Vice President K-12 Board
…And we didn’t stop believing at the 2011 K-12 SummerFest held at Baylor University in July. I cannot thank Stan Denman, Department Chair for Baylor University Theatre, his professors that presented this summer and the wonderful Sue Koehler, our contact with the Baylor Theatre Department, enough for their help and love of theatre education. With the continued thread of Advanced Directing and Technology, middle school and elementary sessions, and the addition of technical theatre sessions, I hope that all went away inspired and invigorated as I did for the upcoming school year. Mr. Tom Waggoner, former TEA Fine Arts Director, left my heart and soul full of thanks that I am a teacher of the arts, especially theatre arts in the great state of Texas. Thank you Mr. Waggoner, for your undying love and support of the Fine Arts and reminding us that we also are CORE!
With our lives in an ever changing world, I want the members of the K-12 section of TETA to know that we, as a board, hear your fears and anxiety for the continued support and need of theatre arts education in Texas. We all have friends that have changed directions in their lives in order to support families and survive during these times. Please continue to contact us with job opportunities, job needs, and job support throughout the entire year! The K-12 Board is a mere click away, thank goodness for technology. Visit the TETA website and see the things there to support K-12 educators that in turn, inspires the youth of this state.
Knowing several new teachers in theatre arts, I challenge a theatre teacher with 20 or more years’ experience, to find a new K-12 theatre arts teacher and mentor them throughout the year. My greatest fear is that we will not keep those young, energetic, talented theatre teachers connected to a strong foundation of the fine arts. Working in 2A and 3A high schools, I have many times been one of 2 or 3 fine arts people in the entire district. In my youth, TETA educators took me under their wings and mentored me into the teacher I am today. I am forever grateful for TETA and the education that I have received by attending TheatreFest and SummerFest, and my students are eternally grateful as well.
Encourage your colleagues and friends, if they are not members already, to join TETA and attend these fantastic conferences that provide us workshops and experiences that we would not have in many states throughout our country. I have never attended a workshop session in my 25 years that I have not learned something that I took back to “my kids” at school. Every summer I pull out old Histrionic books, now CD’s, that the K-12 High School Interest Chair provides during each TheatreFest, and find “old” ideas that are brand new ideas to my students in 2011-12. It excites me and reminds me again how lucky I am to work with young people in the 21st century. I look at the CD’s that I have received at SummerFest with power points and worksheets, and ideas for my new students, and I’m thankful that I belong to such a great organization that teaches, supports, and nurtures me even at year 25.
Don’t stop believin’ in your administration, colleagues, and especially your students as you begin this journey. There are mornings and nights that I find myself thinking, “Why am I doing this?” When 8:33 rolls around and those bright-eyed young artists enter the doors to my room or the theatre, I know exactly why I do this and love this! I hope your JOURNEY this year is memorable and magical! Never let anyone forget that we too are CORE!
Click here for a Slideshow of SummerFest pictures.
Click here for a Slideshow of SummerFest pictures.