project, from the beginning of the collaboration to its culmination to a performance at the end of the academic year. The goal is to present the steps and the actions as they were implemented and each led to a following stage, in order to describe the process through its main milestones and key events.

02

1st Workshop

01/06/2023

In the first meeting with the students and young inmates we mainly focused on encouraging all members of both groups to get to know each other and gradually nurture a space of acceptance and free expression for all participants. We played ‘warm up’ and ‘getting to know each other’ games and used music and dance to create a positive and welcoming environment in a rather ‘unfriendly’ space like what initially seemed to be the young offenders’ prison school. The next step was to invite the inmates to use the interview guide we had worked on during the previous weeks and invite them to use it in order to get to know the students and ‘break the ice’ among the two groups. This allowed us to explore the linguistic repertoires and linguistic biographies as they were shared among the members of the team. Translation was needed throughout the session and we covered this need by asking participants from both groups to assist and use any language spoken by the group i.e. turkish, arabic, greek, english, languages spoken by inmates and some of the students. We used this practice of collective translation in all the following sessions.

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2nd Workshop

13/06/2023

After meeting with all the students in the first two sessions with the inmates (5-6 students/prospective teachers joined each session) the group continued working on team building and encouraging trust and acceptance among the participants. In the following sessions we practised exercises and games to strengthen the team and gradually started working on theatre improvisations, body movement and rhythm, communication and expression. These activities helped to encourage language skills development such as production and comprehension of spoken language. We also implemented activities based on rhythm and introduced activities about division and fractions so as to promote understanding of basic mathematics notions and operations.

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3rd Workshop

03/07/2023

The team consisting of the young inmates and the students started exploring terms relevant with the theatrical practice such as the theatrical play/script, the scenes and the acts, improvisations and rehearsals, roles and chorus, stage and backstage, aiming to enhance comprehension of spoken and written language. Some participants had never been to the theatre, however, they all wanted to get involved and act; therefore, the need to become familiar with the terms and acquire a common ‘language’ emerged at this stage. Translation and body language helped to ensure common understandings of the terms and the steps we were about to start taking. Moreover, we continued working on activities relating to maths such as division, fractions and percentages.

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4th Workshop

06/07/2023

As the team was about to start working on a participatory theatre performance we encouraged all the members to think and decide on what each one wanted to talk about. What were the subjects that concerned them, what message did they want to send to their audience, which ideas were they interested to explore through theatre practices and how could we all choose the starting point in order to build a performance which would reflect everyone’s thoughts and include everyone’s voice. These questions were answered in this and the following sessions through brainstorming and dialogue in which the team discovered that there were several topics and notions that concerned everyone. This group of activities encouraged intercultural dialogue and the development of intercultural awareness amongst participants. Moreover, during this process, we used mathematics activities based on understanding totals and subtotals in order to help participants understand and visualise the outcomes of the brainstorming.

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5th Workshop

10/07/2023

At this point the group had decided that the topics they wanted to talk about in this theatrical attempt were friendship, family, justice, love, freedom and time as well as the lack of it. Using brainstorming and creative writing games the group moved on to devise a story, a script which would include these notions but would also be funny, interesting, meaningful and futuristic. We ‘borrowed’ some elements from the play ‘Momo’ by Michael Ende which were introduced by one of the educators-researchers and the group agreed to use them to form the basic storyline but also enrich and alter them with their own ideas. The basic roles of the play emerged in this session: the protagonist would be a young girl ‘the little one’ and her friends while the threat or the enemy of this group would be ‘the robots’. These activities nurtured intercultural dialogue and communication within the group and further promoted the production and comprehension of spoken and written language.

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6th Workshop

17/07/2023

During this session we started working on the plot of our story and how this would be narrated through the different scenes-episodes. We discussed the first couple of scenes that expose the basic characters and the relationships between them as well as the danger they were about to face: a group of robots that wanted to take over the world and steal everyone’s time in order to become stronger. Together with the plot we worked on improvisations so that the participants would explore the characters they were going to play, their movement, voice and behaviour. In this phase we ensured that everyone’s ideas would be tried out and incorporated to the maximum and we found several ways to include elements from the diverse cultural backgrounds of the participants such as music and dance, food, different languages with simultaneous translation. At this stage participatory theatre was used as a tool to promote teamwork, collaboration and the production of narrative texts.

