UC Santa Cruz

A Nation at Risk, published in 1983, led to a number of reformations to the United States education system with the goal of increasing the ranking of US education on a global level. These reformations have led to a test-based “banking” model of education which does not adequately support underrepresented and non-normative students. Moreover, it fails to support all students by encouraging rote memorization without supporting comprehension or practical skill-building.

Using Paulo Freire’s critique of traditional education systems, and the pedagogically focused theatrical tools of Augusto Boal, I examine the efficacy of integrating arts-based learning practices into US high school classrooms with the objective to provide more diverse learning tools and improve the quality of education for disadvantaged students. I student-taught in a Monterey Bay area high school and found that many of the obstacles I faced in implementing such a program were systemic in nature and supported Freire’s critiques.