ABSTRACT
The educational system in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) places great emphasis on rote learning, and very little opportunity is given to spontaneous participation. The use of drama/theatre has been recognized as an effective form of therapy for children in many parts of the world. It assists in helping children to understand themselves and the world they live in. It creates situations that help children to discover why people behave as they do, thus helping them reflect on their own behavior. Finding space, both physical and mental, is a major problem in the OPTs. Children are confined in overcrowded homes for long periods of time by curfews, strikes and violent activity on the streets, which is the only other place to be. The intention of the sessions was to sensitize the children to alternative forms of verbal and non-verbal expression through theatre games and sketches.