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7th Workshop

18/07/2023

We continued working on the structure of the play, writing the last scenes and the play’s finale. At the same time, we tried to develop the physical movement of some of the characters, mainly the robots, since their presence would be rather dominant in the play and therefore, their movement had to be quite particular and distinct. The robot scene was based on the mathematics activities we practised earlier therefore, we devised this scene applying members’ acquired knowledge of time and its divisions. Time and its passing played a key role in the play; it was a theme introduced by some of the young inmates and was extensively explored during the rehearsals. At this stage the team started to rehearse the scenes, playing each scene again and again and discussing the scene in between, so as to improve the acting and the rhythm in each scene and make them more natural, funny and convincing. We also started the discussion about costumes, set and props which would necessarily be rather minimal since not many things would be allowed by the prison setting. Everything would be created by the group, therefore, we would only use the necessary objects and minimal setting, while the actors would borrow clothes from each other to create the costume for each role. Participants were interacting with each other within a safe space of democratic, equal participation and co-creation.

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8th Workshop

20/07/2023

As the date of the performance approached the rehearsals became more and more frequent and intense. We would visit the prison almost every day with some or all the students and we would also meet outside the prison for extra rehearsals with the students. The participants were excited with the process, as they shared that they were helping each other to memorise their lines and practise their movements and the songs. In every session the team suggested new ways to improve the performance and it was amazing to see how everyone became more and more interested in giving the best possible show. Team members in each session were exploring what is funnier, what is more interesting for the audience, how loud should the voices be, etc. The group worked in a very efficient way while all the suggestions and ideas were heard and usually included. At the same time, a new feature emerged; that of ‘saving our partner on stage’. This means that all the members are ready at all times to ‘save’ their co-star in case they are stuck or cannot remember what to say next. This practice of solidarity and mutual responsibility develops within the theatrical practice and is valued among the participants as it strengthens their relationships and the devotion to a common goal.

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9th Workshop

24/07/2023

This session took place in the large function room where the performance would take place and was what a typical theatre group would call ‘the general rehearsal’. It was noticeable that almost everyone, including the educators-researchers were excited and also quite stressed. The group had this only chance to try out the stage and practise the performance in the actual space where it was going to be presented in a couple of days. Everyone was very focused and efficient; solutions were found, participants were helping each other with movements or set changes and our anticipation grew for the big day. For some moments, everyone’s common concern was to do our best, to give a good show, to share what they had been working on for weeks with the audience and do it in the best possible way…

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10th Workshop

26/07/2023

The day of the performance was there, so was everyone, dressed in their best clothes, smiling and a bit anxious. We worked on a couple of exercises to reduce stress and unwind and took a few minutes to help each other to relax, remind them that everyone was there to cover any mistake, and that eventually, mistakes do not matter that much, it was our journey that we all valued and enjoyed. The play started after a while and was very well performed, with a lot of energy and smiles, a few mistakes that no one noticed and exemplary collaboration among the team members. The sense of accomplishment at the end of the show was evident and celebrated vividly by all participants and members of the audience after the end of the performance, with a party in which all of us danced and had fun, valued our common experiences and renewed the promise for many more creative experiences to follow. It was an opportunity for getting together, interacting with the audience and celebrating multiculturalism, recognition, acceptance and artistic creation.

During the academic year 2023-2024 curricular activities were designed, developed and implemented within 20 workshops of common space with prisoners and prospective teachers. The workshops included a variety of topics that were defined according to the inmate’s needs and desires, as they were discussed at the beginning of the project and revisited as the workshops progressed. The workshops were designed using an interdisciplinary approach and included topics such as geometry and the arts; language and drama; mathematics, drama and languages. Dialogue is a key element of this approach and it is encouraged both with verbal and non-verbal means. Language is practiced experientially, and enriched through emerging vocabulary and prompts to communicate. Introduction and discussion on geometry, mathematics and language topics would be followed by dialogue on gender roles and issues of social justice. During the final sessions we attempted to devise a play inspired by the things everyone learnt and others they wanted to explore. The performance, a show about solidarity, space traveling, adventure, witches and true friendship, was rehearsed for one month and performed for an audience of fellow inmates, administration and teaching staff with enthusiasm, confidence and a lot of smiles.

