Elana Shyong

Author: Elana Shyong

  • An ending, and a new beginning!

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    Elana Shyong
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    After many rewarding years of running Learning Off Book drama clubs in international schools across Barcelona, I’m wrapping up this chapter… the final showcases this past week were bittersweet. So proud of the kids and missing them already! πŸ’”πŸŽ­βœ¨ What started as a spark of an idea with Phylly Jones and I nearly four years…

  • Drama Tool of the Month: Split Stage

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    Elana Shyong
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    In 2025 I have been doing a monthly series of online drama in education workshops for a client based in Nanjing, China. Each month I introduce a different drama technique and how to apply it for education, and last month we explored the tool Split Stage! πŸŽ­πŸ’» In the photo, you can see the classic…

  • Play is Power!

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    Elana Shyong
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    β€œπ‘»π’‰π’† π‘«π’“π’‚π’Žπ’‚ 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆 π’˜π’‚π’” 𝒂𝒏 π’‚π’Žπ’‚π’›π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’†π’™π’‘π’†π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’„π’†. 𝑾𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 π’π’π’π’š π’˜π’π’“π’Œπ’Šπ’π’ˆ π’•π’†π’„π’‰π’π’Šπ’’π’–π’†π’”, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 π’Žπ’π’”π’• π’Šπ’Žπ’‘π’π’“π’•π’‚π’π’•π’π’š π’˜π’† 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔. 𝑢𝒖𝒓 π’•π’“π’‚π’Šπ’π’†π’“ 𝑬𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒂 π’Šπ’” 𝒂 π’ˆπ’π’π’… 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 π’˜π’‰π’ 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 π’–π’π’‡π’π’“π’ˆπ’†π’•π’•π’‚π’ƒπ’π’† π’†π’™π’‘π’†π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’„π’†π’”.” – Lily, SEN Teacher, Participant Such lovely feedback to finish up my week. I just wrapped up a 5-day Drama in Education training…

  • Drama in Education Training in Shanghai 2025

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    Elana Shyong
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    𝑺𝒐 π’†π’™π’„π’Šπ’•π’†π’… 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 π’Šπ’π’—π’Šπ’•π’†π’… π’ƒπ’‚π’„π’Œ 𝒕𝒐 π‘Ίπ’‰π’‚π’π’ˆπ’‰π’‚π’Š π’•π’‰π’Šπ’” π’”π’–π’Žπ’Žπ’†π’“ 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 Drama in Education 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒕 π’•π’“π’‚π’Šπ’π’†π’“! 🌏🎭 ✨ After working with this applied theatre company online during the pandemic and delivering a successful in-person training last year, I’m honoured to be invited once again to lead a three-day professional development programme on Drama in…

  • Positive Parent Feedback

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    Elana Shyong
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    It always brightens my day when I receive messages like this from parents. This kind of feedback reminds me why I do what I do. I run an online drama club called The Drama Playground that acts as a creative space where kids can come, play, laugh, and learn important social skills like creative collaboration…

  • Iceberg of Culture

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    Elana Shyong
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    As someone who has grown up across different cultures, thinking about cultural norms, values, and unspoken differences has always been second nature to me – I’m very privileged to have it be a part of my lived experience. 🌏✨ Facilitating the Iceberg of Culture activity during our inclusive education training was a powerful moment. We…

  • Enchanted 2025

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    Elana Shyong
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    𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 π’Šπ’‡ π’‘π’π’‚π’š π’˜π’‚π’”π’β€™π’• 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 π’„π’‰π’Šπ’π’…π’“π’†π’β€”π’ƒπ’–π’• 𝒂 π’“π’‚π’…π’Šπ’„π’‚π’ 𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 π’†π’™π’‘π’“π’†π’”π’”π’Šπ’π’ 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’„π’π’π’π’†π’„π’•π’Šπ’π’? This is another 1 of the inquiries we’ll also dive into during Enchanted this year (with me!!). Enchanted is a gathering that has carved out a very special corner in my heart, and I am beyond thrilled to return, this…

  • Blast From the Past

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    Elana Shyong
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    Yesterday I had one of those conversations that fills your cup. I reconnected with Emma Goodman, a high school friend who I haven’t spoken to in yearsβ€”our last in-person memory is a blurry, joy-filled trip to Amsterdam nearly a decade ago! ✨ I reached out after seeing her amazing project Embolden by Em, and I’m…

  • Some Earth Day Musings…

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    Elana Shyong
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    This week, I’m running a course on Positive Education, and so much of our discussion has turned to how powerful nature’s role is in well-being and a positive mindset. From a walk in nature to calm our nervous system to holding classes outdoors to engage deeper and with more joy, we are all in agreement…

  • Happy World Theatre Day! πŸŽ­πŸŒ

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    Elana Shyong
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    Just last week, I was deeply honoured to be re-elected to serve another four years as a trustee on the board of ISTA – Global Learning Through the Arts. It is a privilege to continue advocating for the power of theatre alongside such an inspiring community and learning so much from my fellow trustees and…