“Just as it takes a prism to reveal all the colors within what appears to be colorless sunlight, so too the complex hues of one’s person require a prism to reveal their complexity. Rainbow of Desire techniques function like light through drops of water, helping to reveal to us the various hues of humanity that are always present but are seldom visible on the surface. Rainbow of Desire techniques build upon what has come before in Image and Forum Theatre, where characters in conflict have been established – the teacher in the workroom with her colleague; the teacher in a parent-teacher conference; the teacher in a weekend graduate class; and so on” (Cahnmann-Taylor & Souto-Manning, 2010, p. 113).
Please Pay Attention to Students as Individuals.
The videoclip showcases the use of Rainbow of Desire with pre- and in-service teachers. We explode the “antagonist student”—the one who falls asleep and/or pays more attention to their phone or laptop than to the teacher. What are the many reasons students may be distracted or inattentive in class? Rainbow is a powerful technique for understanding the “Other” as an individual with varied and legitimate perspectives—
Students who appear disrespectful and distracted may not see the curriculum as relevant, may have needed to stay up all night working, may need to be in touch with family, may actually be on task and we don’t even know it!
Rainbow helps us humanize the people with whom we struggle in contexts of teaching and learning (e.g. students, colleagues, administrators, parents). Use your imagination. What other voices might be added to the rainbow?
Teachers Act Up! 
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