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11th Workshop

19/10/2023

The 11^th Workshop was the first workshop for the winter semester. It was an Introductory session in order to get to know youths who would participate in the project. Since young detainees who attend school are a fluid social group that may constantly change, team building activities are very important so as to include newcomers. During the 11^th workshop we shared information about the project ACTinPRISON pointing out the main objective to deliver language and mathematics literacy interventions through arts-based and critical literacy approaches. Topics to be explored in the workshops were negotiated with the youths and background information concerning youths’ literacies, schooling experiences and relation to languages and mathematics were recorded so as to be taken into consideration in designing extra-curricular activities.

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12th Workshop

26/10/2023

During the 12^th, 13^th and 21^st workshops we applied the teaching unit entitled From “Geometry” to Pyramid construction. In the 12^th Workshop our objective was to develop intercultural awareness of all participants, including female students and young detainees, while linking the topics of discussion with the previous sessions that were realized during the summer. We discussed song lyrics on gender relations. In addition, in the second part of the workshop we aimed to introduce mathematical literacy concepts starting with the identification of geometrical instruments and shapes. We explored, discussed and translated in different languages vocabulary on geometrical instruments and geometrical shapes (such as the concept of “concentric circles”). Finally, the students practiced with geometrical instruments that were to be used during the next workshop in order to design shapes on paper.

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13th Workshop

09/11/2023

In Workshop 13 the aim was to devise their own inventions in a team-based manner. The participants had to discuss their ideas working together in small groups including both undergraduate students and young detainees. Employing an interdisciplinary perspective, and through a critical literacy lens we started discussing about inventions focusing on the wheel and on the invention of the internet. This led to a discussion about science. Important questions for reflection emerged in this context, such as “What do you think science is?”, “What is the role of the scientist?”, “What are the sciences involved in constructing inventions?”. We concluded through collaborative reflection that mathematics is a fundamental science for the invention of the wheel. Each group designed an innovative invention applying knowledge of using geometrical instruments and sharing existing knowledge on inventions relevant to the measurement of time (time machines), vision (innovative sunglasses) and other ideas that came up in the context of intercultural interaction.

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14th Workshop

16/11/2023

This workshop started by presentations of the inventions designed in the previous session. Each group presented their artefact so as to include also youths that were not present last time. Afterwards, the participants joined different groups and each group had to study a set of multimodal texts (translated in different languages based on the linguistic repertoires of the youths) concerning “10 inventions which changed the world”. Focusing on reading comprehension and the development of oral discourse skills, youths studied collaboratively the texts and had the opportunity to comment on aspects of the inventions that were familiar or unfamiliar to them. Every student read aloud one short text and then we discussed all together about the importance of these inventions, and the impressions that different inventions made to each one.

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15th Workshop

30/11/2023

During this workshop we discussed about one of Kandinsky’s paintings. At first, we tried to explore and imagine what the painting symbolizes/depicts. Each one shared his/her view and gave a title to the painting based on how he/she interpreted it. This painting was a trigger to start discussing about certain geometrical shapes and then about their construction. After observing the geometrical shapes within the painting, each youth chose one shape and tried to design it on paper using geometrical instruments. We also discussed about art and different perspectives and approaches to art, such as abstract art, and about the importance of the painting based on the spatiotemporal context it was created.

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16th Workshop

04/12/2023

During the 16^th workshop we focused on ‘Inter-artistry & Interculturalism’. Our objective was to develop the participants’ intercultural awareness as well as critical language awareness skills. Through an open dialogue with the participants we negotiated issues of social justice and gender relations sharing stories and examples from our own biographies, relationships, and incidents that led to imprisonment. In terms of language literacy skills, oral discourse was produced in Greek while encouraging the use of translanguaging and the practice of community interpretation. The environment was warm and encouraging for self-expression and team building using arts-based activities.

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17th Workshop

07/12/2023

During the 17^th Workshop we aimed to learn reading multimodal texts, such as maps and to orientate through a map. Focusing on multiliteracies and critical literacy this workshop encouraged the participants to familiarize with the terms North, South, East, West and recognize different countries and locations on maps. We discussed in groups and afterwards all together the notion of borders and their representations on maps. Producing oral and written language on topics discussed was a secondary objective of the workshop.

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18th Workshop

14/12/2023

The 18^th Workshop was a Christmas theme session that drew on multilingualism, interculturalism and ethnomathematics. The main activity was to write and exchange wishes on geometrical shaped cards after discussing the importance of Christmas celebration and relevant celebrations across cultures. The participants in small groups of both young detainees and young students created cards using geometrical tools and shared wishes in different languages.

