Vice President K-12
As my summer comes to a close; summer school is over, TETA SummerFest 2012 is over, and Tal’s Summer Drama Camp is over, I reflect on my experiences. I have been challenged, enlightened, and inspired with my “gigs” this summer. In June, I answered many math questions that I really did figure out on my own, well, a few. In July, I answered questions about blocking, and lesson plans, and Institutional Membership schools. But what seems to be my most inspirational moments were the moments spent with my students, in acting class at Tal’s Camp. “I won’t give up on us!”
On the first day of class, 8:00am, I had music blaring, a smile on my face, and “Ms. Mac” candy in a plastic bag. Spending only 50 minutes with 4 different groups of high school students, that I did not know, I figured out pretty quickly what they needed from me, as their teacher. Besides the rules of basic acting and how to create a character, they needed inspiration! They needed to know that my class was a safe environment where they could be themselves. They wanted to know that no one has a perfect life, including adults. Most of what they begged for was the words, “I won’t give up on you!” So I will take the inspiration that I was given from my camp kids and take it home to my Hempstead kids this year. “I won’t give up on them!”
By the end of the 2 weeks, our inspirational “camp song” was “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz. The lyrics are amazing for our youth of today. Whether they live in the country or city, rural or urban, the message inspires the same. “I won’t give up on us, even when the sky gets rough…” This is my inspired message for the 2012-13 school year in my classroom. Jason Mraz will be playing on my I-pod, every day throughout the year. Music brings back many memories for me and this one will always remind me of those precious students I had in the summer of 2012 and how I saw them peel one layer of their onion while in my class. “I won’t give up on them!”
The media most often blasts the negative moments in public education, where if they spent a day in the theatre classroom, there might be some good news to spread for a change. Exchanging ideas and theories with theatre educators during SummerFest is always a joy. On Sunday, the last day of the event, a young teacher came to me and said, “I had a horrible year at school last year. After 3 days of SummerFest I have been invigorated and excited to begin next year. Thank you so much!” Her sweet, positive comment made the K-12 SummerFest program, one of the most important events for days of magic. “I won’t give up on you!”
As theatre teachers, we have to find those events that send us back to our rooms full of knowledge and ready to challenge our students. We have to rejuvenate through the summer so we can bust through those front doors ready to CREATE ART! Theatre teachers are the luckiest people in the world. We get to drive to a building every day, play with kids, create art, and get paid for it. The creative person is full of passion and ideas and wants all those around them to be full of passion and creativity as well. You can make that happen this year at your school! “I won’t give up on ME!”
Yes, you have to trust yourself and not give up on you when it seems that administration, co-workers, and parents have given up. The pace of the 21st century affects all of us. There never seems to be enough hours in the day to complete the tasks that we attain in everyday life. As much stress as we, as educators, feel, our students and families could have it worse. I realized this one afternoon, as I took a 7th grade student home from play practice. I drove, listening to the excitement in her voice as she relayed the story of her family finally being able to buy food for the month. After their trip to the grocery store, they went to McDonald’s for the first time in several months, where she and her little brother got 2 Big Macs each. She only ate one and a half of her burgers and gave the rest to her little brother. This was after the few days that I took her home and found myself begrudging the fact that I had to drive 10 miles out of town to achieve the task. Then reality slapped me in the face, I realized that “I won’t give up on HER!”
I hope that your school year will be passionate and inspiring for you and your students! I see the greatness that goes into our Texas Theatre classrooms and I am amazed by your dedication to your students and yourselves. Take time for yourself so you can create art with your students! Go into this year, with inspirational words.
“I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use
The tools and gifts we got yeah, we got a lot at stake
And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend
For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in
I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not
And who I am.
I won’t give up, on us…”
Jason Mraz
“I Won’t Give Up”