The goal of School Drama, which is run by Murray Arts along with the Sydney Theatre Company and HotHouse Theatre, is to help teachers build on the emotional wellbeing of young children by using theatre with literature.

Its organisers have called on principals and teachers to sign-up for a professional learning day at Wodonga’s Butter Factory Theatre on Friday, March 24, which will be hosted by Sydney Theatre Company’s education manager John Saunders, who is to fly down for the date.

After learning about drama from the best, Border teachers will get the chance to enlist their primary school for a seven-week artist-in-residence drama program. 

Murray Arts spokeswoman Carolyn Doyle said this would involve an actor teaming up with a teacher to help improve students’ literacy skills through drama in weekly lessons.

The teacher and actor would together pick a book to study, Ms Doyle said.

“This has got such a long-lasting and positive effect on kids, because it puts a teaching artist into the classroom, where they delve very deeply into books,” she said. “The artist and teacher choose a text and study its characters with children and play to help them develop empathy.”

Three teachers at Yackandandah Primary School took part in the program last year, including Brendan Hogan, who said he loved that teaching support was built into the model of the program.

“Having a teaching artist working with you across seven weeks gave me the opportunity to really develop my skills,” he said. 

“It's fair to say that drama quickly became the highlight of the week for both the students and myself. 

“One of the most gratifying things for me was to see the children change the way they looked at stories and analysed characters.” Working with Yackandandah teachers was celebrated Albury performer Alyson Evans, who snagged an Australian Council Award for her work with young people.

Ms Coyle hoped Border teachers would seize the chance to learn how to teach in a different way. “It’s an incredible opportunity for teachers to have this level of professional development without having to travel to a metropolitan city,” she said.

The workshop costs $50 per person, which includes morning tea and lunch from La Maison Cafe. The professional learning day in March is free for teachers who sign up to the seven-week artist-in-residence program.

More information is available by contacting Murray Arts on (02) 6021 5034 or by emailing info@murrayarts.org.au.