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19th Workshop

17/12/2023

During the 19^th workshop we aimed to develop participants’ intercultural awareness. This was realized through presenting and discussing on the content of short movies, such as Eating in Paris, Unsung Hero, or the The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. All the prompts used created opportunities for various discussions and the participants enjoyed unlocking multimodal texts in a collaborative way.

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20th Workshop

11/01/2024

The 20^th Workshop was the first one of the new year, so it was important for us to develop anew a sense of belonging to the team, to explore the dynamics of the team since there were some changes in the participants (some had left, some new students had joined the team). After celebrating the beginning of the new year for our project sharing a cake, we had an initial conversation about what geometry is. Some of the questions we discussed upon were the following: What does geometry mean as a word? What is science? How do we think geometry is important? After noting down initial preconceptions and ideas about these key concepts we discussed about the objectives of the new cycle of workshops during the new year.

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21st Workshop

19/01/2024

In the 21^st Workshop we analysed the word geometry and explained the role of geometry in our lives. Since during the discussions of the previous workshops, the case of the Egyptian pyramids was mentioned, we prepared material for discussing about this topic that seemed to be of specific interest to the participants. Through the example of the Egyptian pyramids we tried to break down stereotypes about the superiority of Greek language and culture in mathematics science. One of the workshop objectives was to understand the relation between pyramids, mathematics and the interdisciplinary character of their construction (mathematics, astronomy). Using the maps we aimed to locate Egypt and Giza, where the pyramids discussed were emplaced and then to explore the idea of creating a pyramid ourselves.

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22nd Workshop

25/01/2024

During the 22^nd Workshop we aimed to create a square-based pyramid with cardboard. Through measuring-calculating and crafting with the use of cardboard, ruler and scissors our objective was to develop participants’ mathematical literacy skills in a practice-based, applied manner. After constructing the pyramid, they imprinted their linguistic repertoires on the artefact, reflecting on the process and sharing multilingual messages on the crafted pyramid that they placed on their space as an ornament. Feeling satisfaction for the outcome of the collaborative effort all the participants celebrated in small groups and shared stories from similar literacy events.

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23rd Workshop

01/02/2024

During 23^rd, 25^th and 26^th workshops we applied the teaching unit entitled From planes to solids through technology. As a follow-up to the 12th workshop, we worked on consolidating geometric concepts in the computer lab. The mathematician-researcher gave a presentation about geometric shapes and instruments. The languages he had included were Greek, English, Turkish, Farsi and Urdu in order to cover the language repertoire of most of the children. The activities were implemented using digital tools from the ACTinPRISON platform in small groups (students-prospective teachers). Most of the young prisoners had no difficulty in using computers and software, with the exception of a few, due to their insecurity in using these tools. However, this was overcome with the help and encouragement of the prospective teachers, as well as the willingness of other classmates to help them, which highlighted the empathy of the children and the team atmosphere that prevailed in each group.

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24th Workshop

08/02/2024

During this workshop we applied the teaching unit entitled Computers are useful but also fun!. In this workshop we worked with Pixel Art in a spreadsheet software and the children, who this time worked individually, were asked to design and colour in a worksheet various geometric shape, alongside the visual material of the teacher-researcher’s presentation, which helped them a lot, as it detailed the steps they had to follow. During the workshop, the young inmates were completely quiet and focused on the activities, which indicates that they attracted their interest and the children’s general preference for more practical and more interactive activities.

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25th Workshop

15/02/2024

In the third workshop on mathematical literacy, a presentation was first given by the mathematical-researcher on the extension of flat shapes (2D) to solid shapes (3D) and how they are created from the former. The “geogebra” software tool was used to develop the solid shapes, enabling the young prisoners to modify and edit them. Among the activities, from the ACTinPRISON platform, was one that was a bridge to the 22nd workshop, as it connected flat geometric shapes with solids and with the pyramids of Egypt and the Louvre, but mainly their own pyramid that they had built in that workshop. The prospective teachers played a catalytic role in familiarising the children with the software, where they managed to work together very harmoniously, creating a safe communication and work environment.

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26th Workshop

22/02/2024

In this workshop we focused on map orientation through the compass and on finding countries and cities in the three continents (Asia, Africa, Europe), in the wider Mediterranean region and mainly in their countries of origin (South West Asia, North Africa, Balkans and Greece), as a continuation of the 17th workshop. After a brief presentation on the compass and its usefulness, they were all then engaged in interactive orientation and geography activities on the maps from the ACTinPRISON platform displayed on the computer screens. There were children who were not aware of the existence of the compass, but all of them had made use of the GPS on their mobile phones – apparently some of them due to their migration from their countries to Greece, as was revealed by the discussion that took place. Their interest in specific activities was very high, as is always the case with these children, as a result of the long experience of the teacher-researcher in educational structures of penitentiary institutions.

