In the effort to create unifying bridges to enable the people to interact, initiate and contribute to positive action for greater good of the community and society, PETA is committed to Theater in Education (TIE) as one of the Core Functions of the organization. For PETA, TIE is the use of theater methods and discipline as tools for putting across ideas and content in various academic areas in the schools -- the fusion of creative processes in the learning scheme of things. Institutionally, PETA decided to embark on this as a means to empower children and young people both individually and collectively through creative discovery, organizing, creation, education and ultimately-action.
Part of PETA's work in the popularization of creative pedagogy is the training of teachers so as they may explore fully the creative potentials of their students using academic content as areas of creative explorations – providing a unique space for students/participants to be directly involved in the discovery of knowledge, and to express themselves creatively, get in touch with oneself and discover their potentials.
Though the potential of creative pedagogy as methodology for teaching has yet to flourish, the need to popularize and utilize the approach among our educators is challenging. But with sustained program and strategic partnerships with key groups and institutions critical to education, PETA believes that TIE is relevant and a viable tool to empower young Filipino learners toward social transformation.
The efforts of PETA and MTTL in using theater as a tool in education can be summarized as follows: (a) enhancing the education curriculum through the arts, by developing a drama course for high school drama clubs and the use of creative pedagogy in the teaching learning experience in the classroom; (b) human resource capacity building, through the sustained training of teachers, young people and core group members; and, (c) strengthening child/youth participation, through theater workshops, festivals and excellent repertory work of MTTL core group. The best interest of the young person lies at the very heart of all these efforts. The language is drama. The vision is the full actualization of the young people through theater.
To realize the Theater-in-Education thrust, PETA's youth theater program -- the Metropolitan Teen Theater League (MTTL) -- spearheads activities and programs for young people’s youth theater program and drama group advisers based in the secondary schools and communities in Metro Manila and other neighboring provinces. Utilizing theater arts to tap and develop their skills and potentials, MTTL has proven its worth in popularizing theater and Filipino culture through theater-in-education initiatives.
MTTL's strategy on Youth Participation and Empowerment through Theater Arts Education is translated into its three-pronged programs - the youth theater network (composed young people who are members of different drama groups); the teachers and adult leaders (advisers of organizations); and, the core young people of MTTL (young artist-volunteers who are co-implementors of MTTL programs).