TETA K-12 Committee
Vice-President Elect
Once Summerfest is over, I feel recharged and ready to head
up to the schoolhouse to start working on my lessons and new units for the
school year. Summerfest is my curriculum kickstarter.
It seems like Theatrefest serves a different need for me.
I’m a little worn down from teaching my heart out for the first semester yet
totally jazzed for OAP season. I look forward to learning new tricks, shopping
for technology I didn't know I needed and connecting with my theatre pals. I
always return to school ready to throw a brand new lesson at my kiddos and
incorporate something different into rehearsals.
With that kick in the pants thought in mind, I have begun
talking to directors about sliding off the bar stool and doing some workshops.
One of my pals has told me repeatedly that he does things the “wrong way” and
he amazes me because he is successful doing things the exact opposite of how I
was taught. I have convinced him to do a workshop on his unique approach. We
haven’t come up with a name for it yet, but it may be “I Do It Wrong and I’m
Rarely Fired” or something equally sassy.
While I do believe that there are theatre teachers out there
who emerged from the hospital nursery script in hand with ideas galore, I am also
aware that even the most gifted have benefited from shared advice over the
years. Think about your approach, think about your inspiration and think about
your attitude toward the beast. I’m sure you have something to share. Team up
with a friend or form a panel. Come on,
you can do it!
I know that some of you may think it’s tedious to make
handouts or prepare power points. Or you feel that you need to be unreasonably
peppy and do a song and dance. None of that is this case. I mean, if you have
some ambitious kids who can throw together a slide show for you and type up
some notes, by all means utilize them. But your audience will be
college-educated adults who are capable of jotting down notes and listening
attentively. No gadgets or tap shoes required.
I would like to challenge you to share something with strangers.
The workshop proposals can be found here:
http://www.tetatx.com/forms
Or if paperwork, isn’t your thing, drop me a line and I’ll
fill it out for you. madamedirector@me.com
Have a great start of the school year and work that theatre
magic!