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27th Workshop

21/03/2024

During the 27^th workshop we applied the teaching unit entitled Building a kite in prison. The workshop includes the construction of kites, on the occasion of Carnival Day. For this activity, permission is given to go outside the classroom, in the prison yard, as kite flying requires outdoor space. In the first stage of the workshop, all members of the group form a large circle in the courtyard of the prison and the discussion begins with the search for the origin of the custom and its connection to memories and past experiences. At this stage the connection with childhood and the family ties that define it is evident. In the second stage of the workshop, we are divided into groups in order for each group to make its own kite. The materials available are: rice paper, A4 paper (in various colours), pencils, markers, crayons, straws, glue, scissors, string. Using these materials, each group creates its own kite, a process that enables the group members to interact, share personal stories and feelings, and feel part of the community. At the end, the groups present their creations.

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28th Workshop

04/04/2024

During 28^th – 30^th workshops we applied the teaching unit entitled From “The Little Prince” to “Little Princes“!. This workshop starts with the presentation of the story of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, through a video from the ACTinPRISON platform of a short narration of the book and the parallel use of a 3D book. While viewing the video, we paused at crucial points in the story in order to a) have group members discuss important issues that arose and were linked to reflections and emotions from everyday life and b) access obscure words and phrases. At the same time, where possible and relevant to the scene we were analysing, we showed 3D images from the book we had with us. The discussions were not only about the current scene we were analysing, but also about the group’s assumptions about the continuation of the story, as well as an attempt to rationalise the symbols in the context of the fiction. The discussion led to the crucial issue of the group members’ goals and dreams, focusing on reflection on how one sets goals according to existing circumstances and within what context initial goals can be changed, either within or outside the context of the prison. In the second stage of the workshop, we were divided into four groups, where each group, through improvisational practices, formed and presented to the plenary their own imaginary journey to an imaginary planet, inspired by the story of the Little Prince.

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29th Workshop

11/04/2024

The workshop starts with techniques from the ACTinPRISON platform in order to activate and empower the group. In the first stage of the workshop, the imaginary stories drawn by the four groups in our previous meeting are presented, based on the story of the little prince. At the beginning, each group presented their story orally and then improvised the scenes they had thought up. After all four groups had presented their stories, then through the brainstorming technique, we discussed how these four stories could be brought together to form the unified plot of a play. Many suggestions were heard and several modifications were made to the original stories to find a way to link them together. This process was a group effort so we can claim that the writers of this play were all members of the group. After the process of connecting the four stories into a single four-scene story was completed, the focus was on the first and second scenes. The roles were shared and then through improvisation the dialogues were formed, cultivating skills in producing and understanding spoken and written language.

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30th Workshop

18/04/2024

This workshop is a continuation of the previous workshop as described in the ACTinPRISON platform. We begin with a warm-up and group activation activity and recall of the first and second scenes of the play. We then focus on the development of the third and fourth scenes. In order to recall the content of the last two scenes of the play, the third and fourth groups re-present their stories. During the presentation, we take written notes on the plot, roles and dialogue of the scenes. After the content of the last two scenes was formed, the first attempt to theatrically connect all the scenes and dialogues was attempted. At this stage, the first form of the plot, roles, dialogues and written script had been formed, elements which were partially tweaked in the rehearsals that followed, until they took their final form and were presented to the audience.

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The performance

After the completion of the workshops in the framework of the theatre-pedagogical approach, rehearsals followed from 25 April to 20 June in order to present the theatrical text in the form of a performance. The rehearsals enabled a) deeper practice of each individual’s role, b) better connection with the content of the story, c) creation of close bonds between the members of each scene and d) creation of a common goal for all the members of the group. In the preliminary rehearsal, emphasis was placed on the set design and the choice of costumes and musical scoring. In the dress rehearsal, emphasis was placed on the set design and repositioning of the actors as we moved from the rehearsal space to the theatre presentation room. The actors’ entry and exit points were marked there, and the microphones and logistics were checked. On the day of the performance, the above workshops were disseminated through the presentation of the play to a packed hall with other inmates, teachers and prison staff.