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| Gloria McLuckie TETA BOD VP - K12 |
TheatreFest brought about a great passion of sharing with the group at the K-12 Business Meeting. Thanks to one and all for the sharing of needs, wants, and frustrations. We listened with an empathetic ear and continue to strive to improve our programming to meet all of your needs. Out of this great session we assessed the need for a time to express yourselves with your fellow educators. We are revamping our Interest Group Meetings in our programming to accommodate and support your needs as educators. We hope to lengthen these meetings so you can take your concerns to your K-12 Interest Chairs. The Interest Group Meetings will have an agenda to include time for you to network with your colleagues and to share information or ask questions that is important to your group. We are encouraged that this will be the beginnings of a great change to our programming for SummerFest 2012 and TheatreFest 2013.
As education explodes into the 21st century younger teachers seem to be the link to technology growth for the veteran teachers like myself. As I listened to our young teachers in our business meeting, I was inspired to keep striving to include those fabulous “gadgets,” that often drive me nuts, because of the ease that they have while using them like I use to use a typewriter. Yes, I know that many of you know not of what I speak, but there are those that do know! We hope to continue to incorporate technology sessions in our programming. If you use fantastic technology in lessons, productions, or rehearsals, please fill out a workshop form and send it in so we can continue to educate the young and the young at heart! What you may see as something “common,” there are many teachers that find those things “difficult.” Please be a part of our mission in continuing to educate all teachers into the 21st century.
The passion by which we live as theatre educators, is flamed by the want to inspire our Texas theatre students. Many times I get tired and worn out and wonder why I do what I do, and it doesn’t take long to remember. As I typed on my article this morning at my desk, around 7:00am, I heard what I thought was crying in the hallway. Only a few students were here for tutorials, so I feared that someone was hurt. Sure enough, as I entered the girl’s restroom, I saw a young lady sitting on the floor in a restroom stall. The door was locked but I coaxed her to unlock it for me. I saw that she was a student I had in my middle school class 2 years ago. I told her to come with me to my room so we could close the door. As we entered my room, I told her she could lay down, talk, not talk, do whatever she needed to do. She dropped to the floor and continued to sob. I went about my business and listened as I heard the passion in her crying. It was from a deep, dark place, so I merely said, “Is it your parents?” And the passion of crying increased. I listened quietly as she poured out her fears. I thought to myself, that my mom taught for 40 years before retiring and I’ve never heard her tell these broken stories of her students very often. I seem to be able to tell one every day if I thought about it long enough. This young lady hugged me tightly, as it was time to go to first period and thanked me for listening. I may never have a Tony Award or Oscar winner come out of my programs, but I know that my calling as a theatre teacher continues to be about inspiring students to be the best they can be and to survive in a graceful manner in this world around them. Without the opportunities that TETA gives me to learn and share these experiences with my friends and colleagues, I would not be able to inspire my students in and out of the classroom.
SummerFest 2012, our 30th summer together, is the place for you! On July 13-15, join us at San Antonio College. Be an early-bird registrant and get the great t-shirt! We will not have dorm access this summer, so find a friend and make your reservations. All information is on the TETA website! I promise you that the Passion will be in the programming!